City Power has welcomed the sentencing of two illegal foreign nationals from Lesotho, who were found guilty by the Alexandra Wynberg Regional Court for tampering with essential electricity infrastructure.

Pitso Motjotjo and Lekgetho Khoatsana were arrested last November and were charged with tampering with essential infrastructure and illegal immigration.

These charges were related to acts that compromised public safety and disrupted the reliable delivery of essential services.

The court handed down a 10-year direct imprisonment sentence for each suspect, with three years suspended.

The convicts were declared unfit to possess firearms for the next five years.

“City Power acknowledges the efforts of Detective Sergeant Masango, who led the investigation, and the Midrand SAPS for their diligent case management.

“This conviction highlights the city’s zero-tolerance stance against crimes that threaten critical infrastructure,“ said City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.

Mangena hailed the power utility’s substantial number of convictions between 2023 and 2024 following a surge in crimes related to electricity theft.

“In 2024 alone, City Power secured 12 landmark convictions amidst a surge in arrests for cable theft, vandalism, and infrastructure tampering.

“The previous year, in 2023, the entity achieved 132 convictions for vandalism and illegal connections, apprehending between five and eight suspects weekly.

“These achievements underscore the strong partnership between City Power and the SAPS in protecting Johannesburg’s electricity infrastructure,” he said.

Mangena emphasised that City Power has forged a partnership with law enforcement to eradicate crimes that threaten the city’s power grid.

“City Power will continue working closely with law enforcement to combat tampering, theft, and vandalism — threats that pose significant risks to Johannesburg’s power grid and the safety of its residents.

“The public is urged to report any suspicious activities to law enforcement or City Power’s dedicated hotline,” he said.

The Star

hope.mafu@inl.co.za