City Power has disconnected eight Johannesburg buildings that owe over R15 million in outstanding electricity debt. The operation targeted buildings in areas including Marshalltown, Berea, Jeppestown, Yeoville, Hillbrow, and the inner city. City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the intervention aimed to recover debt and address safety concerns.
The disconnections were due to unsafe electrical connections, neglected properties, and concerns that some buildings are hijacked. Mangena stated that most of the buildings are greatly neglected but still occupied, posing safety concerns. The condition of electrical connections was also a concern, as unsafe connections could lead to fires.
The operation is part of a wider City Power campaign targeting 108 problematic buildings across Johannesburg. Mangena said the utility has established a dedicated department to focus on these properties and is gathering intelligence on abandoned, neglected, or hijacked buildings.
The operation exposed complicated circumstances surrounding some properties, where legitimate owners were allegedly forced out, and tenants remained. In some cases, owners were nowhere to be found, having been chased away by hijackers. In one instance, a building owner arrived during the operation and asked City Power to disconnect electricity due to hijacking.
The presence of tenants, including students, added complexity to the problem. Mangena said one targeted building was student accommodation, with students complaining that they paid rent but the money wasn't passed on to pay municipal services. Reconnections require not only settling outstanding accounts but also meeting safety standards and certified electrical installations.
Mangena stated that the city's Building Control unit would play a crucial role in determining the fate of problematic properties. In some cases, the city could take over a building and make it available to developers for an appropriate purpose, including student accommodation. Other buildings could be demolished if structurally unsafe.
The scale and complexity of the problem require an interdepartmental approach, involving national, regional, and local government. The latest operation follows longstanding concerns over Johannesburg's hijacked and dilapidated buildings, particularly after the August 2023 Usindiso Building fire, which killed 76 people.
Key points
- City Power disconnected eight Johannesburg buildings with R15m debt due to safety concerns and hijacking.
- The operation is part of a wider campaign targeting 108 problematic buildings across Johannesburg.
- Reconnections require settling outstanding accounts and meeting safety standards and certified electrical installations.
