City Power contractors repairing street lights in Orlando, Soweto were forced to abandon the work and flee for their lives after being attacked and robbed, the entity said.
The scared workers left the company vehicle and valuables behind as they fled.
According to spokesperson Isaac Mangena, four suspects approached the workers in what seemed to be a coordinated attack while they were busy on Khumalo street at around 3pm on Wednesday.
This robbery mirrors similar patterns we’ve seen in other areas, where our technicians are robbed, threatened, or even held hostage while trying to restore or maintain electricity infrastructure
— Isaac Mangena, City Power spokesperson
Mangena confirmed that the suspects made off with the workers' personal belongings left inside the van, including bags and other valuables.
“City Power strongly condemns all acts of violence, theft, intimidation, and threats against our employees,” he said. “What happened yesterday mirrors similar patterns across all regions, where technicians have been robbed, threatened, or even held hostage making it increasingly difficult to safely carry out critical repairs or maintenance in certain areas.”
Mangena has strongly condemned the incident, describing it as part of a disturbing pattern of violence and intimidation targeting its technical teams across various regions in Johannesburg.
“This robbery mirrors similar patterns we’ve seen in other areas, where our technicians are robbed, threatened, or even held hostage while trying to restore or maintain electricity infrastructure,” the utility said in a statement. “If these attacks continue, City Power may be left with no choice but to suspend services in high-risk areas. The safety of our employees is non-negotiable.”
The entity added that such criminal acts not only endanger workers’ lives but also disrupt essential services, resulting in prolonged power outages and delayed fault repairs for the communities most in need.
Three weeks ago, City Power workers were held hostage in Tshepisong while doing maintenance in the area.
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