Pasop! Joburg residents warned of intruders posing as City Power contractors

Share this article: Share Tweet Share Share Share Email Share

Johannesburg - Joburg residents have been warned to stay alert and not allow intruders posing as City Power contractors onto their properties. The suspected intruders have been using a modus operandi of telling unsuspecting residents that they have been sent by Joburg City Power to check meters as the system is offline. Joburg City Power issued the alert at 1am on Friday morning. It said the syndicate were known to be driving a blue Mercedes-Benz V Class vehicle, with North West province number plate. They were particularly rife in the Johannesburg South region in recent days.

On Thursday, City Power reported that the syndicate had targeted residents in the Kibler Park and Bassonia suburbs.

City Power said the intruders were not legitimate, and that they posed as workers from the organisation in an attempt to gain access onto the property.

#ALERT!!! #SCAMMERS!!

City Power would like to warn residents of Bassonia, Kibler Park and other suburbs in the south of Johannesburg against people who are driving a blue Mercedes Vito with North West registration number. They masquerade as if they are City Power contractors. — @CityPowerJhb (@CityPowerJhb) February 6, 2020

“City Power would like to warn residents of Bassonia, Kibler Park and other suburbs in the south of Johannesburg against people who are driving a blue Mercedes Vito with North West registration number. They masquerade as if they are City Power contractors.

“Yesterday they were in Bassonia and today they are in Kibler Park. They are telling the customers that City Power is offline and they need to access their properties to check their meters. Our customers are advised not to open for them but call 011 490 7911.

“These people are not genuine City Power contractors and they are not carrying City Power identity cards,” a statement posted on their Twitter account read.

City Power had not specified what harm or threat the intruders had posed to residents.

Meanwhile, Stage 2 load shedding is expected to resume for much of Friday and into the weekend.

Eskom said in a statement that their system remained vulnerable and they had no choice but to load shed further on Friday, and possibly into the weekend.

“Demand exceeded 30 000MW during the peak hours on Thursday, reducing the operating reserves and necessitating Stage 2 load shedding,” the power utility said.

Residents have been urged to call 011 490 7911 or 011 490 7504 or their nearest police station, if the suspected intruders show up at their properties.