Khaya Koko – News24 Investigations
The City of Johannesburg’s perennial power problems have turned the once-revered “Jozi Maboneng” — that is, Johannesburg, the city of lights — into darkness, owing to corruption and flagrant mismanagement of municipal resources.
The never-ending blackouts catalysed the 11-month Power Connections investigative series to shine a light on the causes affecting Johannesburg’s electricity supply.
What we found was staggering: blatant nepotism, a six-month, R335-million looting scheme involving the purchase of frivolous items such as mops and buckets at inflated prices, and a R40-billion infrastructure backlog — among a host of other irregularities — at the municipal entity, City Power, which was hindering Johannesburg’s electricity supply.
Moreover, highly paid senior managers and executives at the utility, which has a negative R16-billion bank balance, outsourced work contained in their job descriptions to external firms, further deepening City Power’s financial crisis.
Nepotism scandal, R200m monthly losses: Inside City Power mismanagement
City of Johannesburg-owned energy company City Power has been rocked by more revelations about a jobs-for-relatives scheme allegedly run by its senior managers, while the utility continues to haemorrhage millions of rands a month in what its board suspected was mismanagement.
Lesufi’s R64m energy project part of Hawks’ corruption probe
The R64 million paid as part of Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s township electrification programme is central to the Hawks’ high-level corruption investigation into City Power. The transformer replacement programme was part of the provincial government’s energy crisis plan to electrify townships and urban areas which had been without power for months and years.
R64m paid for R32m project: Hawks target more alleged City Power graft
City Power’s payment of R64 million for a contract worth R32 million is part of the Hawks’ latest raids and ongoing corruption investigations into the broke City of Johannesburg-owned power utility.
Nepotism, unqualified staff: Inside Joburg’s R40bn failing infrastructure
Top executives at ailing electricity company City Power have seemingly hired family members and electricians who allegedly do not meet the technical criteria.
R16.3bn crisis: Joburg’s City Power faces financial ruin as mayor allegedly buries reports
City Power has, since 2017, had negative bank balances, which required the City of Johannesburg to fund its entity’s operations from the municipality’s budget for successive years. This has resulted in the company’s negative R16.3-billion bank balance as of 30 September 2024, the end of the first quarter of the current financial year.
How City Power forked out R100m for an R8m job
Cash-strapped City Power paid R100 million for critical electrical infrastructure initially quoted at only R8 million. This after it lost a staggering R2.8 billion in fruitless and wasteful expenditures in the last financial year.
Air fresheners, BIC pens, mops: Inside 6-month R335m 'fraud' at City Power
City Power "fraudulently" spent R335 million in six months on failed maintenance and infrastructure projects, despite internal warnings the municipal entity was paying for "deceptive invoices".
Broke City Power paid contractor R12 million before delivery
The City of Johannesburg's City Power paid a politically connected businessman R12 million for a critical infrastructure project months before work was done, allegedly contravening the law, during a year in which the utility lost R2.8 billion.
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Journalist: Khaya Koko
News24 Production Editor: Hanlie Gouws
Design: Sharlene Rood
Image credits: Rosetta Msimango/News24; Gallo Images/Rapport/Deon Raath; X/@CityPowerJhb; Gauteng Provincial Government/Instagram; Gallo Images/Luba Lesolle; Gallo Images/Fani Mahuntsi; Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo.
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