An attempt to bribe a city official for the installation of four electricity prepaid meters sparked a sting operation resulting in the arrest of a businessman from Fordsburg last night‚ Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba said on Friday.

Explaining the sequence of events‚ the mayor said: "It is alleged that yesterday‚ during a Buya Mthetho operation in Fordsburg‚ officials were shocked to find four bridged prepaid electricity meters and a bypassed water meter.

"As the officials were about to remove the meters‚ the suspect‚ who is the owner of the property‚ approached the team leader from the Revenue Department and offered him R10‚000 in exchange for new meters. "A sting operating led the City’s Group Forensic and Investigation Service (GFIS) working with SAPS‚ City Power and the Revenue Department was then set up in the evening. The team proceeded to the property with the requested electricity meters. "The suspect then paid R8‚000 for the meters and was apprehended by the SAPS."

Operation Buya Mthetho is a new multi-departmental operation - being conducted on a daily basis - aimed at enforcing by-laws and bringing the rule of law to the City of Johannesburg. Key departments that are part of the operation include City departments and entities such as GFIS‚ JMPD‚ Environmental Health‚ Social Development‚ Infrastructure Services‚ the City’s legal department‚ and Development Planning.