KEY POINTS
- Joburg CAN is demanding full disclosure of any deal between Eskom, City Power, and the City of Johannesburg over looming power cuts.
- Eskom says the city owes over R5.25 billion, raising fears of electricity interruptions if payments are not resolved.
- Civic groups want a 30-day extension of public participation, warning residents are being left out of critical decisions affecting power supply.
The Johannesburg Community Action Network, Joburg CAN, has called on Eskom, the City of Johannesburg, andCity Power to urgently publish the full details of any agreement aimed at preventing electricity interruptions in Johannesburg.
The civic group says residents are being asked to participate in a public process without access to critical information, including whether any settlement has been finalised or whether Eskom’s consultation process on possible power interruptions has been withdrawn.
Eskom previously issued a notice in May stating that City Power and the City of Johannesburg owed it more than R5.25 billion in arrears, with an additional R1.58 billion current account payment also due.
The utility warned that repeated payment defaults could force it to reduce, interrupt, or terminate electricity supply to certain bulk points in the city.
Joburg CAN says despite public reports of a possible resolution, there is no confirmed evidence of any binding agreement or clarity on its terms.
Residents Caught in the Middle of Uncertainty
Joburg CAN managing director Julia Fish said residents are being treated as “collateral damage” in a dispute between government entities.
She stressed that if an agreement exists, it must be made public immediately, especially as residents have been given until 17 June to submit comments on Eskom’s proposed intervention.
The group also wants clarity on earlier incidents where Eskom disconnected streetlights in parts of Johannesburg due to City Power’s arrears—an issue it says is directly linked to broader payment failures.
The dispute follows a 2025 settlement in which City Power agreed to a multiyear repayment plan of R3.2 billion, while Eskom wrote off about R830 million in penalties.
However, Eskom says the municipality has again failed to meet its obligations, raising concerns about ongoing financial instability.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has also previously flagged worsening governance and liquidity challenges in the city’s finances.
