Morero races to stop Joburg being plunged into darkness as Eskom warns of disconnection

Mayor scrambles after Eskom warns of possible disconnection over unpaid bill

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has been urgently negotiating with Eskom after the power utility issued a formal notice saying it may reduce or disconnect parts of the city’s supply because the City of Johannesburg has not met its payment obligations. Eskom says the city owes R5.25 billion.

Crunch talks ahead of the state of the city address

The Citizen reports that Morero was on calls with Eskom officials hours before delivering his 2026 state of the city (Soca) speech as he sought to resolve the dispute. The mayor was expected to address the crisis in his speech.

National and party players move in

ANC structures have sought urgent engagement. Regional secretary Sasa Manganye told The Citizen the ANC has engaged the minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who agreed to meet the mayor and his team to try to resolve the matter. Manganye said the city must reach a new repayment agreement with Eskom because “the current agreement is unsustainable, and it’s not realistic.”

Treasury warning and wider concern

The Citizen notes that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana wrote to Morero on 23 April warning that if the municipality continued on its course Treasury would withhold an R8 billion payment due to the city in July. Commentators and political opponents warned of the wider risks to residents and services if supply is interrupted.

Civil society and opposition voices alarmed

Wayne Duvenage, CEO of Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), said the Eskom notice was a pertinent issue for the city’s financial management and that National Treasury’s intervention was overdue. Joburg Community Action Network’s Julia Fish noted that Eskom has previously taken legal steps to recover payment from the city and questioned the city’s financial management.

Opposition figures also reacted. DA caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku criticised cancellations of oversight meetings and said residents should not “bear the brunt of the failures of the ANC-led administration while service delivery continues to collapse.” ActionSA’s Herman Mashaba warned that any interruption to electricity would have “devastating consequences for households, hospitals, schools, small businesses, and the broader economy.”

What happens next

According to reporting in The Citizen, discussions between the city, Eskom and national officials were ongoing as stakeholders sought a fresh repayment plan and a way to avoid supply disruption. The ANC expected a report back from its deployees within two weeks.

Why it matters

The dispute highlights the financial pressure on Johannesburg’s administration and the potential service impact when municipalities cannot meet obligations to national utilities. Any move by Eskom to reduce or cut supply would affect residents and businesses across the city.