City of Johannesburg Cracks Down on Electricity Defaulters Owing R978 Million

Johannesburg, South Africa – The City of Johannesburg has announced an aggressive crackdown on electricity defaulters, targeting more than 1,300 residential and business customers who collectively owe the metro a staggering R978 million in unpaid bills.

According to Acting Group Head of Revenue and Shared Services, Malope Ramagaga, the city is left with no choice but to remove equipment, including meters, from properties of persistent defaulters who have not paid for more than 13 months, despite continuing to benefit from full municipal services such as electricity, water, sewer, and refuse removal.

READ: 33% Water Loss: Johannesburg Losing Third of Supply Through Leaks and Illegal Connections

The Debt Crisis

Johannesburg faces a debt book of over R65 billion, fueled by a combination of non-payment, disputed bills, faulty meters, and inefficiencies in revenue collection systems. While the city bills around R5.5 billion every month, only a fraction is collected, creating immense strain on service delivery and infrastructure maintenance.

Ramagaga emphasized that the issue is not isolated to poor households but cuts across residential suburbs, businesses, body corporates, and even large corporates in affluent areas, some of whom can afford to pay but have chosen not to.

Meter Removals and Legal Action

The city has begun issuing notices and disconnection warnings to identified defaulters. Those who fail to respond face physical removal of infrastructure such as electricity meters — a costly last resort aimed at enforcing compliance.

“We are not targeting only certain areas; this is citywide,” Ramagaga said. “From corporates to townships, from estates to small businesses, everyone who owes the city will be held accountable.”

He further revealed that some businesses and individuals have quickly settled multi-million rand arrears to avoid public exposure and service disconnection.

Tackling Corruption and Inefficiencies

The metro admitted that internal corruption has also enabled some customers to escape disconnections, with municipal officials accepting bribes in exchange for overlooking arrears. Ramagaga confirmed that consequence management processes are underway to root out fraud, in collaboration with SAPS and JMPD.

Additionally, the city has upgraded its billing systems and launched Project Lukisa, aimed at addressing customer billing queries, disputed accounts, and meter-reading inefficiencies.

Restoring Service Delivery and Public Trust

Johannesburg residents have long raised concerns about poor service delivery — from frequent power outages and water disruptions to delayed infrastructure repairs. Ramagaga assured residents that revenue collected from this campaign will be channeled directly into service delivery, including the refurbishment of transformers, water systems, and other critical infrastructure.

“Our tough stance on non-payment is not only about recovering debt but also about rebuilding public trust and ensuring continuous supply of essential services,” he explained.

Key Numbers

• R65 billion – Total municipal debt owed to the City of Johannesburg.
• R978 million – Debt owed by 1,366 flagged customers not paying for 13+ months.
• 144,000 – Total number of accounts identified for follow-up action, owing R12 billion.
• R5.5 billion – Value of monthly municipal bills issued across Johannesburg.

READ: South Africa’s Water Crisis: Protests, Debt & Supply Cuts

Final Word

The City of Johannesburg’s tough enforcement drive sends a strong message: if you don’t pay, you won’t get services. While the campaign has been welcomed by many residents as a step towards accountability, its success will hinge on the metro’s ability to balance strict enforcement with transparent service delivery improvements.