Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero said Eskom will not cut electricity to the city despite threats from the utility company.
The assurance comes as the city faces a severe financial crisis with the national power utility. A blackout would disrupt essential services and economic activity in South Africa's largest city.
Speaking during the State of the City Address, Morero said the city would keep its lights on. He said "Eskom will not pull the plug" regarding the current power dispute [1].
The conflict stems from a significant financial shortfall. Johannesburg currently owes Eskom approximately R6.8 billion [2]. This mounting debt has led the utility to threaten power cuts to the municipality to recoup losses [3].
Morero said there is a plan to address the outstanding balance. He said "there is a plan for Johannesburg's Eskom debt" to ensure the city remains powered [1].
While the mayor expressed confidence in the city's ability to maintain electricity, the scale of the debt remains a critical point of tension between the local government and the national utility. The city is reportedly racing against time to stabilize its financial standing to avoid a total shutdown of the grid [3].
“"Eskom will not pull the plug"”
The standoff highlights the precarious nature of municipal finance in South Africa, where local governments struggle to balance infrastructure costs with payment obligations to national utilities. If the promised payment plan fails, the city faces a high risk of load shedding or total disconnection, which would exacerbate existing urban instability.
