Johannesburg’s electricity utility has disconnected power to a prominent private school after years of non-payment as part of a sweeping crackdown targeting high-value defaulters owing a combined R38.1 million.

City Power, working alongside its security unit and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), cut electricity supply to Curro School in Noordwyk on Tuesday, 23 June 2026.

The disconnection followed sustained non-payment of a R9.3 million electricity account that had been accumulating since 2023.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena confirmed that the action was part of a broader revenue protection operation.

“The decision to disconnect supply was not taken lightly but was necessary after prolonged non-compliance, which has placed a severe strain on the utility’s ability to recover revenue and sustain the electricity distribution network,” Mangena said.

The Curro account forms part of a wider enforcement drive targeting four high-value defaulting properties, with combined outstanding debt reaching R38.1 million.

Individual debts across the identified properties range from R5 million to R13 million, all accumulated over roughly three years despite repeated recovery attempts and engagement.

Curro’s debt a surprise given its financial standing

City Power Acting Chief Executive Officer Charles Tlouane expressed particular concern that an institution of Curro’s profile had allowed its account to reach this level.

Mangena conveyed Tlouane’s position that the situation was both unexpected and damaging to the utility’s operations.

“It is surprising that an institution of this nature, which is generally regarded as financially stable within the private education sector, has accumulated such a substantial debt,” said Tlouane.

“Situations like this place undue pressure on City Power’s ability to maintain and upgrade critical infrastructure, while also impacting our efforts to ensure reliable electricity supply to paying customers across Johannesburg.”

Mangena added that Tlouane stressed the broader consequences of defaults by institutions that are presumed to be financially capable.

The acting CEO noted that cases of this nature place additional strain on the utility’s already constrained revenue base and negatively affect service delivery across the city.

Unpaid accounts undermine infrastructure and paying customers

City Power emphasised that debt of this scale not only affects its balance sheet but also has direct consequences for all electricity users in Johannesburg.

Every unpaid account adds to the financial pressure on the system, limiting the utility’s capacity to respond to infrastructure failures, reduce outages, and invest in long-term network improvements.

Mangena said the continued accumulation of debt by large institutions and commercial users creates an uneven burden on compliant customers.

“The ongoing revenue protection operations are aimed at addressing this imbalance by enforcing strict compliance, recovering overdue revenue and safeguarding the integrity of the electricity network,” he said.

The utility further warned that allowing large defaulters to go unchallenged weakens the overall financial sustainability of the electricity supply chain within the City of Johannesburg.

Zero tolerance for non-payment going forward

City Power made clear that no consumer, regardless of their status or size, would be exempt from enforcement action. Mangena said the utility’s position on this is firm and non-negotiable.

“All consumers, including private institutions and large power users, are expected to settle their accounts in full and on time,” Mangena said.

“Failure to do so will result in decisive enforcement action without exception, including disconnection of supply where necessary.”

The Revenue Protection Unit is expected to continue its operations targeting other high-value defaulters as the utility works to recover outstanding revenue and stabilise its financial position.