State-owned electricity company Eskom has warned it may reduce or cut power supply to Johannesburg over unpaid debts, the utility said on Tuesday.
Eskom said the City of Johannesburg and its power utility City Power owe 5.26 billion rand ($315.26 million) in arrears, with a further 1.58 billion rand due on June 5. The company issued a notice of its intention to “reduce, interrupt and/or terminate” electricity supply to certain bulk supply points serving the city.
According to Eskom, it has been working with the municipality for more than two years to recover the debt, but the city has repeatedly defaulted. The City of Johannesburg did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Johannesburg’s finances have faced scrutiny recently, with South Africa’s National Treasury raising concerns over the city’s financial position.
Eskom, which has struggled financially for years, reported its first full-year profit in eight years in 2025, supported by government bailouts and improved performance at its coal plants.
