Tembisa erupts in protest: Mayor forced to halt electricity cutoffs

Tembisa residents blocked several major roads on Monday, February 23, in protest against electricity disconnections by the City of Ekurhuleni.

Residents barricaded routes including Andrew Mapheto Drive with burning tyres, stones and debris, bringing parts of the township to a standstill. Dan Nkabinde and Rev RTJ Namane drives were also affected, with some commuters forced to walk home.

The protest follows the metro’s intensified credit control measures and the issuing of pre-termination notices for non-payment. Residents say the disconnections have affected registered indigent households and have raised concerns about high electricity costs, billing and service delivery.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza said he had taken note of the planned protest and the concerns raised by residents.

“The Executive Mayor has taken note of the planned protest in Tembisa, and the concerns raised by residents regarding electricity disconnections, termination notices, and matters relating to the City’s indigent policy,” the statement read.

It said that following consultations with ward councillors and community representatives, the mayor had instructed departments to “halt the issuing of pre-termination and termination letters and the disconnection of indigent and deemed indigent households pending a comprehensive investigation into the concerns raised.”

The internal administrative process would run from February 23 to 27 February 27.

The statement added: “We will progressively begin with the restoration of electricity to households that have been disconnected, particularly those registered as indigent and deemed indigent according to the City’s criteria.”

The city will also “undertake a review of the city’s indigent policy to ensure that it is fair, responsive, and aligned with the socio-economic realities facing vulnerable communities” and “initiate a process to scrap outstanding debt for registered indigent and deemed indigent households, subject to verification and policy alignment.”

The mayor said that while the city must maintain a culture of payment for services, it also has an obligation to protect vulnerable residents.

“No qualifying indigent household should be deprived of basic services due to administrative shortcomings or policy gaps,” the statement read.

The city called on residents to remain calm while the review and investigation processes unfold and said it remains open to further engagement with the community.

Police were monitoring the protest on Monday. No injuries or arrests had been reported at the time of publication.