The City of Johannesburg has firmly denied reports that it disconnected electricity supply to the African National Congress (ANC) headquarters, Luthuli House, over unpaid municipal debt.
The denial follows widespread claims that Luthuli House owed the City approximately R365,000 and that its electricity had been cut as part of Johannesburg’s intensified campaign to recover outstanding municipal accounts.
In a public statement issued on his official Facebook page on Monday, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero dismissed the reports as false, saying Luthuli House was not targeted in the City’s December disconnection programme and had not experienced any City-led power cut.
“The City of Johannesburg confirms that Luthuli House has not been disconnected. It was not part of the City’s disconnection programme for this month, and there was no City-led electricity cut-off at that site, contrary to claims that have been circulating,” Morero said.
The mayor further challenged media outlets that reported the alleged disconnection to substantiate their claims with verifiable evidence.
“If any media house has evidence to the contrary, the City demands that they provide specific details, including the date, time, point of supply or meter number, as well as photographic proof, so this can be verified with the relevant operational teams,” Morero said. “The City also insists that the false statement be rectified.”
Morero warned against the spread of misinformation, urging the public and media to exercise caution and uphold responsible reporting standards. “Cease spreading fake news,” he added.
The controversy emerges against the backdrop of the City’s aggressive drive to recover billions of rands in unpaid municipal revenue. Earlier this year, Johannesburg launched Project Lokisa, a credit control initiative targeting chronic defaulters across the metro.
According to the City, more than 1,300 residential customers owing a combined R978 million have already been flagged for enforcement action. Under Project Lokisa, defaulters risk the removal of their electricity infrastructure, including meters, as part of stricter credit control measures.
While the City has made it clear that no action was taken against Luthuli House, the incident has once again highlighted the sensitivity surrounding municipal debt enforcement, particularly when politically significant institutions are involved.
For now, City officials maintain that claims of a power cut at the ANC’s headquarters are unfounded and have called for corrections to what they describe as inaccurate reporting.