City of Joburg mayor cracks down on nightlife hotspot over R2 million electricity debt

The bustling nightlife of Johannesburg has taken a hit as the City of Joburg's mayor, Dada Morero, has ordered the shutdown of the popular Summit Club located in the city centre.

This comes after the establishment failed to settle an outstanding electricity bill exceeding R2 million, further underlining the city's commitment to enforcing compliance amid mounting financial pressures.

On Tuesday, as part of the Mayoral High-Impact Service Delivery Programme, the mayor's office conducted extensive inspections across the inner city. These operations are targeted at restoring compliance, recovering revenue owed to the City, and safeguarding critical electricity infrastructure.

Morero emphasised that this action aims to ensure fairness for all customers who diligently pay for their services, while rooting out those who evade payments and engage in illegal activities.

During this decisive enforcement initiative, City Power disconnected two major businesses in Hillbrow: a noteworthy nightclub, The Summit Club, and a shopping complex housing residential flats. The pair accumulated a staggering combined electricity debt nearing R25 million, highlighting the significant revenue losses the City faces due to persistent non-compliance.

"These measures are essential to safeguarding the integrity of the electricity grid and ensuring that law-abiding, paying customers are not unfairly burdened by those who continue to evade payment and engage in unlawful activity," Morero stated. This is part of an ongoing effort by City Power to reclaim over R10 billion owed to the City, with approximately R3.2 billion attributed to customers in inner-city areas alone.

On Tuesday, City Power, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and the Building Control Unit conducted targeted inspections primarily in Hillbrow, scrutinising properties along Claim Street, Esselen Street, and Edith Cavell Street. The operation revealed a concerning situation with multiple hijacked and unlawfully occupied buildings, including commercial and residential properties with illegal connections.

Among the findings was a block of flats comprising more than 30 units that was disconnected last November due to the removal of illegal connections, yet it remains without power. In another building, tenants were still paying rent while the property owner defaulted on rates, taxes, and electricity bills. City officials confirmed that illegal connections identified in previous inspections had been dismantled.

The Summit Club, part of the operation, was found to owe R2.6 million in electricity debt, prompting the disconnection of its defaulted meter in accordance with City Power’s credit control policies. Additionally, the club was noted to have breached Section 4 of Regulation A25 for making internal layout changes without an approved city building plan, showcasing a disregard for regulatory compliance.

The prevalence of illegal connections and failure to pay bills continues to strain the inner-city electricity network, heightening the risk of outages and potential infrastructure damage. With financial resources diverted away from essential maintenance and upgrades, it is crucial to address these challenges to restore stability within the network.

As part of the broader High-Impact Service Delivery Programme, City Power is also focusing on enhancing public safety. Following the targeted interventions, the City deployed public lighting teams in Hillbrow, successfully repairing and restoring 16 streetlights along Claim and Esselen Streets. This initiative not only improves visibility but also aims to enhance safety for residents, businesses, and commuters alike.

Mayor Morero has assured residents that the City will continue to intensify operations to uphold these standards, ensuring that essential services are delivered fairly and efficiently across Johannesburg.