“Don’t Blame Them”: SA Defends Municipality After Complaints About 3 Units of Electricity for R100

• A Cape Town councillor shared a receipt showing how many units a tenant received after spending R100, sparking a heated debate online
• The building's owner owes thousands in electricity debt, and the municipality has been deducting money from new electricity purchases
• South Africans largely sided with the municipality, saying the system was working as it should and that the landlord, not the city, was to blame
• Briefly News spoke to financial advisor Mohammed Areff on what tenants should do when electricity costs increase because landlords owe large debts to municipalities

Cape Town GOOD Party councillor @RoscoePalmZA shared a photo of a receipt on 12 February 2026 showing how much electricity a tenant got. The person bought R100 worth of electricity at a Pick'n Pay store, only to receive 3.3 units. The reason was visible right on the slip: R89 of the R100 was automatically deducted toward an outstanding debt linked to the property, leaving only R11 to cover actual electricity units.

Read also

Christian School Faces Claims of Exploitative Bursaries Using Students' Viral Amapiano Dance Videos

The building's owner carries a debt of R303,226.70 on the account. Councillor Palm used the post to call out what he described as an unaffordable city and a broken credit control policy that punishes tenants for their landlord's debt.

He added that the tenants in question were residents being evicted from District Six, and that the landlord had been racking up debt to force them out. He called it constructive eviction and said the DA-run administration was responsible for an increasingly unaffordable Cape Town.

While the councillor pointed the finger at the city, many South Africans who saw the post had a different take. Several people pointed out that the receipt showed the debt deduction and that the tenant, and not the city, needed to take the matter up with the landlord, who had allowed the account to reach that level.

Speaking to Briefly News writer Nerissa Naidoo, financial advisor Mohammed Areff discussed what tenants should do when electricity costs increase because landlords owe large debts to municipalities:

“When this happens, tenants should first check their lease agreement and understand what they are paying for. They should communicate with the landlord in writing to get clarity on the debt and service disruption. If the issue is not resolved, tenants can seek assistance from the rental housing tribunal or legal advice to protect their rights.”

Read also

"It was bad": Cape Town young man shares why his family moved to SA from the US

Entrepreneur and commercial property expert Rajesperi Naidoo also shared what landlords and property owners should do to avoid accumulating large municipal debts:

“Property owners need to manage their finances properly and ensure that municipal accounts are paid on time. They should monitor usage, budget for utility costs, and separate rental income from personal expenses. Staying organised and proactive helps prevent debt from building up and avoids service disruptions for tenants.”

Watch the Facebook video below:

SA defends the R100 receipt

Netizens came up to defend the municipality stating that the tenant was not cheated, as the amount was high due to arrears, and the receipt Facebook user @RoscoePalmZA shared was correct:

@Johan Steenkamp said:

"You have to pay outstanding debt. You only got electricity for R11. The rest is outstanding funds. Don't blame the municipality!"

@John Ramparsadh wrote:

"Well, that's the way your outstanding debt can be recovered. That's the smart way of doing it, smart meters."

@Prince Cloete laughed:

"😂 Take time to read your receipt properly. You will see they deducted R89 for a debt."

Read also

“Are you for real?”: Woman shares Levi's factory outlet plug, jacket and hoodie for R350 combined

@Harry Hembly noted:

"This person owes the municipality over R300k 😮😢"

@Gareth Sargent explained:

"R11 for the 3.3 units, the other R89 went towards debt repayment."

@Manuel Madatt asked:

"How much do they owe on other utilities?"

@Grant Steed questioned:

"That outstanding amount looks more like penalties for tampering with your prepaid meter box... 🤔"

@Marie Ferreira added:

"Now prepaid company in Gauteng costs R200 for 1 unit."

More on SA electricity and municipality

• Briefly News recently reported on the City of Tshwane cutting electricity to the Nigerian High Commission over unpaid bills.
• Johannesburg residents in some of the city's more well-off areas took to the streets over electricity and water cuts.
• President Cyril Ramaphosa announced plans to open Eskom to private investors, and the details of what that could mean for South Africans and their electricity bills raised questions.

Source: Briefly News