Tshwane cuts power again: Thami Ndlala Properties Face R2,9 million of Electricity Debt

• The City of Tshwane has once again disconnected electricity at Thami Ndlala Mall and Hotel Apartments after the property was found to have been illegally reconnected despite owing over R600,000
• Officials also revealed that the mall owes more than R1 million in unpaid water bills, and another property owned by Ndlala was disconnected for R2.3 million in electricity arrears
• The city warned that illegal reconnections will not be tolerated and that legal action may follow

The City of Tshwane has once again cut electricity to Thami Ndlala Mall and Hotel Apartments had illegally reconnected without settling on 12 January 2026, after discovering that the property had been illegally reconnected despite outstanding electricity arrears exceeding R600,000.

Following this, the city also moved to disconnect another of Ndlala’s properties in the CBD,which reportedly owes R2.3 million in electricity arrears.

The mall and hotel, reportedly owned by businessman Thami Ndlala and his wife, media personality Lerato Kganyago, first made headlines when electricity was cut on 17 December 2025. On 12 January 2026, inspectors returned to find that power had been illegally restored, prompting the latest disconnection.

Read also

Natalie du Toit in tax trouble: SARS demands over R1 million

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya took to her X (formerly Twitter) account at the time, sharing a video showing city officials arriving at the property to carry out the disconnection.

Why did the city disconnect the power?

On 17 December 2025, Mayor Moya confirmed that electricity to the property had been cut after the account fell more than R600,000 in arrears. Despite the disconnection, Ndlala allegedly managed to reconnect the power supply illegally. The water and electricity at the Thami Ndlala Mall and Hotel ApartmentsCity inspectors returned to the property on Monday, 12 January 2026, where they discovered that electricity had been unlawfully restored. Municipal authorities further revealed that the property also owes more than R1 million in outstanding water bills, significantly increasing its total debt to the city. Furthermore, Ndlala reportedly owes R2,3 million in unpaid electricity bills for his accommodation facility, Ndala Dynasty, situated in the Pretoria CDB. It is unknown how the properties keep getting reconnected, despite the massive unpaid bills. The city reiterated that it would continue to act decisively against defaulting consumers, including commercial properties, and warned that illegal connections would not be tolerated.

Read also

Family questions police response after 17-Year-Old disappears during river trip

Social media reaction

The disconnection of the properties sent shockwaves across social media, with users questioning why the outstanding accounts had not been settled, particularly given the couple’s display of wealth on social platforms.

@cindy_maryline said:

"I don’t get why he is doing this. From the grand gestures he always does for his woman, surely he has money. Unless there is something we don’t know!"

@Yknip1 commented:

"He hired a whole stadium but can’t keep his business’s power on."

@Bra_Lopz stated:

"He must be arrested, even though he is arrogant."

@bhozalam05 remarked:

"Arrest him mayor, he’s undermining your office."

@Kvtlego_Kgosi said:

"Go check his personal household accounts for rates and taxes. Lastly, arrest him!"

Kganyago confirms she is the owner of Thami Ndlala Mall and Hotel

Kganyago previously addressed claims that she was merely the public face of Hotel 12 on Hillel Villa. In a statement shared on Instagram, she clarified that she owns AMOUR Restaurant and is a part-owner of the 12 on Hillel property, dismissing reports suggesting otherwise as false and malicious.

Read also

Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya announces sale of government cars: "Too expensive to maintain"

That clarification followed a report by City Press, which sparked widespread debate and online speculation about her role in the hotel’s ownership. She issued a statement correcting the misinformation, saying:

“We can confirm Ms Kganyago is the owner of AMOUR Restaurant as well as part-owner of the 12 On Hillel property. We dispel all information reported otherwise as false and malicious, and we have already taken legal action against City Press,” read the statement.

Previously, Briefly News reported that the planned grand opening of Thami Ndlala Mall, scheduled for Saturday, 2 August 2025, was cancelled after American R&B singer Tank withdrew from the event just days before his scheduled performance. At the time, the couple confirmed that the opening would be postponed and that a new entertainment lineup would be announced. Kganyago and Ndlala had announced the purchase of the mall in January 2025, positioning the opening as a major lifestyle and entertainment event. In a statement issued in July, the couple said the launch would be moved to 23 August 2025, although details of the revised lineup were not disclosed.

Read also

Former 'Generations' actress Sophie Ndaba's alleged niece murdered in Zimbabwe

In another incident, Kganyago had earlier revealed plans to expand her business portfolio while on holiday in Dubai, where she shared that she and her husband had acquired multiple properties, including a shopping mall in Pretoria. The announcement once again drew scrutiny from social media users, with some questioning the couple’s sources of income.

Source: Briefly News