City of Tshwane Disconnects High Commission of Nigeria Over Unpaid Utility Bills

Published 2 Feb 2026 at 7:46 PM

by Mbalenhle Butale

3 min read

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya has sparked debate after announcing on X that the city disconnected electricity at the Nigerian High Commission over unpaid utility bills
The move forms part of a broader campaign targeting all non-paying institutions in the city
While some praised the mayor for enforcing accountability, others warned that publicising the action could strain diplomatic relations

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Nigerian commision — The City of Tshwane has disconnected the High Commission of Nigeria over unpaid utility bills. Images: @nasiphim/X and Guillem Sartorio/ Getty Images
Source: Twitter

PRETORIA- The Mayor of Tshwane has sparked both praise and criticism online after posting on X that the city had disconnected electricity at the Nigerian High Commission for failing to pay outstanding utility bills.

In her post, the Mayor, Nasiphi Moya, explained that the High Commission “owes the city for utility services,” noting that this was part of a broader series of disconnections involving other high-profile buildings, including the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Services, a SAPS academy, and various government department head offices.

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The post drew mixed reactions from the public. Some users applauded the Mayor for holding institutions accountable for unpaid bills, while others argued that broadcasting the action on social media could strain diplomatic relations and was inappropriate for a public official.

The City cuts power off at Kgosi Mampuru

The city has embarked on a blitz of disconnections targeting non-paying entities, the latest being Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Service. Pretoria woke up on 23 January 2026 to find that the city had cut electricity at the prison after it failed to settle roughly R8 million in unpaid municipal utility bills. The move formed part of the city’s intensified #TshwaneYaTima debt-recovery campaign aimed at institutions with large outstanding accounts, including other high-profile facilities, and has drawn both support and concern from the public. Critics warned of potential security risks at the prison, while supporters praised the city’s firm stance on overdue municipal payments.

Social media reacts to the disconnection of the Nigerian High Commission

@innofrica said:

"Dear Mayor, it is completely unacceptable to post such. This could have been handled better and more diplomatically. But I am curious why most South Africans hate Nigerians? Aren’t we one Africa?"

Briefly articles on the Province's electricity disconnection

Previously, Briefly News reported that the City of Tshwane disconnected electricity at Thami Ndlala Mall and Hotel Apartments on 12 January 2026 after discovering the property had been illegally reconnected following a previous disconnection over unpaid arrears of more than R600,000.
Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya was reported to the Public Protector after she ordered the electricity disconnection of Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital on 5 May 2025 due to an outstanding bill of about R1 million, sparking criticism that cutting power to a health facility endangered vulnerable patients.
The Summit Club in Hillbrow had its electricity disconnected after it was found to owe the City of Johannesburg approximately R2.6 million in unpaid power bills and was flagged for regulatory and safety violations during a city inspection. The move was part of a broader enforcement operation targeting unpaid municipal debts and non-compliant properties in the inner city.