“Were They Possessed?”: SA Reacts As Eskom Backs Down on R30K Fines for Unregistered Solar Panel

• Eskom confirmed it will not fine residential customers or cut power for failing to register solar systems by 30 September 2026
• Energy expert Chris Yelland told PowerFM that Eskom has no legal authority to issue fines or disconnect unregistered solar users
• OUTA backed Yelland’s position, arguing South Africans with systems under 100kW are not legally required to register at all

South African solar panel owners can breathe a little easier. Eskom has stepped back from its earlier threat to fine residential customers up to R30,000 or cut their electricity for failing to register their solar systems before the 30 September 2026 deadline.

Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena confirmed the climbdown to energy expert Chris Yelland, who is also the managing director of EE Business Intelligence. Yelland shared the update with PowerFM and with the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), for whom he serves as energy advisor. Mybroadband first reported on the development on 13 August 2026.

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Yelland was not satisfied with Mokwena’s earlier justification for the registration requirement, which she said was necessary for grid security and safety purposes. He pushed back strongly, calling parts of her messaging “disingenuous, misleading, and one-sided.”

Eskom’s legal authority questioned

At the heart of the dispute is whether Eskom can legally enforce fines or cut off supply. Yelland argued plainly that it cannot.

He added that any threatened disconnections would be challenged, describing them as having “no basis in law.” OUTA also supports the view that residents and businesses operating solar systems smaller than 100kW are under no legal obligation to register with the energy regulator or a local authority.

Yelland pointed to the Electricity Regulation Act, which Mokwena had cited in support of registration, arguing it does not apply to behind-the-meter installations or to solar and battery systems without a point of connection to the municipal grid. He said the Act also does not list failure to register as a valid reason for a distributor to disconnect a customer.

Safety and grid claims called out

Yelland went further, dismantling Eskom’s two main reasons for pushing registration. On safety, he said a Certificate of Compliance already covers what is legally required.

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“If you have a lawful Certificate of Compliance, your system is safe not only to people on your premises itself, but to the customer’s side of the grid,” he said.

On Eskom’s claim that it needs registration data to understand how much solar generation exists in South Africa, Yelland was blunt. He said Eskom already publishes that information weekly on its own website, and that satellite surveillance methods provide far more accurate readings.

“You do not need to register the system to know how much is out there,” he said.

For now, homeowners with solar panels who have not yet registered appear to have more time, and possibly no legal obligation, to do so.

See the reactions from Mzansi here.

More stories involving solar panel owners in SA

• Emfuleni is looking at new charges for solar users as financial pressure mounts and criticism grows in the municipality.
• Energy experts and civil rights group OUTA raised red flags over Eskom's solar registration push ahead of a 30 September 2026 deadline.
• Organised criminal syndicates are now specifically targeting South African homes for solar panels, batteries, and gas bottles.

Source: Briefly News