Load Shedding & Infrastructure

A Country Running on Empty

South Africa has not had a reliable electricity supply in nearly two decades. The consequences — business closures, investment flight, collapsing municipalities — are compounding daily.

441

Days without load shedding

As of Aug 4, 2026 — none since 16 May 2025

47%

Water systems critical

Up from 39% in 2023

R400B

Water infrastructure backlog

Government's own estimate (ZAR)

R338B

Eskom debt (ZAR)

Still state-guaranteed

Severe weather

SEVERE STORMS BATTER GAUTENG, NORTH WEST AND NORTHERN CAPE — ROADS CLOSED, HOMES DAMAGED

The South African Weather Service issued an Orange Level 6 warning for severe thunderstorms over the North West, the northern half of the Free State and the northeastern Northern Cape, with a separate Level 5 warning for Gauteng and the Highveld of Mpumalanga.

Homes were damaged in Setlagole village (70 km outside Mahikeng) and Sol Plaatje Municipality, with roofs blown off by strong winds. In North West, one learning centre and two primary schools were also damaged. The North West Provincial Disaster Management Centre activated coordinating structures across district municipalities.

In Johannesburg, multiple roads were closed including Cooper and Beryl streets in Cyrildene, Beatrice and Princess avenues in Windsor, and Smit Street at the M1 ramps. Vehicles were submerged at the Siemert Road and Currey Street intersection in Doornfontein. Johannesburg Emergency Management Services deployed water rescue units. SAWS warned that severe thunderstorms would continue into Sunday 7 September.

Sources: Daily Maverick · TimesLIVE · EWN · SAWS · The Citizen — 6 September 2026Permalink

Illegal mining

ILLEGAL MINING CREATING SINKHOLES AND COLLAPSING ROADS ACROSS JOHANNESBURG

A major report published Friday documented how illegal mining — the so-called zama zama operations — is destroying infrastructure across Johannesburg. Underground blasting and excavation in abandoned shafts and newly dug tunnels have created cracks, sinkholes and collapsing roads, particularly along Wemmer Pan Road near the N7 off-ramp.

A mining expert estimated that more than 34,000 irregular miners operate in South Africa. The round-the-clock operations damage electricity and water networks, destabilise homes and buildings, and fuel violent competition between criminal gangs. Experts warned the infrastructure damage will worsen, with more houses at risk of cracking and falling into sinkholes.

The City of Johannesburg has struggled to contain the crisis. Residents of informal settlements built on mine waste dumps face additional health risks from contaminated ground.

Sources: AFP · EWN · Daily Maverick · Africanews · Africa Briefing — 4 September 2026Permalink

El Niño

SAWS WARNS OF HOT, DRY SUMMER AS STRONG EL NIÑO DEVELOPS

The South African Weather Service has warned that a potentially very strong El Niño event is developing earlier than usual and is expected to peak between October 2026 and January 2027. Below-normal rainfall is the most likely outcome over most of South Africa from October to December, accompanied by above-normal temperatures.

Forecasters estimate the event could bring a 1–3°C increase in monthly mean temperatures and a 20–40% rainfall deficit in the summer-rainfall belt. Daytime highs may regularly exceed 34°C in Gauteng. The warning compounds existing pressure on water infrastructure, with 47% of treated water already lost to leaks, theft and unbilled use nationally.

However, not every El Niño produces drought — the precise regional impact remains uncertain and will depend on the event's unique characteristics.

Sources: SAWS · Mail & Guardian · The Citizen · Daily Maverick · IOL — 22 August–2 September 2026Permalink

30 Aug

41 JOHANNESBURG AMBULANCES IDLE FOR SIX YEARS — CITY STILL AWAITING PROVINCIAL EMS LICENCE

Forty-one ambulances purchased by the City of Johannesburg in 2019 for roughly R1 million each have never entered service because the city lacks an EMS operating licence from the Gauteng Department of Health. The vehicles have been sitting at city depots since the province took over ambulance services in 2020.

The Gauteng department said it received the city's licence application covering six stations in July 2026 and that the application is "under review." City EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi disputed claims they were completely idle, saying the city continued operating them for about two years after provincialisation before being told to stop.

The DA in Gauteng called the situation a "R41-million disgrace" and said residents face dangerously long ambulance waiting times while functional vehicles gather dust.

Sources: The Citizen · DA Gauteng · African Insider · Newsday — August 2026Permalink

28 Aug

MORERO APOLOGISES AFTER HEATED TSHEPISONG EXCHANGE — ONLY 200 OF 12,000 HOUSEHOLDS PAYING FOR ELECTRICITY

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero apologised after a heated exchange at a service-delivery meeting in Tshepisong on Thursday, in which he told a resident who called him a criminal: "You are talking st."** The exchange was captured on video and circulated widely. Morero later posted a video taking "full responsibility" and apologised to the resident in person.

The meeting was called to address persistent electricity outages in the area. City Power disclosed that only about 200 of roughly 12,000 households in Tshepisong are paying for electricity. Morero committed to starting an infrastructure normalisation process on Monday, including capacity audits and action against illegal connections.

The ANC Greater Johannesburg Region formally distanced itself from Morero's comments, describing his conduct as "fundamentally un-ANC" and incompatible with the movement's values.

Sources: eNCA · The Citizen · TimesLIVE · Briefly — 27–28 August 2026Permalink

Earlier coverage — 6 entries

Settled

JOHANNESBURG SETTLES THE FULL R5.25 BILLION; ESKOM WITHDRAWS THE DISCONNECTION PROCESS

On Friday, 21 August 2026 Eskom received the final payment from the City of Johannesburg and City Power, settling in full the overdue electricity debt of R5,255,421,994.16. Eskom has withdrawn the PAJA process it initiated on 17 May — the administrative step that would have preceded cutting bulk supply to 4.2 million residents.

What happens next. The City has confirmed to Eskom that the July current account of R1,860,379,885, due on 31 August, will be paid on its due date, and that it remains committed to paying all future current accounts on or before their due dates. That commitment is the thing to watch: the arrears were cleared, but the underlying billing and collection problem that generated them was not.

This site got this story wrong twice. In July it reported an “R800m instalment due 15 August” that did not exist, and a debt figure of R6.84bn that did not match Eskom’s published record. Both were corrected on 10 August. The accurate version is the one that just concluded: R5.26bn overdue in May, R4.32bn paid by late July, the balance cleared on 21 August, process withdrawn.

Worth stating plainly, because this site does not often get to: the threat was real, the deadline was met, and the lights stayed on.

Sources: Eskom media statement — “City of Johannesburg settles in full R5.25 billion overdue electricity debt” · EWN · IOL — 21–22 August 2026Permalink

Due 21 Aug

JOHANNESBURG’S R5.12 BILLION COMMITMENT FALLS DUE TOMORROW

The City of Johannesburg committed to total payments of R5,117,736,000 by 21 August 2026. It has paid R4,324,754,901.71 so far, against overdue arrears of R5,255,421,994.16 when the process opened on 17 May.

Eskom’s PAJA consultation — the administrative process that must precede any bulk supply disconnection — has been extended only to 22 August, specifically so Eskom can watch whether the City meets these commitments. As at 24 July the overdue balance was R3,801,864,153.45: R1,222,786,264 in overdue current account and R2,579,077,889 still outstanding on a settlement made an order of the High Court.

Bulk supply to 4.2 million residents remains the instrument in reserve. This page will record the outcome rather than predict it.

Sources: Eskom media statements · Engineering News · The Citizen · IOL — 17 May – 20 August 2026Permalink

Grid Split

RAMAPHOSA APPROVES A FULLY INDEPENDENT GRID OPERATOR — AND OVERRULES HIS OWN MINISTER

President Ramaphosa has formally approved the creation of a fully independent, state-owned Transmission System Operator (TSO) established entirely outside Eskom. It is the most consequential structural change to South Africa’s electricity industry in decades.

Eskom tried to keep the grid and lost. The decision follows the report of the National Treasury-led Eskom Restructuring Task Team, appointed in February to draft the unbundling blueprint, after a failed Eskom bid to retain the transmission assets in-house.

The President overruled his own energy minister. In his 2026 State of the Nation Address Ramaphosa said the independent TSO will own and operate the transmission assets. That directly contradicts the plan announced in December by Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, under which the TSO would have been only the system and market operator while the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) kept the assets as an Eskom Holdings subsidiary. Ownership, not just operation, is the whole fight: an operator that does not own the wires cannot credibly guarantee open access to Eskom’s competitors.

Interim steps. The task team’s Phase 1 report requires NTCSA independence be strengthened now — completely independent boards with no cross-directorships with Eskom, all electricity-market decision-making delegated from Eskom to NTCSA, and NTCSA’s finances and operations ring-fenced. The legally mandated deadline for a fully independent TSO is 31 December 2029.

Why it matters beyond the org chart. A monopoly utility that generates power, owns the wires and decides who may connect has every incentive to keep competitors off the grid. Splitting the wires out is the precondition for independent power producers reaching customers at scale. It does nothing on its own about the R338bn debt, the municipal arrears, or the 2029–2030 supply crunch — but none of those get solved while one entity controls all three functions.

Sources: The Presidency · National Treasury ERTT Phase 1 report · Engineering News · Business Day · MyBroadband · REGlobal — February–August 2026Permalink

Correction

This page reported that Johannesburg owed Eskom R6.84bn and had to pay an R800m first instalment by 15 August under an 18-month plan, with disconnection to follow any missed payment. Those figures did not match Eskom's own published record and the 15 August instalment did not exist. Per Eskom: the PAJA process began on 17 May 2026 against overdue debt of R5,255,421,994.16; the City has since paid R4,324,754,901.71; it has committed to payments totalling R5,117,736,000 by 21 August 2026; and the PAJA consultation has been extended to 22 August 2026. Corrected below.

Permalink

R4.32bn Paid

JOBURG HAS PAID R4.32 BILLION; DISCONNECTION DEFERRED TO 22 AUGUST

Eskom has confirmed the City of Johannesburg paid R4,324,754,901.71 toward its electricity debt, against overdue arrears of R5,255,421,994.16 when the PAJA process opened on 17 May 2026. It is the largest payment the City has made against this debt.

What remains. As at 24 July the overdue balance stood at R3,801,864,153.45 — comprising R1,222,786,264 in overdue current account and R2,579,077,889 still outstanding on the settlement arrangement that was made an order of the High Court. The current electricity account of R2,636,676,621 fell due on 3 August. The City has committed to total payments of R5,117,736,000 by 21 August 2026.

The deadline that matters is 22 August, not 15 August. Eskom extended the PAJA consultation to that date to finish assessing representations and to watch whether the City actually meets its commitments. Bulk supply disconnection to 4.2 million residents remains the instrument in reserve.

The payment is real progress and worth saying plainly. It also does not fix the underlying arithmetic: the City collects roughly 68% of what it bills, and a metro that cannot bill cannot pay.

Sources: Eskom media statements · The Citizen · IOL · SABC News · News24 — 17 May – 10 August 2026Permalink

441 Days

441 DAYS WITHOUT LOAD SHEDDING; WINTER RISK DID NOT MATERIALISE

As of 4 August 2026 Eskom reports 441 consecutive days without load shedding. There has been none since 16 May 2025. Between 1 April and 30 July 2026, Eskom met electricity demand 100% of the time, and is carrying a surplus of roughly 6GW above national need.

The performance numbers are the strongest in nearly a decade. On 26 July Eskom recorded a daily Energy Availability Factor of 82.04% — its best single day since 2017 — while unplanned outages fell to 4,562MW, the lowest since 30 June 2018. For the week of 24–30 July, unplanned outages averaged 5,553MW against 10,641MW in the same week a year earlier, a 47.8% year-on-year reduction.

Eskom's Winter Outlook projects no load shedding through 31 August 2026. The Stage 6 risk scenario flagged in May did not materialise. The 2029–2030 supply crunch remains projected without 27GW of new capacity.

Sources: Eskom system status · SAnews · allAfrica — 4 August 2026Permalink

Resolved

May 2026 — Eskom Winter Outlook (outcome: no load shedding occurred): Eskom has flagged a potential 2,100MW shortfall under its high-risk winter scenario. The danger window runs from May 18 to August 12, 2026. In the worst case — cold fronts driving peak demand simultaneously with unplanned breakdowns exceeding 16,000MW — Eskom's own modelling shows Stage 2 to Stage 6load shedding returning. The base case (EAF 64%, unplanned losses below 13,000MW) projects no cuts. Electricity Minister Ramokgopa has publicly assured no Stage 4 or higher — but Eskom's internal scenarios still cover Stage 6.

Source: Nuusflits — "Load shedding May 2026: Eskom winter outlook, Stage 6 risk" — May 2026 · Eskom power system status — May 2026

The Eskom Crisis — A Timeline

2007

First Eskom blackouts — the grid is already failing

2008

Rolling blackouts declared a national emergency

2015–18

Medupi and Kusile power stations, years late and billions over budget, partially online

2019

Stage 6 load shedding introduced — previously unthinkable

2022

Record 205 days of load shedding — businesses collapse

2023

Stage 8 protocols prepared; SA grey-listed; Eskom CEO resigns

2024

Coalition government takes power; Eskom Generation Recovery Plan accelerates maintenance

2025

Sustained improvement — 231 consecutive days without load shedding by January 2026

Apr–May 2026

8.76% electricity tariff hike effective April 1 — municipalities pay 9.01% more from July 2026. Compound increase of 18%+ over two years. NERSA admits hikes are 'unbearable' but says necessary for Eskom's survival. Eskom's May winter outlook flags a 2,100MW shortfall risk and Stage 2–6 scenarios for May 18–August 12.

Aug 2026

441 consecutive days without load shedding — none since 16 May 2025. Demand met 100% of the time from April 1 to July 30. Daily EAF peaks at 82.04% on July 26, best since 2017; unplanned outages hit 4,562MW, lowest since June 2018. ~6GW surplus. The winter Stage 6 risk did not materialise. Supply crunch still projected 2029–2030 without 27GW new capacity.

The Lights Are Back. The Bills Are Not.

South Africa solved load shedding — and then received an 8.76% electricity tariff hikeeffective April 1, 2026. Eskom's direct customers pay 8.76% more immediately; municipalities buying in bulk pass on an average 9.01% increase from July 2026.

NERSA, the energy regulator, admitted the hikes are “unbearable for households” — but approved them anyway as the “bare minimum needed for Eskom's survival.” The increase is nearly triple South Africa's CPI (currently ~3.1%). The 2026/27 hike of 8.76% is followed by a further 8.83% in 2027/28 — a compound increase of over 18% across two years, all while Eskom still carries R338 billion in state-guaranteed debt.

8.76%

Tariff hike — April 1, 2026 (direct customers)

9.01%

Municipal bulk rate increase — July 2026

18%+

Compound hike over 2 years (2026 + 2027)

Transnet: The Broken Logistics Network

Transnet — the state-owned rail and ports operator — has been devastated by years of looting, deferred maintenance, and mismanagement. The consequences:

◆Iron ore exports from Sishen halved due to rail line failures
◆Durban port — Africa's busiest — ranked among the world's worst for efficiency
◆Coal export terminals operating at fraction of capacity, costing billions in lost revenue
◆Major mining and agricultural exporters trucking goods because rail is unreliable

June 1

Rand Water Sandton maintenance — 19-day shutdown risk, Joburg Water partially recovering: Rand Water's scheduled maintenance affecting the Sandton bulk supply system ran from May 29 to June 2, 2026, with Joburg Water confirming systems are gradually recovering — CBD, South Hills and Crown Gardens restored; tankers deployed to hospitals, clinics and old-age homes. Gauteng residents have been warned separately of a potential 19-day water shutdown linked to infrastructure maintenance requirements across the province. Johannesburg Water owes R377m to Rand Waterand R265m to contractors, with 48.4% of Joburg's water now classified as non-revenue water — lost to leaks, theft and administrative failures.

Sources: SABC News · Joburg Water updates · Gauteng Water crisis reporting — June 1, 2026

June 1

Metrobus cuts services — fuel costs and budget squeeze: Johannesburg's Metrobus is reducing its services due to financial constraints compounded by rising diesel costs. The transport provider cited years of budget cuts and the June 3 fuel price increase as making normal service levels unsustainable. The cuts compound the access crisis for low-income commuters in Johannesburg who cannot absorb both higher transport costs and reduced service frequency simultaneously.

Sources: BusinessTech Africa — June 1, 2026

Jun 2

Electricity theft costs Eskom R17.5bn a year — a hidden load-shedding driver: A year after load shedding ended, South Africa is battling a surge in electricity theft. Non-technical losses (illegal connections, meter tampering, cable theft) now account for 8% of Eskom's total power supply — costing R17.5 billion in lost revenue per year. This is not an abstract accounting problem: stolen electricity is electricity that doesn't get paid for, which deepens Eskom's debt, which drives tariff increases, which are borne by paying customers. Informal settlements and peri-urban areas are the primary vectors. In Johannesburg, cable theft and substation vandalism have left communities without power for months — independently of whether Eskom's generation is running. The grid can be stable nationally while specific neighbourhoods are dark because someone stole the last-mile cables.

Sources: African Business Magazine — “A year after load-shedding, South Africa fights electricity theft” — May 2026

May 28

Khayelitsha households in the dark for a month: Residents in parts of Khayelitsha — Cape Town's largest township and home to an estimated 500,000+ people — have been without electricity for over a month after Eskom failed to repair damaged distribution transformers. This is not a generation failure. The power stations are running. The breakdown is at the last-mile infrastructure level — the transformers and cables that actually connect homes to the grid. Eskom's generation recovery has masked a separate crisis: ageing, under-maintained municipal and peri-urban distribution networks. 350 consecutive days without load shedding means nothing to residents whose street has had no power since April.

Source: AllAfrica — May 28, 2026

Water Infrastructure Collapse

While Eskom stabilised, South Africa's water infrastructure entered a new phase of collapse. As of April 2026, 47% of all municipal water systems are rated critical — up from 39% three years ago. Only 8% qualify as good or excellent, down from 20% in 2019. The Department of Water and Sanitation estimates it will cost R400 billion to rehabilitate the national system — a figure the state cannot fund.

South Africa loses R14.89 billion worth of treated water per year to leaking pipes and unbilled usage — approximately 1.6 billion litres of purified water per day. Johannesburg, the Free State, North West, Northern Cape, and Eastern Cape are hardest hit, with multi-day water outages now routine. The crisis is driven not by drought, but by infrastructure that has exceeded its engineering lifespan under decades of municipal mismanagement.

→ Full analysis: Water Crisis page

Joburg and Eskom: R5.26bn Overdue, R4.32bn Paid

Plan Signed

July 24, 2026 — ESKOM PAJA DECISION: REPAYMENT PLAN — NO DISCONNECTION

Eskom issued its formal PAJA decision on Johannesburg's R6.84bn debt on July 24 — a structured repayment plan rather than immediate bulk supply disconnection. City Power CEO Mashava confirmed the city accepted: an initial payment of R800m by August 15, followed by fixed monthly instalments covering historical arrears over 18 months. The June current account (R1.58bn) must be cleared by end of August. Critical condition: Any missed payment triggers immediate disconnection proceedings without a further PAJA process. 4.2 million Johannesburg residentsare safe for now — but the city's revenue collection rate stands at only 68% of billings (Q2 2026 Metropolitan Oversight Report).

SUPERSEDED — as reported on 24 July. Eskom's published record shows no R800m/15 August instalment: overdue debt of R5.26bn, R4.32bn since paid, R5.12bn committed by 21 August, and the PAJA process extended to 22 August. See the 10 August entry at the top of this page.

Sources: Eskom · City of Johannesburg · BusinessLive · Daily Maverick — July 24, 2026

Update

July 9, 2026 — ESKOM JULY 8 DEADLINE: PASSED WITHOUT DISCONNECTION

The July 8 Eskom disconnection deadline for Johannesburg passed without bulk supply cuts being activated. No formal settlement has been announced — but disconnection has not occurred. The PAJA process is now the active mechanism: stakeholder submissions due July 17, Eskom's formal decision on July 24. The Karoo precedent (Makhanda HC, June 18) remains available to City Power should Eskom move before PAJA concludes. Johannesburg's R6.84bn debt (R5.26bn historical + R1.58bn June) remains unresolved.

Breaking

July 8, 2026 — ESKOM JOHANNESBURG CUT DEADLINE: TODAY

Eskom's threatened bulk supply disconnection of the City of Johannesburg is effective today. The R6.84bn outstanding debt — comprising R5.26bn historical arrears and R1.58bn June current account — remains unresolved. City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava has confirmed last-minute negotiations with Eskom are ongoing to seek a postponement pending the PAJA process (public submissions close July 17; Eskom decision July 24). 4.2 million Johannesburg residents face potential scheduled blackouts on top of existing supply constraints if Eskom proceeds. City Power lawyers are actively monitoring the Karoo court precedent (Makhanda HC, June 18) as a potential interdiction template. No formal postponement announcement has been made as of this update.

Passed

July 9, 2026 — July 8 Eskom cut deadline has passed without disconnection. Eskom has indicated it will proceed with electricity cuts to the City of Johannesburg if the outstanding R6.84bn debt is not resolved by July 8. The PAJA process is still underway — stakeholder submissions deadline is July 17, with Eskom's formal decision on July 24. City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava confirmed the city is engaging Eskom directly to seek a postponement of the July 8 threat date pending the PAJA outcome. The Karoo precedent (Makhanda HC, June 18) — in which municipalities successfully interdicted Eskom cuts — is being closely watched by City Power lawyers as a potential template. The July 8 deadline passed without Johannesburg facing bulk blackouts — the PAJA process is now the mechanism through which this is being resolved. Approximately 4.2 million residents are exposed.

Sources: City Power · Eskom · Daily Maverick · BusinessTech — June 2026

Breaking

June 19–22, 2026 — Makhanda High Court halts 14-hour Eskom cuts; municipalities emboldened: Judge Laing of the Makhanda High Court issued a provisional interdict on June 18halting Eskom's planned 14-hour-a-day disconnection of Steytlerville, Jansenville and Klipplaat — three towns in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, which owes Eskom R532 million. The interdict frames Eskom's enforcement actions as raising significant constitutional questions about the right to access basic services. Legal observers note this precedent — a municipality successfully getting court protection against Eskom's disconnection enforcement — could be replicated across South Africa's approximately 130 defaulting municipalities. The Johannesburg case is different in scale (R6.84bn vs R532m) but the legal template is now established. Eskom's July 8 cut threat against Johannesburg faces a new litigation risk it did not face two weeks ago. The PAJA extended timeline remains: new submission deadline July 17, Eskom decision July 24.

Sources: Daily Maverick · GroundUp · Grocott's Mail · eNCA — June 18–22, 2026

Breaking

June 11–18, 2026 — DEAL FALLS THROUGH: PAJA extended 30 days — new deadline July 17, Eskom decision July 24: Electricity and Energy Minister Ramokgopa announced a tentative deal between Eskom and City Power on June 11, which prompted many residents to stop making PAJA submissions. But City Power failed to meet its payment obligations under that in-principle agreement. Eskom has now extended the PAJA consultation by 30 days: the new public submission deadline is July 17, 2026, and Eskom will communicate its final decision on July 24, 2026. Potential electricity cuts to Johannesburg bulk supply points remain scheduled for July 8, 2026 if Eskom proceeds. Total Johannesburg exposure to Eskom has grown: the R5.26 billion in historical arrears plusthe unpaid R1.58 billion June current account payment brings the city's Eskom debt alone to R6.84 billion — against a total creditor bill of R25.2 billion and city cash of only R3.9bn. Eskom is now actively monitoring Johannesburg's revenue collection and billing systemsas part of the agreed management plan — an extraordinary level of external oversight over a city's financial operations. OUTA has warned that widespread public perceptions that the matter has been settled are false — the PAJA process remains fully active. Eskom has already begun cutting electricity to streetlights across Johannesburg due to non-payment, signalling the utility is prepared to act.

Sources: Eskom.co.za · Engineering News · OUTA · News24 · Green Building Africa — June 11–18, 2026

June 8

June 5 payment unconfirmed; Public Interest SA court deadline passed: The R1.58 billion current account payment due June 5 was not publicly confirmed as made. City owes R25.2bn total to all creditors vs R3.9bn cash — structurally insolvent. City Power loses 42% of purchased electricity every year since 2019 to theft and billing failures. Public Interest SA 14-day ultimatum (issued May 26) expired ~June 9–10.

Sources: Business Day · Moneyweb · EWN — June 8, 2026

Deal

May 26–29, 2026 — Distribution Agency Agreement formally announced: lights will stay on: Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and Executive Mayor Dada Morero confirmed a Distribution Agency Agreement (DAA) between Eskom and the City of Johannesburg. Under the deal: electricity revenue will be ring-fenced from July 1 and channelled directly to Eskom. Eskom gains the authority to provide direct technical support and handle revenue collection from the city's bulk supply customers. The July 8 disconnection deadline is averted for now. The R1.58bn June 5 payment remains a milestone to watch. The structural reality: this R5.3bn Eskom debt is one-fifthof Joburg's total obligations — the city owes R25.2bn across all creditors against R3.9bnin cash. The DAA addresses the immediate crisis. The underlying insolvency of South Africa's largest metro is not resolved.

Sources: Daily Maverick · SABC News · SAnews · Infrastructure News · Kaya 95.9 · Business Day — May 26–27, 2026

May 27

R3.8bn German development loan approved: Johannesburg approved a R3.8 billion German development loan to fund settlement of the bulk of its Eskom debt — providing the financing underpinning the DAA. Without this external loan, the ring-fencing arrangement would have lacked its capital base.

Sources: AllAfrica — May 27, 2026

May 26

National government steps in: Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa intervened with a new payment framework: ring-fencing City of Johannesburg revenue streams and establishing a direct partnership between Eskom and City Power. A further R1.58 billion payment was due June 5. Separately, Public Interest SA issued Johannesburg a 14-day ultimatum to produce a credible financial recovery plan or face court action.

Sources: News24 · AllAfrica (Scrolla) — May 26, 2026

May 20

May 20–21, 2026: Eskom gave the City of Johannesburg until July 8, 2026 to pay a R5.2–5.3 billion electricity debtor face major bulk supply cuts to the entire metro. The plan to resolve the debt “stalled” — Eskom's preferred route of taking over municipal distribution networks is favoured internally but neither path had moved. South Africa's largest city — home to over 5 million people — faces blackouts not because of generation failure, but because the municipality cannot manage its own accounts. The crisis flows directly from years of corrupt procurement diverting billions in electricity revenue before bills were paid.

Sources: Business Live · AllAfrica · The Citizen · TimesLive — May 20–21, 2026

Sources & Citations

Coface Country Risk South Africa 2025
KCS Group Infrastructure Report, June 2025
Department of Water and Sanitation — Blue Drop / Green Drop Reports
National Treasury — Eskom Debt Relief Arrangement, 2023
World Bank — South Africa Infrastructure Assessment, 2024
Eskom — "341 consecutive days without load shedding" press release — April 2026
Eskom — "Power system stable, EAF up 12.57%, unplanned outages down 5,506MW" — March 2026
IOL / Weekend Argus — "Eskom forecasts stable winter with no load shedding in 2026" — April 28, 2026
EWN — "Electricity price hike of 8.76% 'bare minimum' needed for Eskom's survival — NERSA" — March 18, 2026
Moneyweb — "Eskom's 8.8% tariff hike kicks in on 1 April as fuel price shock looms" — April 2026
Cape Times — "Eskom's 8.76% electricity tariff hike: What you need to know" — March 17, 2026
BusinessTech — "Double disaster hitting households in South Africa" — April 2026
Daily Maverick — "R400bn price tag to fix failing municipal water services in SA" — February 1, 2026
Semafor — "Nearly half of South Africa's water systems are failing, report finds" — April 3, 2026
Nuusflits — "Load shedding May 2026: Eskom winter outlook, Stage 6 risk" — May 2026
Eskom — "Power system status" — May 2026 (eskom.co.za/power-system-status)