A police station, the home affairs office, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), high schools, a hospital and a museum are among the state entities in Pietermaritzburg that have had their power disconnected because of millions of rand in outstanding debt.

The Msunduzi municipality has launched its disconnection drive — Operation Qoqama-Million — in a bid to recoup R5.5bn owed to it.

Two high schools owing more than R3.6m collectively had their power shut off — at the start of the matric trial exams on Monday.

Apart from residents in debt, the municipality is also going after government departments that have not settled their electricity bills.

The local museum, it said on its Facebook page, owes R600,000, which its management “is processing 50% immediately upon disconnection of electricity”.

The NPA owes it R1m and the Plessislaer police station owes more than R3m.

“Home affairs was disconnected on Friday and 11kV switch gear supplying the building was locked.”

The municipality said on Monday it found the department had been “illegally connected” and removed a cable supplying electricity to the transformer.

In a letter addressed to acting city manager Nelisiwe Ngcobo on Monday, the provincial public works department gave an undertaking that outstanding payments of government entities would be paid before the end of September.

The department urged the municipality to “reconnect the electricity at various provincial facilities as this had a negative impact on service delivery to the people of KZN, including the learning environment for schoolchildren”.

Ngcobo said the operation is intended to ensure services of consumers whose municipal accounts are in arrears are disconnected.

“We are urging all government departments to ensure their bills are updated because we are not prepared to negotiate once we arrive. We wish to warn all consumers the municipality is also preparing to implement load reduction in townships” said Ngcobo.

“We are trying to recover as much as possible. Our priority is those consumers who are owing us rates. We cannot have the challenge in terms of cash flow. We have people owing us rates for an amount of about R1.2bn, so we want to recover as much as possible.”

She said the nonpayment of municipal accounts and “the scourge of illegal electricity and water connections have been an ongoing challenge which cost the city millions”.

“We are mindful that there will be resistance. However, we are working with law enforcement. We will treat all consumers in a manner that is respectful, decent and fair.

“The total outstanding debt is sitting at R5.5bn. This is not a sustainable financial situation. The teams are therefore going around the length and breadth of the municipality disconnecting services in compliance with the municipality’s credit control and debt collection policy.”

Ngcobo warned the city would criminally charge customers found to have illegal connections.

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.

Would you like to comment on this article? Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.

News and promos in your inbox