The Department of Basic Education has threatened legal action against the City of Tshwane after its head office in Pretoria was left without electricity and water.
According to IOL, the city cut services to the department’s Struben Street offices over a disputed debt of more than R104 million.
The debt is reportedly linked to about 200 schools in the Tshwane metro.
However, the department says the city targeted the wrong office.
Department Says its Account is Paid Up
The Department of Basic Education says its own municipal account is in good standing.
The department also said its electricity account currently reflects a credit balance.
It rejected Tshwane’s move, saying the alleged debt does not belong to the national department.
According to the department, the debt is linked to public schools that fall under the Gauteng Department of Education.
The department said those schools are managed by the provincial education department, not the national office.
It argued that cutting services to the national department over another entity’s debt had no legal basis.
Operations Continue Under Pressure
The department said it has had to rely on emergency measures to keep working.
These include backup electricity generation and reserve water supplies.
However, the department warned that running generators alone costs tens of thousands of rands for every full day without electricity.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has since escalated the matter.
She has engaged directly with the City of Tshwane in an effort to resolve the dispute.
Gwarube also questioned the legality of the disconnection, especially in light of an existing court order linked to electricity disconnections at affected Gauteng schools.
City Reportedly Admits Error
The department said its Director-General was informed by the City Manager that the disconnection at the head office was made in error.
According to the department, the city had intended to target district offices linked to the indebted schools.
Despite this, the department said electricity and water had not yet been restored by Thursday.
The department has now briefed the Office of the State Attorney and warned that court action will follow if services are not restored urgently.
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