• Eskom gave the City of Johannesburg until 8 July to pay a R5.2-billion debt or face major bulk electricity cuts.

• Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero asked Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa to intervene as French lenders and Moody's also pressure the city.

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero recently said the city's working lights showed that Johannesburg was not in financial trouble. But this week, Eskom threatened to turn those lights off.

The power utility gave the City of Johannesburg and City Power until 8 July to pay its debt of R5.2-billion. Another R1.58-billion must be paid by 5 June 2026.

Eskom said it has spent more than two years working with the city to get its payments. The power utility said its patience has now run out.

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Eskom sent a formal notice showing it plans to cut or stop electricity supply to main power points across the city. Areas at risk include Sandton, Fourways, Soweto, Orange Farm and Ivory Park.

Street lights in parts of those areas are already dark because of a separate R4-million debt. Eskom said the city takes electricity money from residents but does not pay Eskom. The utility called the unpaid bills a complete failure to follow their agreement.

On Monday, Morero asked Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa to step in and stop the power cuts. The City of Johannesburg has not given an official response to the threat from Eskom.

More pressure is hitting the city from other sides. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana told the city to cancel a pay rise agreement with municipal unions. He said the city cannot afford it.

French development lenders refused to give the city more loans. At the same time, credit rating agency Moody's placed Johannesburg on review for a downgrade.

A past threat from Eskom was stopped after a court case and help from the national government. The city has not said if that help will come again this time.