South Africa: Children's Memorial Institute Still Without Power After 19 Days, Despite Mayor's Promise

20 September 2026
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Anna Cox

The Children's Memorial Institute in Parktown enters its 19th consecutive day without electricity on Monday after City of Johannesburg Revenue officials overruled Mayor Dada Morero's explicit promise to restore power, citing Gauteng Health's failure to submit a debt-payment plan.

Following an intergovernmental dispute over R159.2-million in accumulated provincial utility arrears and subsequent reporting by Daily Maverick, Mayor Dada Morero visited the Children's Memorial Institute (CMI) in Parktown on Wednesday, 16 September, promising that power would be reconnected by the following day.

Read more City Power disconnects NGOs helping thousands of vulnerable children September 3, 2026 However, City Power officials arrived the next day and said they could not restore power without a signed debt agreement.

Dr Dee Blackie, managing director of CMI, confirmed she received a message on Saturday, 19 September, from the City's group head of revenue, Lufuno Mashau, stating that the city manager had informed the Gauteng Department of Health that a formal payment plan was required before power could be restored.

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Mashau explained that the Health Department and the MEC had failed to attend a meeting requested by the mayor, but indicated that a rescheduled meeting on Monday might secure the necessary payment commitments to authorise reconnection.

The revelation confirms that municipal officials chose to maintain a total blackout on 22 child-welfare NPOs and 365 special-needs learners to leverage payment from provincial authorities.

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