The National Library of South Africa (NLSA) condemned the metro after disconnecting its power on January 15 during a Tshwane Ya Tima operation.

Its Pretoria Campus struggled without power for four days after its electricity supply was disconnected based on alleged non-payment.

The Tshwane Ya Tima revenue collection drive, led by Tshwane Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, targeted government buildings in arrears with the city.

The metro aims to collect over a billion from provincial and governmental bodies that are in arrears.

“Tshwane Ya Tima has kick-started 2026 with a renewed focus on reducing the debt owed by national and provincial government. Our teams focused their efforts on switching off electricity at several high-profile entities, leading to the collection of over R15 million,” Moya stated in metro’s weekly newsletter.

However, NLSA has since confirmed that its electricity account is not, and has never been, in arrears.

According to a released statement, proof of NLSA’s January payment was submitted to the city on the day of disconnection, and an official reference number for reconnection was issued.

Though the proof of payment was provided, restoring the campus’s electricity was not resolved quickly, as the power supply was only restored on January 20, four days later.

“The prolonged outage disrupted essential library, research, and information services provided to students, researchers, scholars, and members of the public. To sustain limited operations and protect national heritage collections, the NLSA was compelled to rely on backup generator power at a high unplanned cost,” the statement read.

The NLSA also took issue with the public statements on the mayor’s social media, alleging that the NLSA owed about R1-million in unpaid electricity charges. She later thanked the institution for settling its account.

“The NLSA categorically rejects these claims and reiterates that the account was fully settled at the time of disconnection. The NLSA calls on the City of Tshwane, particularly the Office of the Executive Mayor, to ensure accurate public communication, fair administrative practice, and the prompt resolution of service-related matters, especially where essential public institutions are concerned,” the statement continued.

The Department of Correctional Services has been another public entity that has accused the metro of spreading false information after electricity to the building housing its head office in the CBD was cut, insisting that the department is a tenant and not responsible for municipal accounts.

In a comment issued on January 15, the department described the act as “the disingenuous conduct of the mayor who has deliberately peddled falsehoods on public platforms in a calculated attempt to mislead the public”.

Moya’s post on social media platform, X, on January 15 read, “The Department of Correctional Services Building, managed by Delta Property Fund, owes the City of Tshwane R2.5-million. We’ve disconnected electricity at this property in the Pretoria CBD. #TshwaneYaTima.”

The DCS and the property owner, Delta Property, have since condemned the actions of the metro, describing them as an abuse of power and damaging to their departments associated.

The Telkom Corporate offices were also disconnected during the Ya Tima drive, as well as the offices of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment (DFFE).

Much like NLSA, Telkom, DSC, and other properties disconnected, Moya made follow-up social media posts thanking the departments for their payments.

The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRRD) were also another governmental body condemning the actions of the metro.

On January 15, the DLRRD issued a statement claiming that the property where its head office is based in the CBD did not owe the city any outstanding balance, labelling the metro’s actions as callous and irresponsible.

Some employees were stuck in lifts before backup generators were activated.

Deputy Mayor and MMC for Finance, Eugene Modise, said in a statement released on January 21, that the metro received payment from the Department of Public Works (DPW) regarding the DLRRD disconnection.

Modise said payment continues to illustrate the need for co-operative government and municipal relations regarding settling municipal accounts.

“In an environment of constrained municipal finances, the City of Tshwane has a constitutional responsibility to collect all revenue due from residents, businesses and government departments alike. These funds are critical to sustaining and improving service delivery for communities across Tshwane,” he said.

“The Tshwane YaTima program is yielding positive results by reinforcing the culture of payment, accountability, and a shared responsibility, thereby strengthening the city’s financial sustainability,” Modise said.

The Deputy Mayor claimed that the metro ‘bears no ill will’ towards the DLRRD and values the co-operation shown, saying that the metro remains committed to strong intergovernmental relations.

“The city encourages all stakeholders to settle their municipal accounts in a timely manner, as doing so directly supports reliable service delivery, infrastructure maintenance and inclusive development for all residents of Tshwane,” Modise added.

Watch here: https://x.com/i/status/2011821093120623060.

The Department of Correctional Services Building, managed by Delta Property Fund Limited, owes the City of Tshwane R2.5 million. We’ve disconnected electricity at this property in the Pretoria CBD. #TshwaneYaTima @CityTshwane @maluksa pic.twitter.com/nNr57PUtWa

— Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) January 15, 2026

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