The Tshwane Metro has come under fire in recent weeks regarding the Tshwane Ya Tima revenue collection drive targeting government-owned buildings that are in arrears with the city, and this past week was no different.

On January 23, Tshwane Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, and supporting municipal officials conducted a revenue collection drive targeting several properties home to national departments, including the Kgosi Mampuru II and Baviaanspoort Correctional facilities in Pretoria Central.

The facilities’ municipal accounts were allegedly in arrears.

Despite the backlash, Moya remains resolute in the city’s position and stated that no one is above the law.

“We had job cards valued at over R45-million. We are owed over R2-billion by government departments (national and provincial). This campaign aims to raise revenue for the municipality. Without revenue, we are unable to fund service delivery programmes. No one is above the law in Tshwane,” Moya said.

City officials had attempted to disconnect the power supply to the correctional facilities, believed to owe R8-million to the metro, a move which the Department of Correctional Services (DSC) said had not been properly investigated before being carried out.

“It is not only disturbing but deeply humiliating that the Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane once again chose to make public pronouncements via social media, alleging that electricity would be disconnected at a correctional facility, without ensuring that the facts were verified.

“City officials arrived at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre armed with an incorrect account statement and were subsequently embarrassed when the error was identified and pointed out to them by Correctional Services managers,” the DSC stated in a released statement.

In addition to Kgosi Mampuru, the officials also made stops at the Department of Public Works, SAPS Training Academy, the Department of Labour Head Office, and the SITA offices in Pretoria Central.

“This incident clearly demonstrates a lack of due diligence and basic verification before drastic action is taken and published on social media.

“The apparent eagerness to disconnect electricity, particularly at a critical national facility such as a correctional centre, without confirming the accuracy of billing information raises serious questions about the city’s administrative processes and intentions,” the DSC’s statement continued.

The DSC called for the mayor to make an apology to them and acknowledge that the error was the metro’s responsibility. It further called for an end to what it refers to as a ‘continued fixation’ on its department by the metro.

“The continued fixation on the DCS by the City of Tshwane, particularly on incorrect grounds, creates the impression of a deliberate attempt to discredit the department.

“It has become increasingly apparent that the DCS is being singled out and treated as a primary target by the mayor of Tshwane.

“If the invocation of the department’s name is considered politically or publicly expedient, then such actions must, at the very least, be grounded in verified facts and exercised with the requisite level of responsibility and due diligence,” the statement continued.

This comes after the metro disconnected power to the DSC’s main offices on WF Nkomo Street, after it was alleged that the property owes R2.5-million in unpaid services.

The metro has since responded to the DSC in a statement of their own, claiming that the facilities were well aware of their account status but were not privy to the full-scope.

“The city stands by this position. Its records indicate that the accounts remain in significant arrears following a prolonged period of non-payment, and the arrears are reflected on the city’s billing system and formed the basis for the site visits.

“During these engagements, officials from the DCS did not point out any errors in the city’s account statements. Instead, they indicated that they were not aware of the full scope of the outstanding amounts on the accounts and undertook to engage the Department of Public Works to address the matter,” the metro communicated in a released statement.

The metro claimed that it exercised discretion and allowed additional time for the issue to be resolved through the appropriate national department. The DCS was given until Monday to respond with a payment update from the Department of Public Works.

They also emphasise that no electricity disconnection took place during the city official’s visit to both facilities, and credit control will not cease.

“The city remains committed to co-operative governance and to resolving intergovernmental billing matters responsibly, while also applying its credit control processes consistently and fairly across all account holders,” the statement continued.

The MMC for Human Settlements, Alderman Arron Maluleka, lambasted the DSC for its comments. Accusing the department of acting in bad faith and reiterating the mayor’s sentiments for a zero-tolerance approach toward revenue collection.

“The Department of Correctional Services is acting in bad faith and has mobilised every mouth against the City of Tshwane. This will not deter us from collecting the R2-billion debt owed by government departments.

“The Minister of Public Works [received] two letters from the capital city, and no response was received. On Friday, I was personally in that operation, and we were very accommodating both in discussion and waiting for the department’s officials.

“A public spat was started, and we need to treat the department like any other customer. We gave them until Monday, and the Area Commissioner of both Kgosi Mapuru and Baviaan Correctional Centres was very thankful for our kindness,” Maluleka stated.

Watch here: https://x.com/i/status/2014748432057905477.

We held a successful #TshwaneYaTima operation today chasing government debt owed to the City of Tshwane. We had job cards valued at over R45 million. We are owed over R2 billion by government departments (national and provincial). This campaign aims to raise revenue for the… pic.twitter.com/VmBgcg5jnG

— Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) January 23, 2026

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