Tshwane's attempt to switch Kgosi Mampuru Prison's power off sparks dispute with DCS

An intergovernmental dispute is brewing between the Correctional Services Department and the Tshwane Municipality after the metro attempted to switch off the Kgosi Mampuru Prison for non-payment of electricity.

On Friday, Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya showed up at the prison with municipal officials to disconnect the facility.

However, after an engagement between officials from the two government entities, the switch off operation was cancelled.

Since Moya became mayor, she’s ramped up the ‘Tshwane Ya Tima’ campaign.

The campaign disconnects electricity for properties with large municipal debt.

It has targeted both private and public facilities.

Speaking on the sidelines of the African National Congress (ANC)’s national lekgotla on Sunday, Deputy Minister of Correctional Services Lindiwe Ntshalintshali said the Kgosi Mampuru Prison is up to date with its electricity bill.

She said even if that wasn’t the case, switching off power to the super max prison would cause a national security crisis.

“We are still going to engage with mayor because I’ve been a mayor myself. When facilities or government owes you as a municipality, you start IGR, intergovernmental relations. You talk to them, give them the bill and agree on settlement because the danger was that if there was any switch off in terms of that facility you will have your [Thabo] Bester being out here - they will run for their lives. Imagine everybody saying it’s freedom because our system is run and operated with electricity. So, it threatens the security.”

In response, the Tshwane Municipality said while it’s committed to intergovernmental relations, it has a responsibility to apply its credit control processes fairly across all its account holders.