Gauteng education department says schools must pay for electricity themselves
By Kimberly Mutandiro (Ground Up News)
12 May 2026
Three no-fee-paying schools in Nigel have had their electricity cut off by the City of Ekurhuleni since March due to non-payment.
The education department says the schools are responsible for their own bills, but the schools say they do not receive enough government funding.
Alra Park Primary owes the City R162,600, Alra Park Secondary owes R136,200, and Happiness Primary owes R624,830.
The schools are unable to use lights or computers, access WiFi, print study materials and test papers, or use cleaning equipment.
City of Ekhurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed the schoolsโ accounts are in arrears and said electricity will be restored once the bills are paid.
He said the City could not enter into payment arrangements with the schools, because the education department was responsible for paying the bills.But Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Onwabile Lubhelwana told GroundUp that since April 2025, schools were instructed to use their allocated budget and other funds they raise to pay their bills. He said the schools receive rental income from cellphone towers on their premises, which could be used.
Alra Park Primary school governing body (SGB) chairperson Ronnie Smith said they were allocated about R431,000 last year for municipal bills, when their bills had amounted to R840,000.
The SGB has visited the departmentโs offices several times, said Smith. โWe told them that our budget allocation is not nearly enough to sustain the account. They said there is no money.โ
