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In an aggressive move to enforce municipal debt recovery, Executive Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya of ActionSA has expanded the “Tshwane Ya Tima” campaign across the City of Tshwane.
Under this campaign, institutions with unpaid municipal bills—no matter their function—are being disconnected from electricity. But the recent power cut to Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital, over a R1 million debt, has exposed a dangerous flaw in this approach: a total disregard for human vulnerability.
Weskoppies is not just another client. It is a state-run psychiatric facility that houses hundreds of mentally ill patients, many of whom are under forensic observation or long-term treatment. Cutting off power to such a facility during Gauteng’s winter months is not only irresponsible—it is potentially catastrophic.
Without electricity, critical medications requiring refrigeration are compromised. Heating is gone. Security systems fail. Staff are forced to work in the cold, often in darkness. And the patients—already among the most marginalized in society—are left with even fewer safeguards.
Mayor Moya defended the move on Twitter, stating, “This facility owes the City of Tshwane R1 million. We’ve switched them off.” While her intent may have been to demonstrate accountability, the tone and timing struck many as punitive and performative. The backlash has been swift and wide-reaching, with healthcare professionals, legal experts, and human rights activists all condemning the action.
When fiscal policy ignores human impact
Municipalities must recover revenue to function, but leadership demands more than just numbers on a balance sheet. It demands discernment. Blanket enforcement without consideration for essential services, especially in healthcare, can cause irreparable harm. Weskoppies should never have been treated like a business debtor. It’s a healthcare facility protecting lives and managing risk daily.
Legal experts also argue that disconnecting a provincial hospital without consultation may fall outside the city’s jurisdiction, potentially violating constitutional obligations. Civil society organizations are now demanding clear policy reforms that protect critical institutions from future disconnections, regardless of outstanding debt.
Restoring power, restoring yrust
It’s not too late to correct course. Power must be restored to Weskoppies immediately, and the City of Tshwane must establish safeguards for mental health and other essential services. There are solutions: structured repayment plans, intergovernmental cooperation, and contingency measures that allow services to continue while debts are addressed responsibly.
At its core, governance is not just about enforcement—it’s about people. In choosing optics over ethics, the city has gambled with lives. Now it must restore not only electricity, but public trust.
