Curro hits back at City Power over disputed R9.3m bill after Sagewood campus disconnection

Curro has pushed back strongly against City Power’s claim that the group owes more than R9.3 million, saying electricity to its Sagewood campus was restored within an hour of what it describes as an unlawful disconnection carried out despite a long-running billing dispute and pending court proceedings.

As reported by The Star, the education group said City Power officials, accompanied by members of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), arrived at the campus on June 23 and cut the electricity supply without prior notice.

City Power, however, maintains the disconnection was lawful, saying it acted on internal systems that reflected substantial arrears and did not show an active dispute that would have halted normal credit control procedures. The utility added that power was restored after further engagement and additional information was provided by Curro, but stood by its decision to disconnect the supply.

Curro told The Star that the incident occurred despite a formally registered dispute dating back to 2021 and ongoing High Court proceedings related to the matter. The school said legal representatives intervened and power was restored within an hour.

City Power had previously announced that it disconnected Curro as part of an intensified revenue collection drive targeting major defaulters, saying the school was among four high-value customers collectively owing R38.1 million. It said Curro’s alleged arrears formed part of more than R9.3 million in unpaid electricity charges.

Curro disputes the figure, saying the amount does not relate to current consumption and should not have been loaded onto its account. The group said the issue stems from clearance fees linked to a previous property owner, dating back to July 2021, which were initially reversed by the City of Johannesburg before later reappearing on municipal invoices without explanation.

The school said an independent expert report supports its position that the billing is incorrect. It maintains that it has always paid all legitimate current charges.

"Curro always pays what it legitimately owes," the school said.

According to Curro, engagements between the parties and their legal representatives since 2022 included acknowledgements by authorised city officials that the disputed amount was not payable and should be resolved. The school alleges the city has since failed to honour that understanding.

After attempts to resolve the matter administratively failed, Curro approached the High Court in 2025 seeking an order to compel the city to implement what it says had already been agreed. The school said the city indicated it would oppose the application but has not yet filed opposing papers.

"It is in these circumstances, with a formally registered dispute and pending High Court proceedings, that City Power disconnected electricity supply to a functioning school," Curro said.

The school said its executive head presented documentation confirming the dispute on site during the disconnection, but the team proceeded regardless. Curro’s attorneys then contacted the city’s legal representatives, after which electricity was restored within an hour.

The group said it remained fully up to date with current electricity and water charges, stressing that only the disputed amount was being withheld pending legal resolution. It added that backup generators ensured no disruption to teaching or learning during the outage.

City Power Acting Chief Executive Officer Charles Tlouane questioned how a financially stable private school could accumulate such a significant debt, saying unpaid accounts place pressure on infrastructure maintenance and service delivery across Johannesburg.

Curro, meanwhile, insists the matter is not one of non-payment but a legal dispute over a contested account, and says it is pursuing all available remedies following what it calls an unlawful disconnection and reputational damage.