The City of Johannesburg, together with Johannesburg Water and City Power, is running a Level 3 Disconnection Drive targeting chronic non-paying, high-consumption customers with long-standing, unpaid, and undisputed municipal debt.

The drive is part of #ProjectLokisa, an initiative led by Environmental and Infrastructure Service Department MMC Councillor Jack Sekwaila and Finance MMC Councillor Loyiso Masuku. The customers collectively owe in excess of R84 million to the City of Johannesburg.

Johannesburg Water and City Power teams joined the CoJ and JMPD on Thursday, 23 October and Friday, 24 October 2025 for the operation where they conducted Level 3 disconnections to customers who have failed to settle their accounts. Some of these customers have not paid their accounts in over a year.

The drive targeted customers in Regions E and F, specifically Johannesburg CBD, Orange Grove, Houghton, and Bryanston. The customers included businesses and residentials (including high-rise flats).

In Region E for example, one business owed R2.2 million. This customer had bypassed the Johannesburg Water meter underground, to avoid paying for water services. Meaning the business was using water for free without paying for it.

In Bagleyston, Orange Grove, also a business, the customer illegally reconnected themselves. They owed R2.5 million.

Through this initiative, the City is intensifying revenue recovery efforts to protect service delivery, uphold financial accountability, and ensure fairness for paying customers. This initiative will continue throughout November.