Checked 27 October 2026
Where the facts in this claim come from
Every fact on the claim page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
What does the evidence show?
Why it is Verified
Lost electricity is power the City bought but could not sell, so it earned no money for it. The Auditor-General's audit report gives 15.5%, and its briefing to Parliament rounds it to 16%. It says R2.21 billion of the loss came from errors, negligence, theft, tampering with meters and connections, and faulty meters. The City's own annual report uses a norm of 12%. The Auditor-General calls the R3.07 billion loss material, which means big enough to matter.
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 28 April 2026.
Where to look: Slide 29 (PDF page 29): 'Electricity losses (above norm of 10%): 16% (R3,067 bn)'; slide 27: matters emphasised in the audit report include 'Material electricity losses of R3 bn (16%)'
City of Ekurhuleni. Published 31 August 2025.
Where to look: Page 116, 'Comment on electricity services performance overall': the City says its electricity losses are above the norm of 12%, including theft through illegal connections and meter tampering; technical losses 4.35%
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: Printed page 197 (PDF page 201), City of Ekurhuleni page, box 'Distribution losses over administration': 'Electricity losses R10,55bn (4 years more than 10% norm)'. Printed page 76 (PDF page 80): '2021-22 (first year of current administration)'.
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 23 March 2026.
Where to look: Paragraph 21 (emphasis of matters, page 4 of the report): 'material electricity loss of R3 067 588 141 (2024: R2 750 624 166) was incurred, which represents 15,5% (2024: 16%) of total electricity purchased'; technical loss R858 388 622; non-technical loss R2 209 199 519 'due to administrative and technical errors, negligence, theft of electricity, tampering with metres and connections ... and faulty metres'.
What did the council do, and when?
Who ran the council
Mayor: Nkosindiphile Xhakaza (ANC). Council run by ANC, EFF, African Independent Congress. From Apr 2024 to Feb 2026.
City of Ekurhuleni. Published 18 October 2026.
Where to look: Opening line: 'was elected as the Executive Mayor on 11 April 2024 during an extraordinary council meeting' (page undated; date = day read)
Daily Maverick. Published 11 April 2024.
Where to look: Paragraph 3: Xhakaza elected unopposed as executive mayor at an extraordinary council meeting on Thursday 11 April 2024
EWN. Published 15 April 2024.
Where to look: Paragraph 2 (EFF retains its five mayoral committee seats, ANC has four); paragraph 3 (former mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana is MMC for Corporate and Shared Services); the embedded EWN post below the article names him as AIC
Daily Maverick. Published 19 February 2026.
Where to look: Paragraph 1 (reshuffle on Tuesday night); paragraph 4 (EFF turned down two posts, had four, pulled out of the coalition); paragraph 6 (coalition of ANC, EFF, ActionSA and PA)
IOL. Published 18 February 2026.
Where to look: Paragraphs 21-22: ActionSA says it was not part of any agreement and will not join the mayor's government
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