An electricity distribution company in South Africa called City Power has cut off the power supply to the Nigerian consulate in Johannesburg because of “unpaid bills.”
On Wednesday, the DisCo reported that the consulate owed at least R600,000 (which is equivalent to approximately $35,000).
Read Also: PDP Calls On Traditional Rulers in Cross River To Go Spiritual To Secure Their Votes From Riggers
Isaac Mangena, the spokesperson for City Power, stated that the Nigerian consulate had closed its gates and would not allow City Power entry into the building.
In addition, he mentioned that the electricity to the consulate was turned off after it became apparent that no officials were going to meet with the DisCo.
The consulate issued a statement on Wednesday in which it condemned the actions of City Power, claiming that those actions were in violation of international treaties.
The electricity company reportedly showed up “without prior notice and disrupted services,” according to the consulate, which stated that an investigation will be launched to address the “illegal violation.”
The statement reads, “The consulate general of Nigeria in Johannesburg hereby condemns the invasion of its premises by officials of Johannesburg City Council on Wednesday, 18 January 2023, purportedly on a debt-recovery exercise.” The statement was released after the invasion took place.
“The invasion squad, which was comprised of officials of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), and City Power, as well as members of the press, arrived at the consulate without prior notice or an appointment, and they disrupted normal consular services.
Also Read: Atiku Confident of Winning Presidential Election, Lists Condition For PDP Members To Get Contract In His Government
“The consulate maintains that the action of the officials, regardless of the justification, was in complete violation of extant international treaties and conventions, particularly the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963, which guarantees the inviolability of consular premises. The consulate also maintains that the action of the officials was in complete violation of extant international treaties and conventions.
“As a consequence of this, the consulate general has communicated the displeasure of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the Government of South Africa through diplomatic channels, along with a demand that a comprehensive investigation be conducted into the illegal violation of the premises of the consulate general and that appropriate remedial measures be taken to prevent a recurrence.
“Furthermore, the consulate wishes to express its regrets to members of the public for the disruption to services caused by the invasion and hereby assures that normal consular services have been restored at the mission,” the statement reads. “The consulate will continue to do its best to ensure that this does not happen again.”
Residents of South Africa have been protesting long periods of time without power for years now due to an ongoing energy crisis in the country.
In response, the government stated that it was on track to pass a law that would speed up the completion of power projects, but it also mentioned that there was a possibility that electricity shortages would persist until 2024.
Thanks for using our platform to learn about the latest Naija News on Electricity Cut Off At Nigerian Consulate In South Africa Over ‘Unpaid Bills’
