Filadelfia Secondary LSEN School in Soshanguve, Gauteng. Source: Sunday Times.
Matriculants at Filadelfia Secondary LSEN School in Soshanguve, Gauteng may not be able to sit for their final exams beginning on Wednesday because the City of Tshwane has cut off their electricity.
The City cut off water and electricity at the school due to an alleged outstanding municipal debt of R7,1 million.
Without power, Deaf pupils will not be able to commence their exams, as they record videos on their laptops to respond to questions. Blind pupils will be equally affected, as brailling and proofreading require both internet and electricity access.
Spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Education, Steve Mabona confirmed that the school’s water and electricity were cut on 9 October 2025, by the City of Tshwane, “due to challenges with the school’s municipal account.”
However, Mabona said, “The matter is being attended to, and it will be resolved urgently. As a contingency, the school has access to gas for cooking and solar power for energy. Accordingly, examinations will not be impacted.”
The City of Tshwane will not reconnect the school until the debt is paid even though the disconnection has hit the most marginalised group at the critical stage of their education. According to the City legally, its electricity by-laws (section 18(3)) permit disconnection due to non-payment, while the water by-laws (section 10(1)) allow for restriction of supply.
City’s
spokesperson, Lindela Mashigo, said:
"Filadelfia
Secondary LSEN School in Soshanguve owes the City R7.1 million across three
accounts: the electricity account for hostels owing R4.3 million, the water
account for the school owing R1.5 million, and the electricity account for the
school owing R1.2 million.”
It is understood that the school paid approximately R1million to reduce the debt, and Mashigo said the City of Tshwane will check its records on Monday to confirm the payment.
The Diary Series of Deaf People recently reported that many of the special schools for the blind and Deaf were receiving huge and inconsistent bills and were often forced to divert money for special learning equipment for their learners to pay these bills.
Mashigo said:
“The city remains sensitive to the needs of the school and urges its management to urgently bring their accounts up to date to facilitate reconnection and the continued supply of essential services. The City of Tshwane understands and sincerely empathises with the difficult circumstances surrounding the disconnection of water and electricity supplies at the Philadelphia School for the Blind and Deaf in Pretoria, particularly during a critical period when learners are writing their final examinations.”
Sadtu Gauteng’s spokesperson, Nomusa Cembi said the City was “insensitive”.
“If they have ubuntu, why not wait until the learners finish exams. It forces the school to close down and therefore, the constitutional right for every learner to education is violated,” Cembi said.
She emphasised that, "The timing of the cut-offs show that the City of Tshwane has no concern about the wellbeing of these children and their education. We call on the Department of Education to meet with the City of Tshwane as a matter of urgency to deal with this matter."
Mashigo asserted that “while such decisions are never taken lightly, the City also has an obligation to ensure that it remains financially viable to continue providing essential services to all residents and institution .... In line with this responsibility, Section 96(a) of the Municipal Systems Act compels the city to collect all money that is due and payable to it.”
"The school was duly notified and engaged by the City’s credit control team. On 12 August 2025, the principal committed to settling the outstanding accounts within three months - an arrangement that, regrettably, was not honoured… and only one partial payment - the school’s monthly consumption - was received on the main electricity account.”
The secretary general of Sanase, Dipolelo Tema said they are disturbed by the disconnection of water and electricity at Filadelphia.
“This
is particularly because end-of year examinations are about to commence. While
we appreciate that the services rendered should be paid, we are equally worried
that it has taken utility providers long without addressing the matter before
it escalated into a crisis. We appeal to all parties involved, especially Gauteng
department of education to find a sustainable solution to the problem without
depriving the most vulnerable children an opportunity to write their
examinations,” said Tema.
Vicky Abraham is an investigative journalist, Ntokozo Abraham, an economic and data journalist of Diary Series of Deaf People (www.thedeafdiary.com) and Adam Oxford a data journalist and founder of Area of Effect (areaofeffect.tv). This investigation is produced by the Southern Africa Accountability Journalism Project (SA | AJP), an initiative of the Henry Nxumalo Foundation with the financial assistance of the European Union. It can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.
