Tzaneen Residents Face Looming Power Crisis Amid Land Dispute
Limpopo, Tzaneen – Residents of Nkowankowa, Lenyenye, Deerpark, Taganashoek, and surrounding areas could be plunged into darkness within days if urgent intervention is not secured in a long-running land dispute involving the Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM).
On 22 September, July Mathebula Attorneys, acting on behalf of Lindor Ondernemings CC — the legal owners of Tarentaalrand 524 LT, where one of GTM’s main substations is located — issued a public notice confirming that the power facility will be disconnected on 29 September 2025.
The firm further warned that dismantling of the substation would commence 14 days after disconnection, with removal of components and power lines set to follow shortly thereafter.
The substation supplies electricity to thousands of households, farms, and businesses across the municipality. Its closure would cripple industrial operations, halt farm production, and leave residential areas without power.
At the heart of the dispute is the municipality’s occupation of the land without a lease agreement or servitude.
In March 2023, the Limpopo High Court ruled in favour of the landowner, ordering GTM to vacate the property by April 2024 and pay damages for unlawful occupation.
Despite subsequent settlement talks, no resolution has been reached.
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July Mathebula Attorneys said their client had run out of patience after the municipality failed to respond following a meeting on 14 July 2025.
“Despite agreeing to hold a final meeting to resolve the issue, the municipality has shown no urgency. Out of concern for the thousands of residents affected, our client has chosen to notify the public directly,” the firm said.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo has now stepped into the fray, calling on MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Basikopo Makamu, to urgently intervene.
“The blatant disregard for the well-being of the community is shocking and unacceptable. We will request a full investigation into this matter, including holding responsible officials accountable for negligence and failure to act in the public interest,” the DA said in a statement.
Municipal officials, including GTM Manager Donald Mhangwama and Legal Officer Justice Ramafala, were reportedly involved in earlier discussions but have not communicated with the landowner since July.
With just days remaining before the scheduled shutdown, thousands of households, farms, and industries face the prospect of being without electricity unless a breakthrough is reached.
Broken Streets Lights
Meanwhile the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Tzaneen has taken a proactive approach to address the ongoing streetlight crisis affecting local communities.
The DA said that residents have long been reporting broken streetlights via WhatsApp groups or the municipal call centre, with little evidence of proper recordkeeping or transparent prioritisation by the Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM).
In response, the DA launched a new streetlight reporting platform last week in Ward 14, allowing residents to drop a pin location via WhatsApp to a dedicated number.
Reports are automatically captured into a Google Maps interface, generating detailed street-by-street overviews of outages. This system aims to identify problem areas and hold the municipality accountable for timely repairs.
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Within just a few days of its launch, DA councillors identified no fewer than 181 broken streetlights in Ward 14, highlighting the extent of the problem when accurate and transparent data is collected.
“The streetlight crisis has affected public safety and the quality of life in our communities for far too long,” said a DA spokesperson.
“This initiative not only provides a clear record of outages but also ensures that residents’ concerns are addressed in a timely manner.”
The DA says it plans to expand the platform to other wards across Tzaneen.