Outage diplomacy

• Published date: 02 February 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Conventional diplomacy could be likened to a proverbial handshake between two countries through consular relations. When the handshake by one of the parties stretches beyond the palm to become a grip of the other's elbow, that could mean a subtle declaration of war - still proverbially speaking. South Africa's disconnection of electricity to the Nigerian consulate in Johannesburg recently over 'unpaid bills' smacked of a handshake that had turned into an elbow grip.

Officials of an electricity distribution company in South Africa, City Power, stormed the Nigerian consulate on 18th January alongside operatives of Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) and thereafter cut off electricity supply to the facility for allegedly owing 600,000 South African rands (about $35,000) in arrears. 'We are on our 2nd day of revenue collection drive around Alexandra service delivery centre (SDC). Here we started with the Nigerian Consulate-General in Illovo who owes @CityofJoburgZA minimum of R600 000, and they were cut off,' City Power tweeted. The firm's spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, reported that the consulate had shut its gates and refused City Power entry into its premises, adding that the consulate's electricity was cut off when it was clear no official was coming to meet with the DisCo. He was also reported saying: 'The Nigerian consulate-general has been defaulting since last year but they promised to clear up the bill by January after the disconnection.'

The...