The Nigerian Consulate in South Africa has accused Johannesburg’s City Power of violating international treaties by cutting off electricity at their Alexandra offices on Wednesday.
City Power had disconnected the electricity as part of its drive to collect from defaulting customers, claiming that the building had an electricity bill of over R400,000.
The Consulate General has described the disconnection as an invasion and says that it is against the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations which outlines guidelines on consular premises in foreign countries.
The Consulate General has written to the Nigerian and South African government and City Power has stated that it is aware of the letter and is still considering a response.
Meanwhile, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has received a formal complaint from the Nigerian Consulate General and is dealing with the matter through diplomatic channels between the two countries.
