Senior Tshwane officials begged Eskom last week not to impose a power blackout on the capital.
The metro blames its residents for the fact that it has exhausted its R500-million overdraft - and owes Eskom R495.9-million and Rand Water R64.4-million.
A statement from the office of mayor Gwen Ramokgopa yesterday said the metro could not pay the utilities because Tshwane residents had defaulted on their accounts.
City spokeswoman Khanyakahle Mahlare said the recent municipal workers' strike and the July electricity tariff increases had also contributed to the crisis.
"During the strike, certain pay points had to be closed and, as a result, the city could not collect payments for basic services. People could only pay at Pick n Pay and the Post Office," she said.
Mahlare said the metro had agreed on a payment plan with Rand Water and Eskom, but she could not divulge the details before it had been approved by the mayoral committee today and at a council meeting later this month.
The DA called on Gauteng local government MEC Kgaogelo Lekgoro to step in and save Tshwane.
"We have been predicting this day for the past two years. It is not as if it should come as a surprise," said DA local government spokesman Fred Nel.
"The ANC showed a total lack of political will to rectify the management problems that led to this crisis. The DA has been warning the council to collect its outstanding debtors, which now stands at R3-billion."
Rand Water refused to comment. Eskom's spokesman could not be reached.
