AfriForum wins order against Rand Water with costs
AfriForum won an order against Rand Water with costs in the Pretoria High Court today. In November 2020, Rand Water reduced the water pressure in several areas due to the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality’s inability to settle outstanding debts.
Although the water pressure was greatly reduced in several towns, parts of Bethal and Leandra were left completely without water. Residents had to get by without running water for weeks at a time.
In March 2021, AfriForum submitted an application to review the decision to lower the water pressure after the organisation determined that there was insufficient public participation in the process.
The matter was finally settled by Rand Water’s legal team after two years of delay and the decision was declared invalid and illegal by the High Court in Pretoria.
Also read: Largest storage tank for Sasol
AfriForum set up emergency water points in Bethal and other affected towns to help communities if their taps ran dry. These emergency water points are filled by volunteers at no extra cost.
“AfriForum will not just stand by and watch as communities are punished as a result of the mismanagement of state organs and municipalities and we will not hesitate to act if these draconian measures were to be implemented again in other areas,” says Hennie Bekker, AfriForum’s District Coordinator in the Highveld.
