Rand Water said there is nothing preventing it from cutting water to owing Municipalities.
The Water Utility is owed more than R3, billion, and as a result, began with water reduction measures by 20% in February 2024, to force the hand of owing Municipalities to pay up or enter into some kind of agreement.
Enter non-governmental organisation, AfriForum, in the mix, who wanted Rand Water to be ordered to immediately take all necessary steps to restore the full supply of water to all owing municipalities, towns and areas situated within the jurisdictional areas of the said municipalities.
AfriForum issued an urgent application against 7 Municipalities as well as the Minister of Finance, Water and Sanitation and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on 11 March 2024.
The relevant municipalities are:
Emfuleni Local Municipality and Lesedi Local Municipality in the Sedibeng District
Municipality in Gauteng; Rand West Local Municipality and Merafong City Local
Municipality in the West Rand District Municipality in Gauteng; Ngwathe Local Municipality in the Fezile Dabi District Municipality in the Free State; and Govan Mbeki Local Municipality.
An interdict by AfriForum has failed, according to evidence presented by Rand Water in a statement.
Last night, AfriForum, requested residents to sign a pledge to put pressure on Rand Water.
“… Nevertheless, the court today found Rand Water cuts were unjust and ruled that AfriForum should approach the court again on an urgent basis, for an interdict in the future, if it becomes aware of any similar cuts by Rand Water.” Facebook post on AfriForum’s page.
Rand Water maintains the High Court dismissed AfriForum’s request day before yesterday, on Tuesday, the 26 March 2024.
Rand Water detailed the steps leading to the court action: “Prior to that application, Rand Water issued a media statement on 01 March 2024 in which it, inter alia, advised the residents and communities of the relevant Municipalities of its intention to exercise its rights to impose water restrictions for non-payment of water
services by these municipalities. In particular, it advised the two Municipalities, being Ngwathe and Merafong on 24 February 2024, in line with a prior notice, that Rand Water is intending to reduce the water flow by 20% and that the said Municipalities are to inform their end-users of the implications of the issued notice. In relation to the remainder of the Municipalities, Rand Water expressed its intention in the same Notice of 1 March 2024, to initiate the same credit control measures if they continue to fail to honour their debt settlement agreements.”
Municipalities were also requested in the same Notice, to pay their overdue amounts or to enter into amicable payment settlements, but only 2 responded, Merafong and Ngwathe.
Picture: Cradle of Humankind