/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The civil rights organisation AfriForum brought an urgent application against Rand Water following the water supplier’s decision to reduce water supply to several municipalities. In its court application, AfriForum requests an interdict obliging Rand Water to restore full water supply to the municipalities concerned.

This follows after AfriForum’s legal team sent an urgent letter of demand to Rand Water last week demanding that water supply be fully restored to the following municipalities: 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 in Mpumalanga.

Access to clean water is a basic human right; it is essential for health, sanitation and overall quality of life. The decision to reduce water supply – even though it may be driven by operational or financial constraints – has far reaching implications for the affected communities, especially for the most vulnerable. Rand Water has placed an unnecessary burden on the already vulnerable communities, exacerbating existing socio-economic challenges.

“AfriForum strongly condemns Rand Water’s actions to cut water supply. While we recognise the challenges that water suppliers face, we believe that such decisions must be made with careful consideration for the well-being of the communities they serve. We believe that cooperation between water suppliers, government authorities and civil society organisations is essential to find sustainable solutions to challenges with water supply,” says Petrus Coetzee, AfriForum’s Advisor for Local Government Affairs.

“For the sake of accountability and transparency, AfriForum has initiated legal proceedings against Rand Water to address the concerns caused by this matter. AfriForum remains committed to its mission to protect the rights and interests of our communities and will continue to monitor and fight similar issues, if necessary,” concludes Coetzee.

Issued by AfriForum