AfriForum opposes Cape Town’s proposed drought levies 

18 January 2018

The civil rights organisation AfriForum submitted commentary against the City of Cape Town’s proposed drought levies during the period of public commentary which closed on 15 January 2018. These proposed levies place additional pressure on Capetonians, who have lately been suffering under an immense water crisis.

AfriForum’s commentary focuses thereon that the Cape metro council could have avoided such steps if they had earlier acceded to the warnings of the community.  

The civil rights watchdog furthermore argues in its commentary that imposing a drought levy is unconstitutional and that the City of Cape Town doesn’t have the authority to enforce suchlike damaging measures on only a part of the community. The levies will place additional financial constraints on households and small businesses within the Cape metropolitan area.

The failure of both the provincial and national government to intervene in the water crisis is also further queried.    

“Our community must offer strong resistance against the imposing of such ill-considered levies that are steamrolled by the local authority,” says Jan Badenhorst, AfriForum’s Head of the Southern region.  

AfriForum encourages the public to sign its petition in order to place sufficient pressure on the metro council. Signing the petition will contribute to persuading the city council to take the correct decision on 31 January 2018, when the drought levy will be considered for the final time.

Let your voice be heard and sign the petition: SMS your name to 32688 (R1). 

Issued by Natasha Venter, Media Relations Officer, AfriForum, 18 January 2018