eThekwini Municipality must submit documents to High Court in DA sewage case

27 June 2023

The DA’s court case against the eThekwini Municipality, Provincial and National Governments forges ahead as we are expected to argue our case in the Pietermaritzburg High Court soon.

Last week, the DA submitted our supplementary affidavit and notice of motion (view here) .

In the Judicial Case Management Direction issued by the Court (view here),sets out several deadlines for the Respondents to file their papers with heads of arguments by those opposing our application in terms of the National Environment Management Act to do so by 28 July 2023.

The DA has also been granted access by the Court to seek a date on the preferential roll to allow this case to be heard as soon as possible.

These deadlines for the three spheres of government to respond is a welcome development against the continued closure of at least seven beaches in eThekwini as we head into the school holidays and the Durban July weekend.

There can be no doubt that from the municipality to national government, there is simply no will or ability to fix the underlying sewage crisis in eThekwini which is resulting in beach closures which is why the DA has had to approach the courts for relief on behalf of the residents of the city.

The DA will continue to fight this case to ensure that the sewage disaster in eThekwini comes to an end, the beaches are reopened and our job-creating tourism industry is allowed to flourish.

Issued by Dean Macpherson, DA KZN Chairperson, 27 June 2023