Municipal manager now accountable for Louis Trichardt water, rules Court

The North Gauteng High Court today ordered the municipal manager of the Vhembe District Municipality, Mr. Masala Makumule, to restore water to the community of Louis Trichardt (Makhado) within 90 days, in terms of an earlier court order.

Civil rights organisation AfriForum brought an urgent application before the court, as the Vhembe Municipality failed to - in terms of that earlier order - provide water to this community in Limpopo.

The previous order of October 2012 contains step-by-step provisions which the Municipality was supposed to follow, for Louis Trichardt to have running water again. The Municipality has however failed to comply with the provisions as set out by the court. It was therefor of utmost importance for AfriForum to bring this application and claim accountability.

"It's unacceptable that South Africans have to approach the courts to get basic services. If municipalities do not execute court orders or fulfil their Constitutional responsibilities, civil society has the right to claim accountability. This latest order against Mr. Makumule is an example thereof," Werner Human, legal representative for AfriForum said.

If the 90 days expire and the order has still not been implemented, AfriForum will launch legal action for contempt of court against Mr. Makumule, and if successful, he can serve a prison sentence.

AfriForum will closely monitor the 90 days and we will not hesitate to take the necessary steps to enforce this court order, Human added.

"We are ecstatic and we believe justice has prevailed in this matter," Wally Schultz, chairperson of the Louis Trichardt branch of AfriForum said.

Statement issued by Werner Human, Legal representative, AfriForum, and Wally Schultz, Chairperson: Louis Trichardt AfriForum, May 16 2013

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