The High Court in Johannesburg. (Photo: Mariska Nanni/Maroela Media)
The civil rights organization AfriForum approached the Johannesburg High Court this week after the city’s metro apparently refused to accept its controversial 65.6% increase in its water demand management charge (water demand management levy) to explain or justify.
The organization has also submitted an urgent application to review and set aside the metro’s decision to adopt the levy as part of its 2026/2027 budget on 27 May.
Deidré Steffens, adviser for local government affairs at AfriForum, says that unless the court decides to intervene, residents will have to pay a water demand management charge of R107.74 per month from 1 July.
This charge will be payable regardless of how much water a household uses or the metro’s ability to provide a reliable water service.
Steffens says the Johannesburg metro has repeatedly refused to provide the methodology or rationale that justifies the 65.6% increase.
“This despite the fact that the requested information formed part of the budget process and was necessary to enable informed public participation.”
She says that the residents of Johannesburg were expected to comment on a significant rate increase without having the information on how it was calculated, why the specific increase was needed, or how the additional income would be used.
“This is not meaningful public participation,” says Steffens.
AfriForum argues that the metro’s blatant disregard for its legal obligations amounts to residents being forced to pay for years of infrastructural decay and financial mismanagement. This while the metro still refuses to explain why this increase is necessary.
“The rule of law requires transparency, accountability and rational decision-making. When a municipality refuses to explain how a large rate increase was determined, fails to provide the information needed for meaningful public participation and still approves the increase, residents are entitled to ask the court to intervene,” says Steffens.