The Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, has struck AfriForum’s urgent application challenging the City of Johannesburg’s increased water demand management levy off the roll, leaving the charge to take effect on 1 July while the merits of the legal challenge remain unresolved.

AfriForum approached the court on an urgent basis seeking to review and set aside the city’s decision to increase the levy by 65.6%, arguing that the charge was unlawful and that the municipality had failed to comply with its legal obligations during the budget process.

The organisation said that residents would be unfairly affected if the increased levy was implemented before its legality was tested in court.

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AfriForum’s Advisor for Environmental Affairs, Marais de Vaal, said before the hearing that the organisation had repeatedly sought information and engagement from the city regarding the levy but had received

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The High Court in Pretoria has ordered the City of Tshwane to restore electricity to schools that were cut off over unpaid property rates.

 Laerskool Wierdapark and AfriForum brought the urgent application this week.

The matter was heard on Tuesday.

AfriForum said several schools were disconnected, despite having paid their electricity accounts in full. It said school governing bodies are responsible for paying for services such as electricity and water, while property rates are meant to be dealt with by “the authorities”.

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AfriForum’s head of cultural affairs, Alana Bailey, said the disconnections had disrupted teaching and placed learners and staff at risk.

“It is unfair that learners and staff’s rights to have access to quality education, safety, and even the provision of their basic needs are being violated due to the authorities’ maladministration. At the affected schools, teaching could

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