AfriForum today brought an urgent application in the High Court in Mafikeng for a court order to compel the municipality in Klerksdorp, the Matlosana Municipality, to honour its commitment to Eskom and to prohibit Eskom from cutting the electricity supply to Klerksdorp and Jouberton.
 
 "We have decided to assist because residents are not getting any answers from the Municipality. AfriForum receives complaints on a daily basis about poor service delivery. It is important that the community should get the services for which they pay," said Ian Cameron, North-West Organiser for AfriForum.
 
AfriForum intervened when residents of Klerksdorp and Jouberton were notified that their electricity would be cut on 14 March 2013 because the Municipality had failed to honour its commitment to Eskom by neglecting to pay its outstanding account of R91 812 683.63.
 
The failure of the Municipality to honour these commitments boils down to contravention of its constitutional duty to deliver local services. AfriForum is assisting residents of the two towns to bring this application to the High Court in Mafikeng.
 
"With this application we can ensure that the Municipality complies and delivers the services for which members of the public are paying. People are tired of this struggle and no longer want to be victims of the incompetence of the Municipality," Cameron added.
 
This application is also a further step in the work done by AfriForum to empower communities to stand up against poor service delivery by local authorities.
 
The High Court in Mafikeng will hear arguments regarding the application on 8 March 2013.