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The City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality’s continued refusal to explain or justify its controversial 65,6% increase in the water demand management levy has compelled AfriForum to approach the High Court for urgent relief.

AfriForum this week filed an urgent application to have the Metro’s decision to adopt the levy as part of its 2026/2027 budget on 27 May reviewed and set aside. Unless the court intervenes, residents will be required to pay a water demand management levy of R107,74 per month from 1 July. This levy will be payable regardless of how much water a household uses or the Metro’s ability to provide a reliable water service.

Deidré Steffens, Advisor for Local Government Affairs at AfriForum, says the Johannesburg Metro has repeatedly refused to provide the methodology or rationale that justifies the 65,6% increase. This is despite the fact that the requested information formed part of the budget process and was necessary to enable informed public participation.

“Residents of Johannesburg were expected to comment on a significant tariff increase without having the information on how it was calculated, why the specific increase is necessary, or how the additional revenue would be used. That is not meaningful public participation,” says Steffens.

AfriForum argues that the Metro’s blatant disregard for its legal obligations effectively means that residents are being forced to foot the bill for years of infrastructure decay and financial mismanagement. All the while refusing to explain why the increase is necessary.

“The rule of law requires transparency, accountability and rational decision-making. When a municipality refuses to explain how a major levy increase was determined, withholds the information needed for meaningful public participation and then adopts the increase anyway, residents are entitled to ask the court to intervene,” concludes Steffens.

This case forms part of AfriForum’s ongoing efforts to hold municipalities accountable for failing water and sanitation services. Click here for more information on this.

Issued by AfriForum