The KwaZulu-Natal branch of the Democratic Alliance (DA) has obtained the trial date in the sewage and water case against eThekwini Municipality.
The DA filed a court petition in February of this year to address the city’s persistent water and sewage problems.
Durban has experienced sewer spills into the sea, purportedly due to ageing equipment at wastewater treatment plants, prompting the shutdown of beaches.
The city has dealt with water challenges, prompting citizens in towns north of Durban to protest.
The trial is set to start on August 8, 2024.
“The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has become the first political party to secure a trial date in the High Court against the eThekwini Municipality for the ongoing sewage and water crisis in the city,” said DA KZN premier candidate, Chris Pappas.
He noted that since launching the case in February 2023, the African National Congress (ANC)-run eThekwini Municipality has done everything possible to avoid this day of reckoning.
“It even required the KZN Judge President, Thoba Portia Poyo-Dlwati, to instruct eThekwini by way of a court order to file answering affidavits to the DA’s papers so the case could proceed,” Pappas said.
Through its initial affidavit to the court, the DA wants to obligate the municipality to fix wastewater treatment plants.
The DA stated that sewer spills have had a bad influence on people’s health as well as the city’s tourism business.
“The DA has spared no expense and hired the very best lawyers to bring this case before the courts in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) because we understand the importance of this issue not only to the people of eThekwini, but all of KwaZulu-Natal,” said Pappas.
The Municipality told Eyewitness News that it does not provide input on cases before the court.
IOL News