Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Pretoria power crisis: AfriForum takes Metro to task over lack of transparency

Soundbite: Arno Roodt (English)

AfriForum has lodged an internal appeal against the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality’s decision to reject the civil rights organisation’s application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) regarding the ongoing power crisis in Pretoria. AfriForum argues that the Metro did not provide sufficient reasons, as required by the relevant legislation, and therefore acted unlawfully when it refused access to the requested information.

AfriForum submitted a PAIA application on 21 May to gain access to the Metro’s substation list, maintenance schedules, contractor list and maintenance reports. The aim was to hold the Metro accountable for the maintenance of this critical infrastructure.

“This PAIA application was submitted to protect the public’s interests and livelihoods, therefore the right to access information is non-negotiable. This is especially true in cases such as these where residents are so directly affected by the Metro’s lack of maintenance and transparency,” says Arno Roodt, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Greater Pretoria South.

Large parts of Pretoria have recently been suffering from severe and prolonged power outages – often due to poor planning and maintenance as well as cable theft. Despite concerns about the state of the Tshwane Metro’s power infrastructure and its legal obligations, the Metro nevertheless stated that it reserved the right “not to consent to the [PAIA] request at this time”.

“This vague explanation is contrary to the relevant legislation and Section 32 of the Constitution and is characteristic of a municipality trying to hide something. The public has a right to know why power infrastructure is burning and who is held responsible for the fact that they are without power almost weekly,” says Roodt.

The civil rights organisation makes it clear in its appeal that even if any of the relevant information requested falls under the PAIA Act’s exceptions, it is still in the public’s interest to disclose the information. According to Roodt, the various irregularities regarding the breakdown of substations will only come to an end if light is shed on them.

“This is precisely why AfriForum is fighting for administrative transparency, the installation of security cameras at substations and holding the Metro directly accountable for these serious service delivery deficiencies.”

AfriForum will take further steps, including lodging a complaint with the Information Regulator, if the Tshwane Metro does not release the information before 22 August.