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.

Human rights at risk if Eskom shroud 15 towns in darkness over municipal mismanagement

Eskom’s intention to reduce or completely cut off power supply to 15 Free State towns before the Easter weekend due to non-payment by four municipalities is not only unfair to the residents of these towns but amounts to possible human rights violations. AfriForum insists that Eskom and the national government hold municipal officials accountable for the gross mismanagement of municipal finances, rather than depriving paying residents of basic rights.

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is currently in the process of determining which human rights may be violated by the implementation of load reduction. It seems to AfriForum that the communities in the Nala, Moqhaka, Masilonyana and Ngwathe Local Municipalities may be deprived of their right to equality, human dignity and access to basic services by 17 April if Eskom proceeds with this plan.

“In addition to these human rights abuses, communities will also have to endure economic hardships, while hospitals, clinics and homes that serve vulnerable people will suffer under the burden that power outages place on their operations,” says Deidré Steffens, Advisor for Local Government Affairs at AfriForum.

“Corrupt officials are holding towns in a stranglehold by not settling municipal electricity debts, but now communities are expected to bear the consequences. This while the officials responsible for the predicament get away with it. This simply cannot be tolerated.”

The exorbitant amounts that the four municipalities owe to Eskom are due to years of mismanagement of residents’ money. Although municipalities have long failed to meet their obligations to Eskom, corrupt practices at municipal level must urgently be nipped in the bud.

“AfriForum will not hesitate to approach the HRC or take legal action if a workable solution to this looming crisis is not found,” says Steffens.

According to a notice by Eskom, which AfriForum has reviewed, residents have until 13 March to object to the possible load reduction or complete power interruption. The civil rights organisation urged affected communities to make their voices heard about the situation and submit their written objections, comments and suggestions to Eskom.

“AfriForum will not allow residents to bear the consequences for the failures of incompetent municipalities. AfriForum will continue to fight this matter on all available platforms so that communities are not plunged into darkness indefinitely,” concludes Steffens.