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.

Parys without water, but waterworks without workers – AfriForum demands answers

The AfriForum branch in Parys has written an urgent letter to the Ngwathe Local Municipality and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) regarding the state of the town’s waterworks, where all repairs and upgrades has seemingly come to a halt. This is because the contractor appointed to upgrade the waterworks has reportedly declared bankruptcy and left the site. However, AfriForum is concerned that this explanation is an attempt to cover-up the Municipality’s inability to meet its financial obligations. AfriForum is now trying to get to the bottom of the matter and has therefore requested an urgent meeting with the Municipality and the DWS, as well as an explanation of the state of affairs at the waterworks.

AfriForum recently learned that four water pumps and motors, which the Municipality had repaired in December, apparently have still not been delivered to the water treatment plant because the Municipality has allegedly not paid for these repairs. During a meeting with the Municipality and the DWS, AfriForum wants to understand whether financial mismanagement is the reason why the Municipality continuously fails to meet its obligations regarding service delivery.

“The effective management of Parys’ water treatment plant is a necessity and if the Municipality is unable to meet this basic need, a provincial executive authority must step in and place the Municipality under administration. At least then there will be more opportunity for organisations like AfriForum to provide much-needed support and expertise to resolve Parys’ water crisis,” says Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Mooi River.

AfriForum is already in the process of holding the Municipality accountable for its poor service delivery through a court application. The civil rights organisation filed an application with the Bloemfontein High Court in December last year, requesting intervention in terms of Section 139 of the Constitution. According to this, a provincial executive authority can step in and place the Municipality under administration if its duties are not fulfilled. The civil rights organisation is still awaiting a ruling in this case.

According to Pretorius, Parys’ residents are furious about the state of affairs in the town. Not only are the waterworks still not up to standard and the water quality is constantly being questioned, but residents also have to endure the poor maintenance of the town’s electricity infrastructure. Last month, AfriForum reported the Municipality to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) because the Municipality does not comply with all the licensing requirements for supplying electricity.

“Residents are constantly plagued with power outages and it is time for the Municipality to be held accountable for this. If AfriForum’s requests for answers fall on deaf ears so frequently, the Municipality will have to explain this situation to NERSA,” adds Pretorius.

According to Schalk Burger, Chairperson of AfriForum’s Parys branch, AfriForum would like to assist the Municipality with expertise, but this offer of help is regularly turned away. “The civil rights organisation has been asking for regular meetings for so long so that we can offer our support. AfriForum has even obtained an interdict so that access to the waterworks cannot be denied, but the Municipality’s pride seemingly means more to it than residents’ basic human rights,” says Burger.

Corne Cronje, Manager of Community Structures at AfriForum, says it is clear that the Municipality does not care about the community, therefore there is no urgency to repair the water or electricity infrastructure at all. “The community can no longer trust the Municipality, therefore it is time for the Municipality’s duties to be handed over to those who want the town to function effectively – the residents.”