Joburg loses court case against Waterfall estates

Judge rules that millions in fines are unlawful

- By Mpho Koka [e-mail]

The City of Joburg Metro suffered a legal setback this week when the Johannesburg High Court ruled that the millions in fines it imposed on the owners of three luxury estates in Waterfall City for illegal water connections are unlawful and do not comply with the municipality’s water services by-laws.

Sunday World exclusively reported recently that Waterfall Country Estate, Waterfall Schools and Waterfall Fields hauled the metro to court to challenge the fines it imposed on them for their illegal water connections.

The metro had issued a fine of over R1-million to Waterfall Country Estate, over R2-million to Waterfall Schools, and over R3-million and an additional R4-million to Waterfall Fields on separate dates.

The City of Joburg and Joburg Water have been barred from taking remedial action against Waterfall City luxury estates