A warrant for the arrest of Themba Goba, Municipal Manager of the Rand West City Local Municipality was issued in the Randfontein Magistrate’s Court on 23 June 2021 after he failed to appear in court. AfriForum laid a criminal charge against the Randfontein Municipal Manager in 2016 that relates to sewage pollution. After many tactics by the Municipal Manager’s legal team to delay the process, the Randfontein Magistrate’s Court found on Wednesday that the case could not be postponed any longer. The case is now ready to go on trial.
The case was postponed to 29 July 2021. “AfriForum’s Randfontein branch believes that this development is a step in the right direction. We welcome the Magistrate’s ruling,” says Matiam van Vuuren, Chairperson of AfriForum’s Randfontein branch.
“This is a very important issue for AfriForum. This may be the beginning of many solutions in municipalities that have simply stopped to worry about polluting rivers. There is laxity among municipalities because they know there are no consequences for their mismanagement,” says Lambert de Klerk, AfriForum’s Manager for Environmental Affairs.
“AfriForum hopes that the Municipal Manager will be held responsible for contempt of court. It is a tendency that is becoming more and more common: Officials do not show up for court hearings. The ruling proves that officials are not above the law,” says Stephanus Blignault, District Coordinator for the West Rand.
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