South Africa Case Law

Mkhonto and Others v Bushbuckridge Local Municipality and Others (218/2024)

Mkhonto and Others v Bushbuckridge Local Municipality and Others (218/2024) [2025] ZASCA 111 (23 July 2025)

Court

Supreme Court of Appeal

Case number

218/2024

Judges

Matojane, Weiner, Koen, Phatshoane, Molitsoane

The SCA struck a reconsideration application from the roll, finding no exceptional circumstances to reopen refusal of special leave to appeal.

• Municipal Staff Restructuring
• Policy Framework Compliance
• Exceptional Circumstances
• Promotion Of Administrative Justice Act
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act
• Special Leave To Appeal

ERF 1[...] Barbeque Downs (Pty) Limited v City of Johannesburg (2022/7898)

ERF 1[...] Barbeque Downs (Pty) Limited v City of Johannesburg (2022/7898) [2025] ZAGPJHC 594 (6 June 2025)

Court

South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg

Case number

2022/7898

Judge

A J D'Oliveira

The High Court held that disputed municipal water accounts had prescribed because the applicant properly contested the specific debts under section 102(2).

• Municipal Billing Disputes
• Prescription Of Debt
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act
• Declaratory Relief
• Municipal-billing-disputes
• Prescription-of-debt

City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality v Moatshi (45183/2018)

City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality v Moatshi (45183/2018) [2025] ZAGPPHC 137 (17 February 2025)

Court

North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria

Case number

45183/2018

Judge

Collis

The High Court granted leave to appeal in a dispute over section 118(1) of the Municipal Systems Act and whether interest may be charged before issuing a clearance certificate.

• Municipal Clearance Certificates
• Interpretation Of Statutes
• Interest On Arrears
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act
• Municipal-clearance-certificates
• Interpretation-of-statutes

Kwadukuza Municipality v Kwadukuza Mall (Pty) Ltd (D3860/2024)

Kwadukuza Municipality v Kwadukuza Mall (Pty) Ltd (D3860/2024) [2025] ZAKZDHC 6 (9 January 2025)

Court

Kwazulu-Natal High Court, Durban

Case number

D3860/2024

Judge

Mathenjwa

The court held that section 102(2) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act does not constitute a jurisdictional fact required for the municipality to consolidate accounts or to institute legal proceedings for debt collection. The absence of an allegation regarding the absence of a dispute is not fatal to the cause of action. The statutory scheme under Chapter 9 of the Act provides municipalities with discretion to consolidate accounts for services rendered, and the existence of a dispute only becomes relevant when raised by the debtor. The court distinguished the present matter from ca…

Source excerpt

• Municipal Services Debt Collection
• Exception To Particulars Of Claim
• Consolidation Of Accounts
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act

Curro Holding Limited and Another v City of Johannesburg Municipality Metropolitan and Another (2023/02247)

Curro Holding Limited and Another v City of Johannesburg Municipality Metropolitan and Another (2023/02247) [2024] ZAGPJHC 1289 (13 December 2024)

Court

South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg

Case number

2023/02247

Judge

Windell

The court interdicted the City of Johannesburg from disconnecting water to a Curro school pending final resolution of a municipal billing and zoning dispute.

• Municipal Services Dispute
• Interim Interdict
• Zoning And Tariffs
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act
• Debt Collection
• Credit Control Measures

Maximum Profit Recovery (Pty) Limited v Rustenburg Local Municipality and Others (CIV APP FB 22/2023)

Maximum Profit Recovery (Pty) Limited v Rustenburg Local Municipality and Others (CIV APP FB 22/2023) [2024] ZANWHC 229; [2025] 1 All SA 441 (NWM) (11 September 2024)

Court

North West High Court, Mafikeng

Case number

CIV APP FB 22/2023

Judges

A H Petersen, R D Hendricks, J T Djaje

The court held that the Municipal Manager awarded the tender under delegated authority as per the Municipality's Supply Chain Management Policy and the Municipal Systems Act. Therefore, the appellant was required to exhaust the internal remedy provided by section 62(1) of the Municipal Systems Act before approaching the court for judicial review. The appellant failed to lodge an internal appeal within the prescribed period and did not apply for exemption under section 7(2)(c) of PAJA. The court found that rights had not accrued to the joint venture until the signing of the Service Level Agree…

Source excerpt

• Exhaustion Of Internal Remedies
• Municipal Tender Awards
• Delegation Of Powers
• Accrual Of Rights
• Promotion Of Administrative Justice Act
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act

Ackerman v City Of Johannesburg (2022/9392)

Ackerman v City Of Johannesburg (2022/9392) [2024] ZAGPJHC 334 (5 April 2024)

Court

South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg

Case number

2022/9392

Judge

M.R. Chetty

The applicant's persistent written queries and demands regarding specific charges on her municipal account, supported by detailed correspondence and a chronology of disputes, satisfy the requirements for a 'dispute' under section 102(2) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act. The City's failure to provide intelligible explanations or reconcile estimated charges with actual readings, coupled with its contradictory evidence, undermines its claim of accurate billing. The applicant is not a delinquent consumer, as she continues to pay amounts she reasonably believes are due. The City's re…

Source excerpt

• Municipal Billing Dispute
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act
• Interdict Against Disconnection
• Statement And Debatement
• Prescription Of Charges

39 Van Der Merwe Street Hillbrow CC v City Of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and Another (2023-069078)

39 Van Der Merwe Street Hillbrow CC v City Of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and Another (2023-069078) [2023] ZAGPJHC 963 (25 August 2023)

Court

South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg

Case number

2023-069078

Judge

Vally

The High Court refused urgent interim relief to reconnect electricity, finding the applicant had not rebutted evidence of an illegal connection and meter tampering.

• Interim Interdict
• Municipal Services
• Illegal Electricity Connection
• Statement And Debatement
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act
• Interim-interdict

Sonae Arauco (SA) Pty Ltd v Mbombela Local Municipality and Others (3151/2023)

Sonae Arauco (SA) Pty Ltd v Mbombela Local Municipality and Others (3151/2023) [2023] ZAMPMBHC 44; [2023] 4 All SA 543 (MM) (16 August 2023)

Court

Mbombela High Court, Mpumalanga

Case number

3151/2023

Judge

Roelofse AJ

The court granted an interim interdict preventing load shedding at Sonae Arauco’s factory, finding a valid load-curtailment arrangement and urgent risk of harm.

• Municipal Services Obligations
• Load Shedding
• Interim Interdict
• Legitimate Expectation
• Electricity Regulation Act
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act

Enyuka Prop Holdings (Pty) Ltd v Umzinyathi District Municipality (8850/2022P)

Enyuka Prop Holdings (Pty) Ltd v Umzinyathi District Municipality (8850/2022P) [2023] ZAKZPHC 44 (26 April 2023)

Court

Kwazulu-Natal High Court, Pietermaritzburg

Case number

8850/2022P

Judge

Mossop

The High Court dismissed an urgent application to interdict a municipality from disconnecting water to a shopping mall pending a dispute over a separate, disputed water account.

• Municipal Services
• Interim Interdict
• Account Consolidation
• Local Government Municipal Systems Act
• Interim-interdict
• Municipal-services