Court Strikes Down R10m in Unlawful Fines Against Waterfall Estate

A recent high court ruling has dealt a major blow to Johannesburg Water, overturning more than R10 million in fines issued against Waterfall Country Estate, Waterfall Schools, and Waterfall Fields. The South Gauteng High Court found the penalties—tied to alleged illegal water connections and meter issues—were issued without proper legal authority.

The court confirmed that the city’s water utility acted outside the law, using fines that did not align with Johannesburg’s own by-laws. Judge Stuart Wilson declared the actions “ultra vires,” meaning beyond the City’s legal power, and slammed officials for bypassing due process.

The fines had included over R1 million for Waterfall Country Estate, R2 million for Waterfall Schools, and R7 million combined for Waterfall Fields. The ruling followed a legal challenge from the estates, who called the enforcement tactics unfair and unlawful.

Johannesburg Water also came under fire for trying to delay the case. Judge Wilson rejected the utility’s last-minute application for a postponement and criticised its poor preparation, adding there was no urgency to justify the delay.

In a decisive order, the court gave Johannesburg Water 30 days to fix the affected municipal accounts. It also blocked the City from cutting off services or pursuing further penalties against the estates.

The judgment has been welcomed by residents and businesses in the Midrand-based developments near Mall of Africa, who now have legal protection against what they describe as heavy-handed and unjust treatment by city officials.

City Accuses Waterfall Estate of R10 Million Water Theft — Owners Fight Back

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Sourced:Sunday World

Picture: Estate Living