Court exempts public hospitals, schools, police stations from power cuts
A full bench of the Pretoria High Court found that the state breached its constitutional and statutory duties and that these breaches were infringing on citizens’ rights to healthcare, education and security.
JOHANNESBURG - The Pretoria High Court has issued an order effectively exempting public hospitals, clinics, schools and police stations from load shedding.
The order comes on the back of legal action from more than a dozen organisations and political parties, including the United Democratic Movement (UDM), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), among others.
The organisations ultimately want load shedding declared unconstitutional.
Earlier this year they approached the court for an interdict shielding certain essential services from the rolling power cuts.
And on Friday, it was granted.
A full bench of the Pretoria High Court found that the state breached its constitutional and statutory duties and that these breaches were infringing on citizens’ rights to healthcare, education and security.
The bench also found that there was an apprehension of irreparable harm to the right to life, among others.
As such, it’s granted the interdict pending the outcome of the main case, ordering Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to take reasonable steps to ensure sufficient power to prevent load shedding affecting public health facilities and schools as well as police stations.
And he has 60 days to do it.
Government did oppose the application and has been slapped with a costs order as well.
