By Setumo Stone

PROPERTY owners and developers who have invested billions of rand in Joburg’s inner city yesterday applied for an urgent court interdict to stop the City of Johannesburg from unlawfully cutting water and electricity supplies.

The city admitted yet again last week that it had huge billing problems and announced another new plan to fix this, but said it would continue to disconnect the services of residents who failed to pay their accounts.

Maurice Crespi, of Schindlers Attorneys, said yesterday the order, if granted, would affect everyone entitled to basic municipal services in the city.

In papers filed at the South Gauteng High Court yesterday, 12 applicants, including the Property Owners and Managers Association and several companies owning and managing properties in the central business district, said the city was not complying with its legislated obligations.

The respondents are the City of Johannesburg and eight others, including executive mayor Parks Tau and municipal manager Trevor Fowler.

Mr Crespi said the applicants were bringing the application in their own interests, as they were affected by the city’s conduct .

"In addition, the applicants bring this application in the public interest and/or on behalf of the class comprising all entities or persons which own, manage or occupy buildings in the inner city and elsewhere in the city," the court papers read.

City spokesman Nthatise Modingoane said the court papers had been received and the city would respond in due course. He said earlier responses from the city about the legality of disconnections were "still relevant".

The second part of the application against the city sought a declaration that it had "acted in breach of its constitutional and statutory obligations to ensure the proper administration of billing of municipal accounts for services such as water and electricity". The applicants cited 16 legal duties the city had failed to comply with.

"Consumers can hopefully look forward to a situation where the city disconnects lawfully," Mr Crespi said. "What we are saying is that if you are going to cut off services, then do so lawfully."