Dry taps at Constitutional Court halt physical hearings

The exact cause of the irregular water supply is not known, though it appears to be a general issue in the Hillbrow area

The Constitutional Court precinct has experienced water supply problems since November 1.Picture: GCIS
The Constitutional Court precinct has experienced water supply problems since November 1.Picture: GCIS

The Constitutional Court has been unable to conduct physical or in-court case hearings because of unreliable water supply to its building in Johannesburg, since the beginning of the month.

The exact cause of the ongoing irregular water supply challenge is not known, though it appears to be generalised in the Hillbrow area where the court is located, the office of the chief justice (OCJ) said.

Leaks in the court’s water system were detected, which further affected supply. This has been repaired by a plumber deployed by the government.

"While the court has a water tank installed for ablution facilities, the back-up supply lasts for only one working day, and the City of Johannesburg is unable to refill it promptly on a daily basis to allow court operations to continue uninterrupted."

The OCJ said the Constitutional Court management team was in regular contact with the City of Johannesburg and Rand Water, and would provide an update when the water challenges were rectified.

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