SASOLBURG – AfriForum has filed court papers against the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, the Free State Department of Human Settlements, and the Metsimaholo Local Municipality in a bid to halt the Wonderfontein development between Sasolburg and Vanderbijlpark.

This follows the minister’s unexplained and insufficiently motivated approval for the development to proceed.

This green light was given despite the failure to meet the original conditions.

Earlier this year, the municipality and the department applied to the minister for an exemption after failing for five years to comply with requirements set out by the Metsimaholo Planning Tribunal.

The exemption grants an additional five years to meet the conditions.

According to Jaco Grobbelaar, AfriForum’s Head of the Central Region, the minister’s decision was ill-considered and goes against the interests of the community.