The concept of public trusteeship: A missed opportunity to navigate the tension between mining interests and water resource protection in Kangra Coal (Pty) Ltd v The Trustees of the Time Being of the Corneels Greyling Trust and Others (1052/2023) [2025] ZASCA 09
Résumé
This case note critically analyses Kangra Coal (Pty) Ltd v The Trustees of the Time Being of the Corneels Greyling Trust and Others (1052/2023) [2025] ZASCA 09 (6 February 2025), a matter that foregrounded the tension between mining activities and the protection of water resources as it progressed through the Water Tribunal, the High Court, and, ultimately, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). The analysis contrasts the High Court’s emphasis on the concept of public trusteeship and its precautionary approach to water resource protection with the SCA’s more procedurally driven and formalistic stance, particularly in its treatment of locus standi for affected parties, the interpretation of timelines for lodging water-use license appeals, and the requirements for obtaining an interdict to halt activities potentially harmful to the country’s water resources. The case note argues that a more purposive and constitutionally grounded approach would better equip South African courts and decision-makers to respond to the complex and urgent challenges of water governance in a miningdependent and water-scarce country. It seeks to influence future jurisprudence by calling for the rigorous interpretation and consistent application of the concept of public trusteeship, greater clarity regarding the Water Tribunal’s jurisdiction, and the continuance of a broad understanding of locus standi.
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