Monthly Archives: April 2014

Allpay Consolidated Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd and Others v The Chief Executive Officer of the South African Social Security Agency and Others

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 48/13 North Gauteng High Court, 28 Aug. 2012
SCA, 27 Mar. 2013		 10 Sep. 2013

Remedy 

11 Feb. 2014

 29 Nov. 2013

Remedy

17 Apr. 2014

  Froneman J.  Unanimous

By Duncan Wild and Mzukisi Kota

AllPay Consolidated Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd (“Allpay“) bid for a tender from the South African Social Security Agency (“SASSA“) to administer the national social grant system worth R10 billion, but the tender was awarded to Cash Paymaster Services (Pty) Ltd (“CPS“).  Allpay then challenged the decision in the North Gauteng High Court (“NGHC“) on the basis of alleged flaws in the tender process, including the composition of the Bid Evaluation Committee, the failure of CPS to submit separate provincial bids, and the failure to assess CPS’s BEE partners capacity to perform their obligations.  The NGHC accepted Allpay’s challenge, but the SASSA appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeal (“SCA“).

The Constitutional Court unanimously found the tender unlawful, but in view of the potential ramifications requested further submissions on an appropriate remedy.

In a second judgment on remedy the Court, an another unanimous decision authored by Justice Froneman, found that a new tender process should be carried out, but that in the mean itme Cash Paymaster was to continue providing the services in view of the constitutional and contractual obligations to maintain a workable payment system.

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Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Western Cape v The Habitat Council and Others

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 117/13 Western Cape High Court, 14 Aug. 2013 10 Feb. 2014 4 Apr. 2014  Cameron J  Unanimous

By Duncan Wild 12 April 2014

This matter pertains to the validity of section 44 of the Land Use and Planning Ordinance (“LUPO“) in so far as it allows the provincial government of the Western Cape, through the applicant, the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Western Cape (“Minister“), to hear appeals from the decisions municipalities on certain land use planning decisions.  The key question in the matter is the constitutional inter-relationship between the provincial and municipal spheres of government and their powers in relation to land use planning.  The potential importance of the Constitutional Court’s decision in this matter lies in the fact that in the relationship between provincial and municipal power.

The Constitutional Court, in an unanimous decision authored by Cameron J, confirmed the High Court’s finding of invalidity of section 44, however, but not in its entirety. We set out the background to the matter and the High Court’s decision below.

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Mdodana v Premier of the Eastern Cape and Others

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 85/13 Eastern Cape High Court, 13 Jun. 2013 13 Nov. 2013 25 Mar. 2014  Dambuza AJ  Unanimous

By Duncan Wild on 12 April 2014

In this case certain sections of the Pounds Ordinance, no 18 of 1938 (“the Ordinance“) which deals with the impoundment of livestock are challenged on various grounds, including its violation of the rights to equality, against the arbitration deprivation of property, to just administrative action and to the right of access to courts.

The Ordinance provides for the establishment of municipal pounds and the appointment of poundmasters. It provides that stray animals found on private property may be sent by the owner of that property to a pound, and for the impoundment of unattended animals found in public places.

The High Court found the Ordinance to be invalid, and the decision went for confirmation to the Constitutional Court.  The Constitutional Court, however, in a unanimous decision authored by Dambuza AJ, found that the as the Ordinance did not amount to a “provincial act”, the High Court’s finding of invalidity did not require confirmation by the Constitutional Court to be effective.  In the Eastern Cape then, the High Court’s order of invalidity stands, but not in the Western Cape and Northern Cape, the Constitutional Court however ordered that its decision be delivered to the Premier’s of the Western Cape and Northern Cape.

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National Union of Public Service & Allied Workers Union (NUPSAWU) obo Mani and Others v National Lotteries Board

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 75/13  Labour Court Johannesburg, 3 February 2011
Supreme Court of Appeal, 24 May 2013		 19 Nov. 2013 10 Apr. 2014  Zondo J  6-3

By Greg Palmer and Duncan Wild on 12 April 2014

This case concerns an appeal by the National Union of Public Service & Allied Workers Union (“NUPSAWU“) against the decision of the Labour Court in terms of which the dismissal of ten employees of the National Lotteries Board (“NLB“) was found to be procedurally and substantively fair. Reinstatement of the employees was sought by NUPSAWU.  The Constitutional Court, in a majority decision by Zondo J, overturned the decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal and ordered that the employees be re-instated

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