| Case No. | Lower Court Judgments | Hearing Date |
| CCT 88/14 | Western Cape Division, Cape Town, 5 Jun. 2014 | 13 Nov. 2014 |
By Duncan Wild on 2 November 2014
This matter concerns the constitutionality of section 89(5)(b) of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (“NCA“). This section of the NCA deals with how unlawful credit agreements must be treated. In particular, providing that the credit agreement be declared void and that the consumer must be refunded any money paid under the agreement. Continue reading
| Case No. | Lower Court Judgments | Hearing Date |
| CCT 97/14 | Western Cape Division, Cape Town, 1 Mar. 2011 | 11 Nov. 2014 |
By Duncan Wild on 1 November 2014
This case concerns the interpretation of interpretation of the rules of a pension fund established for employees of local authorities, and their application, particularly in conveying certain redundancy benefits, on employees who were not employed by a local authority but under a special arrangement. Continue reading
| Case No. | Lower Court Judgments | Hearing Date |
| CCT 93/14 | Eastern Cape Division, Grahamstown 7 Feb. 2013 | 10 Nov. 2014 |
By Duncan Wild on 1 November 2014
The applicant in this case, Ms Virginia Sarrahwitz seeks a declaration of unconstitutionality of the common law position that immovable property which had been sold but not yet transferred to the purchaser prior to the seller’s insolvency, vests in the trustee of the seller’s insolvent estate. If the trustee does not honour the contract of sale and transfer the property, the purchaser is left only with a concurrent claim against the insolvent estate.
| Case No. | Lower Court Judgments | Hearing Date | Judgment Date | Majority Author | Vote | |
| CCT 2/14 | North Gauteng High Court, 12 May 2012 SCA, 27 Nov. 2013 |
19 May 2014 | 30 Oct. 2014 | Majiedt AJ | Unanimous |
|
On 30 October 2014
The central question in this case is the extent to which the South African Police Service (SAPS) has domestic and/or international law obligations to investigate alleged crimes against humanity, including torture, committed by Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe. The High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal (the SCA) found that, on the facts of this particular case, SAPS were indeed obliged to investigate these allegations.
The Constitutional Court in a unanimous judgment dismissed the appeal by the SAPS and ordered SAPS to investigate the alleged crimes.
Two acting justices are currently, or will soon be serving on the Constitutional Court, in view of the vacancies occassionaed by the retirement of Justice Skweyiya, and Justice Jafta’s leave.
Acting Justice Monica Leeuw, the Judge President of the North West Division has been appointed to serve from 1 August 2014 until 31 December 2014 in the place of Justice Skweyiya.
Acting Justice Zukisa Tshiqi, currently a serving on the Supreme Court of Appeal will serve from 1 November 2014 to 31 March 2014 in the place of Justice Jafta.
| Case No. | Lower Court Judgments | Hearing Date | Judgment Date | Majority Author | Vote | |
| CCT 185/13 | Gauteng Local Division, 8 Aug. 2012 SCA, 26 Nov. 2013 |
20 May 2014 | 3 Oct. 2014 | Khampepe J | Unanimous |
|
By Duncan Wild on 3 October 2014
The primary question in this case was whether a third party can bring a claim against the party to a contract (where the claimant is not a party to the contract) as a result of loss suffered by the third party caused by the intentional repudiation of the contract.
The Constitutional Court, in a unanimous judgment by Justice Khampepe dismissed the appeal, finding that that cancellation of the contract in question was not wrongful as it did not fit within the existing law concerning interference with a contract, and nor was it necessary to recognise such a claim.
| Case No. | Lower Court Judgments | Hearing Date | Judgment Date | Majority Author | Vote | |
| CCT 143/13 | Labour Court, Port Elizabeth, 21 May 2013 | 10 Mar. 2014 | 19 Jun. 2014 | Cameron J | 10-1 |
|
By Duncan Wild on 28 September 2014
The case concerns whether the age requirement in the recruitment polices of the South African Police Service (“SAPS“), unfairly discriminate of the basis of age.
The Constitutional Court denied the applicant leave to appeal on the basis that he had only raised a challenge to constitutionality of the SAPS recruitment age bar on appeal, which is not acceptable. In addition, the Commissioner of the SAPS had raised the age bar from 30 years, which is set in the application regulations, to 40, and if the Court were to set aside the decision to raise the age limit to 40 years, this would leave the applicant in worse position, by leaving the 30 year age limit in place. The the Constitutional Court held would not be in the interests of justice. Continue reading
| Case No. | Lower Court Judgments | Hearing Date |
| CCT 67/14 | Gauteng Division, Pretoria 21 Sep. 2012 SCA, 28 Mar. 2014 |
26 Aug. 2014 |
By Michael Mbikiwa on 25 August 2014
This application is about the determination of the king of the Pedi nation. The applicant, a traditional authority recognised under the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act 41 of 2003 (‘the Framework Act’), seeks to review and set aside a determination made by the Commission for Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims (commonly known as ‘the Nhlapo Commission’) that the kingship of the Pedi nation resorts in Acting Kgošikgolo Sekhukhune III – and not in Kgoši Mampuru Mampuru III, the applicant’s leader. Continue reading
| Case No. | Lower Court Judgments | Hearing Date |
| CCT 62/14 | Western Cape Division, Cape Town, 14 Aug. 2013 | 2 Sep. 2014 |
By Duncan Wild on 13 August 2014
The case concerns a challenge to an order declaring the first and second appellants (Mr and Mrs Stratford) insolvent, as well as a challenge to the provisions of section 9(4A)(a)(ii) of the Insolvency Act. This section prescribes the manner in which an employee of the debtor is to receive notice of an application for the sequestration of the debtor’s estate. As the law currently stands, this section has been interpreted by the Supreme Court of Appeal to apply only to notice to a debtor’s business employees, however, the appellants claim that it must be interpreted to apply also to a debtor’s domestic employees. Continue reading
| Case No. | Lower Court Judgments | Hearing Date |
| CCT 19/11 | Constitutional Court, 6 Dec. 2011 | 12 Aug. 2014 |
By Duncan Wild on 11 August 2014
On 6 December 2011, the Constitutional Court found that the Ekurhuleni Municipality had acted unlawfully in evicting occupier of the Bapsfontein Informal Settlement. The Municipality was ordered to find land in the area on which to relocated the occupiers, to engage meaningfully with those occupiers, and to report the steps taken in order to comply with the order to the Court. The matter is now back before the Court as the Municipality has apparently not yet relocated the occupiers, and in particular has not complied with the Constitutional Court’s order requiring a report on the relocation progress. The Court has therefore called upon the Municipality to show why it should not be held in contempt. Continue reading
ConCourtBlog 