Tag Archives: Supreme Court of Appeal

Bapedi Marota Mamone v The Commission of Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims and Others

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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 →

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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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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Loureiro and Others v iMvula Quality Protection (Pty) Ltd

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 40/13 South Gauteng High Court, 30 Sep. 2011
SCA, 15 Mar. 2013 		 6 Nov. 2013 20 Mar. 2014  Van der Westhuizen J  Unanimous

By Duncan Wild on 23 March 2014

Imvula Quality Protection (Pty) Ltd (“iMvula“) was hired to provide security guards to guard the home of Lincio Loureiro (“Loureiro“) and his family. In January 2009, an armed robbery occurred at the house after a man pretending to be a police was allowed entry to the house by a guard employed by Imvula.

The Constitutional Court found that iMvula had breached its contractual duty, owed to Loureiro, not to allow access to the premises to any person without authorisation. In addition, that iMvula, as a security company, owed a duty to prevent harm, and in addition, the guard on duty had breached that duty by negligently failing to take the necessary precautions in allowing the disguised robber access. Continue reading →

Dengetenge Holdings (Pty) Limited v Southern Sphere Mining and Development Company Limited and Others

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 39/13 North Gauteng High Court, 17 Jun. 2011
Supreme Court of Appeal, 11 Mar. 2013		 15 Aug. 2013 13 Dec. 2013  Jafta J  8-3

By Avani Singh and Duncan Wild on 18 December 2013.

After the record had been filed in the matter in an appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal (“SCA“), the appeal lapsed for failure by the appellant, Dengetenge Holdings (Pty) Limited (“Dengetenge”), to prosecute it by timeously filing its heads of argument. The issue for determination before the SCA was whether the default should be condoned and the appeal revived.

The majority of the Constitutional Court, in a judgment written by Jafta J, found that leave to appeal should be granted, but that the appeal should be dismissed. Justice Jafta also found, in respect of the High Court judgment, that Dengetenge had not first utilsed the internal appeal before going to the High Court, but that regardless, Dengetenge had conceded in the High Court that the rights were awarded to it unlawfully.  

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Minister of Mineral Resources of the Republic of South Africa and Others v Sishen Iron Ore Company (Pty) Limited and Another

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 58/13 North Gauteng High Court, 20 Dec. 2011 SCA, 28 Mar. 2013 5 Sep. 2013 12 Dec. 2013  Jafta J., and Moseneke DCJ  Unanimous

By Duncan Wild on 12 December 2013

Prior the coming into effect of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 (“the MPRDA“), the Sishen Iron Ore Company (Pty) Ltd (“SIOC“) and ArcelorMittal South Africa Limited (“ArcelorMittal“) were co-holders of a mining right in respect of iron and quartzite on eight properties of twenty-one properties making up the Sishen mine.  SIOC held 78.6% and ArcelorMittal 21.4% of the right.  This right is referred to an an “old order” mining right, as it was granted under the pre-MPRDA regime. When the MPRDA came into force, ArcelorMittal and SIOC were entitled to convert their old order rights into new order mining rights under the MPRDA, as provided for in the MPRDA’s Transitional Arrangements. There was a five year period in which application needed to be made for the conversion, SIOC converted its right prior to the expiration of this period, but ArcelorMittal did not. After the expiration of the five year period, the Deputy-Director General: Mineral Regulation: Department of Mineral Resources (“Deputy D-G“) purported to grant a prospecting right in respect of iron ore in respect of seven of the eight Sishen properties to Imperial Crown Trading 289 (Pty) Ltd (“ICT“).  The basis this prospecting right was granted was the assumption by the Deputy D-G that as ArcelorMittal had not converted its portion of the mining right. The grant of this right to ICT is the subject of this case. The Constitutional Court found that SIOC could only apply for and be granted the share of the right it had previously held (78.6%), but that only SIOC could apply for the remaining shares, and therefore it was not open to the D-G to any other party. Continue reading →

Mansingh and Others v General Council of the Bar and Another

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 43/13 North Gauteng High Court, 09 Feb. 2012
Supreme Court of Appeal, 15 Mar. 2013		 22 Aug. 2013 28 Nov. 2013 Nkabinde J. Unanimous

By Greg Palmer and Duncan Wild on 28 November 2013.

The case concerns whether the President’s power to confer ‘honours’ under section 84(2)(k) of the Constitution includes the power to award ‘senior counsel’ or ‘silk’ status to advocates.

The appellant, Ms Mansingh, is a practising advocate and a member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates (“the JSA“).  Ms Mansingh successfully sought a declaratory order in the North Gauteng High Court to the effect that section 84(2)(k) of the Constitution does not authorise the President to award ‘senior counsel’ status to advocates.

The General Council of the Bar (“the GCB“) (an affiliation of the ten Societies of Advocates in the country) and the JSA appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeal (“the SCA“).

Section 84(2)(k) of the Constitution provides as follows:

“Powers and functions of the President:

(1) The President has the powers entrusted by the Constitution and legislation, including those necessary to perform the functions of Head of State and head of the national executive.

(2) The President is responsible for –

. . .

(k) conferring honours.”

The JSA and the GCB took the matter on appeal to the SCA, and the SCA concluded that the power to confer honours bestowed upon the President by section 84(2)(k) of the Constitution included the authority to confer the status of ‘senior counsel’ on practising advocates.

The Constitutional Court, in an unanimous judgment authored by Justice Nkabinde, and in which Mogoeng CJ, Moseneke DCJ, Cameron J, Froneman J, Jafta J, Madlanga J, Mhlantla AJ, Skweyiya J, Van der Westhuizen J and Zondo J concurred, also found that the power of conferring honours was sufficiently broad to include the power conferring senior counsel status, and so dismissed the application. Continue reading →

The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning of the Western Cape v Lagoon Bay Lifestyle Estate (PTY) LTD and Others

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 41/13 Western Cape High Court, 31 Aug. 2011
Supreme Court of Appeal, 15 Mar. 2013		 20 Aug. 2013 20 Nov. 2013 Mhlantla AJ Unanimous

By Michael Dafel and Duncan Wild 

This matter pertains to the validity of a decision by the Western Cape provincial government to refuse a proposed development.  Lying at the heart of the matter is the constitutional inter-relationship between the provincial and municipal spheres of government and their powers to rezone and subdivide land.  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 in deciding aspects of the same land development.

The Constitutional Court, in an unanimous decision authored by Acting-Justice Mhltantla, did not decide the issue of which level of government the Constitution gave the power to rezone or subdivide land, but did hold that under the applicable legislation the municipality was the competent authority to make the decision on subdivision, and the Provincial Minister the competent authority to decide on the rezoning application. Continue reading →

Member of the Executive Council for Health in the Eastern Cape and Another v Kirland Investments (Pty) Limited t/a Eye & Laser Institute

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 7/13  Eastern Cape High Court
SCA, 16 May 2013		 12 Nov. 2013 25 Mar. 2014 Cameron J  7-3

By Duncan Wild on 28 September 2014

This is an application for leave to appeal against a judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal (“SCA“), handed down on 16 May 2013. The matter involves the application of the maxim of functus officio. In addition, one of the central questions before the Constitutional Court is the extent to which the decision in Oudekraal Estates (Pty) Ltd v City of Cape Town and Others 2004 (6) SA 222 (SCA) applies to the facts of the matter, and whether the principle in Oudekraal needs to be developed or relaxed in certain instances. In particular, the principle that once an administrative decision is made it exists as a fact and has legal effect until it is set aside by a court in proceedings for judicial review.

The majority of the Constitutional Court, in a decision written by Cameron J, dismissed the appeal with costs.  Continue reading →

Food & Allied Workers Union v Ngcobo NO and Another

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Case No. Lower Court Judgments Hearing Date Judgment Date Majority Author  Vote
CCT 50/13 South Gauteng High Court, 7 Dec. 2011
Supreme Court of Appeal, 30 Nov. 2012		 29 Aug. 2013 9 Oct. 2013 Cameron J Unanimous

By Mzukisi Kota and Duncan Wild on 10 October 2013

This case is concerned with the question of whether a trade union is liable for damages to its members where it has failed to perform in terms of a mandate to represent its members in proceedings before the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (“the CCMA”) and the Labour Court.

The Constitutional Court, in an unanimous judgment authored by Justice Cameron (joined by Deputy Chief Justice Moseneke, Justices Froneman, Jafta, Madlanga, Nkabinde, Skweyiya, Van der Westhuizen, Zondo and Acting Justice Mhlantla), found that once the Union had undertaken to provide legal assistance to its member, it could not unilaterally withdraw that assistance. If it failed to accord with its agreement with its members, it could be held liable for that failure. So the Constitutional Court refused to grant leave to appeal as there were not prospects of success in the appeal. Continue reading →