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# South Africa: Kwazulu-Natal High Court, Durban
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## Sookhraj and Another v Municipal Manager of the Umdoni Local Municipality and Others (D2225/2023)
[2024] ZAKZDHC 2 (15 January 2024)
Sookhraj and Another v Municipal Manager of the Umdoni Local Municipality and Others (D2225/2023)
[2024] ZAKZDHC 2 (15 January 2024)
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sino date 15 January 2024
FLYNOTES:
MUNICIPALITY – Executive Councillor –
Appointment
–
Vacancy
in council created by resignation of previous councillor –
Authorised representative of DA advised appointment
of Councillor
Sookhraj to fill vacancy – Recommendation not implemented –
Appointment of Councillor Maharaj declared
unlawful and invalid –
Whether appointment of Councillor Sookhraj was valid –
Question of who has right to appoint
councillor to fill vacancy
arises – Interpretation of Act – Political party or
political interest to which seat
was allocated has right to
appoint councillor – Seat in which vacancy arose allocated
to DA – Authorised party
– Municipal Manager had an
obligation to act in view of provisions – Failed to give
effect to DA's appointment
– Blatant and egregious conduct –
Unlawful decision reviewed and set aside –
Local Government:
Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998
,
s 43(2).
INTHE HIGH COURT OF
SOUTH AFRICA
KWAZULU-NATAL LOCAL
DIVISION, DURBAN
Case No: D2225/2023
In the matter between:
SHAMILA SOOKHRAJ
FIRST APPLICANT
DEMOCRATIC
ALLIANCE
SECOND APPLICANT
and
THE MUNICIPAL MANAGER
OF THE UMDONI FIRST RESPONDENT
LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
THABISILE
NDLELA
SECOND
RESPONDENT
THE SPEAKER OF THE
COUNCIL OF
THIRD
RESPONDENT
THE UMDONI LOCAL
MUNICIPALITY
COUNCIL OF THE UMDONI
LOCAL
FOURTH RESPONDENT
MUNICIPALITY
UMDONI LOCAL
MUNICIPALITY
FIFTH RESPONDENT
RAVINAND
MAHARAJ
SIXTH RESPONDENT
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL
SEVENTH
RESPONDENT
OF THE UMDONI LOCAL
MUNICIPALITY
THE MAYOR OF THE
COUNCIL OF THE
EIGHTH RESPONDENT
UMDONI LOCAL
MUNICIPALITY
KWAZULU-NATAL
MEC
FOR
CO-OPERATIVE
NINTH RESPONDENT
GOVERNMENT AND
TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS
ORDER
# It is ordered that:
It is ordered that:
1.
The
decision taken by the first respondent not to implement the
appointment by the second applicant of the first applicant to fill
the vacancy on the seventh respondent arising from the resignation of
erstwhile Councillor Edwin Baptie is declared to be invalid.
2.
The Municipal Manager's unlawful
decision is reviewed and set aside.
3.
It is declared that the appointment
by the second applicant of the first applicant to fill the vacancy is
valid.
4.
The
costs of this application, including the costs of two counsel, are to
be paid on an attorney and client scale by the second
respondent in
her personal capacity and jointly and severally by the first, third,
fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth respondents.
JUDGMENT
ZP NKOSI ADJP
# Introduction
Introduction
#
[1]
The applicants brought this matter on an
urgent basis to seek an order declaring:
(a)
that the decision by the first respondent,
the Municipal Manager of the Umdoni Local Municipality, not to
recognise the appointment
by the second applicant, the Democratic
Alliance ("the DA") of the first applicant, Councillor
Sookhraj, to fill the
vacancy on the seventh respondent ("Exco")
is unlawful, and to review and set aside
the
decision;
(b)
that any decisions taken pursuant to the
unlawful decision are null and void; and
(c)
that the appointment by the DA of
Councillor Sookhraj to fill the vacancy on the Exco is valid.
[2]
The
relief sought by the applicants
is
assailed by the first to eighth respondents upon the basis of a
proper interpretation of s 43(2) of the Local Government: Municipal
Structures Act
[1]
("the
Act"). The ninth respondent has not entered the fray.
# Background
Background
#
[3]
This matter has its genesis in the results
of the 2021 Municipal Elections which were announced by the Electoral
Commission of South
Africa. Pursuant to the election results (with 37
councillors effectively elected onto council -
the African National Congress (ANC) held 17
seats and the DA seven seats) the council of the fourth respondent
determined, in a
meeting of the council, members of the Exco within
14 days of its election (ANC occupied three seats and the DA two
seats). Councillor
Edwin Baptie, who had been appointed by the DA as
a member of Exco, resigned as a councillor thus creating a vacancy in
the council
with effect from 29 August 2022.
[4]
On 27 July 2022, a by-election was held for
Ward 13 of the municipality which was won by the ANC. On 9 November
2022, the DA's authorised
representative advised the Municipal
Manager, Speaker of Council and Chief Whip that it had appointed
Councillor Sookhraj to fill
the vacancy which arose on the Exco.
[5]
Instead of implementing the DA's
appointment of Councillor Sookhraj, on 22 February 2023,
the council elected Councillor Ravinand
Maharaj to fill
the
vacancy on the Exco. Pursuant thereto, the DA and Councillor Sookhraj
approached the court to have the election of Councillor
Maharaj to
fill the vacancy declared unlawful, which relief was granted, on 24
March 2023, together with ancillary relief for further
conduct of
this matter, on the further remaining relief sought.
# Common cause or
undisputed facts
Common cause or
undisputed facts
#
[6]
It is common cause that:
(a)
the term of the Executive Committee of the
council who assumed office pursuant to declaration by the Electoral
Commission of South
Africa of the results of the 2021 Municipality
Elections is extant;
(b)
Councillor Baptie, who was appointed to the
Exco by the DA, resigned as councillor; and
(c)
Councillor Sookhraj was appointed to that
vacancy by the authorised representative of the party to which the
vacant seat on the
Exco was allocated, namely the DA.
# lssue(s)
lssue(s)
#
[7]
The main issue (others are subsidiary) to
be determined in this application is whether the appointment by the
DA of Councillor Sookhraj
to fill the vacancy on the Exco was valid.
The
question
of
what
is
the
effect
of
that
appointment
on
the
purported appointment of Councillor Maharaj
has since been resolved in the earlier order which nullified the
latter's appointment.
[8]
The vexed
question
still
remains, however, as to who has the right
to appoint a councillor to fill the vacancy
that has occurred.
That
issue involves no material disputes of fact.
[9]
The answer to that question involves a
proper interpretation of s 43(2) of the Act.
# The legal framework
The legal framework
#
[10]
The award of seats on the Exco to political parties or interests is
regulated by a formula prescribed
in ss
43(2)(a)
to
(c)
of
the Act. In terms of s
43(2)(d)
of the Act, the
political party or political interest to which seats are allocated to
on the Exco must, through an authorised representative,
appoint their
representatives to occupy such seats.
[11]
Section 46 of the Act provides that subject
to there being any vacancies, the members of the Exco are determined
for a term ending
when:
(a)
the type of the municipality has been
changed; or
(b)
the next municipal council is declared
elected.
It is common cause that
neither of these triggering events has occurred and the Exco term is
extant.
[12]
In terms of s 47 of the Act, a member of
the Exco vacates office during a term if that member resigns as a
member. It is common
cause that erstwhile Councillor Baptie, did so
with effect from 29 August 2022. By his resignation, he vacated his
office as a
member of Exco.
[13]
In s 47(2) of the Act, the filling of a
vacancy on the Exco is subject to s 43 of the Act. In terms of s
43(2)(e)
of
the Act, and if there is a vacancy on the Exco, the political party
or political interest to which the seat was allocated has
the right
to appoint a councillor to fill that vacancy.
[14]
The
correct approach to the interpretation of documents, including
legislation like we find in s 43(2)(e) of the Act, was
authoritatively
restated by the Supreme Court of Appeal in
Natal
Joint Municipal Pension Fund v Endumeni.
[2]
[15]
This
approach
requires
that
the
meaning
of
the
words
under
review
should
be
deduced based on a unitary consideration of:
[3]
(a)
the language used in the relevant clause in
the light of the ordinary rules of grammar and syntax;
(b)
the context in which the words in the
clause appear; and
(c)
the apparent purpose to which the clause is
directed.
# Parties' submissions
Parties' submissions
#
[16]
The applicants submit that:
(a)
the language, context and purpose of s
43(2)(e) of the Act demonstrates that if a vacancy arises on the
Exco, the political party
to which the seat was allocated is
empowered to appoint a councillor to fill that vacancy for the
remainder of the council's five-year
term;
(b)
that was the Legislature's intention when
the section was amended in 2021;
(c)
the DA, which had been allocated the seat,
lawfully appointed Councillor Sookhraj to fill the vacancy and
thereafter the vacancy
was validly filled, as at 9 November 2022; and
(d)
on the uncontested facts, as well as the
respondents' own version, the decision to appoint Councillor Maharaj
stands to be declared
unlawful,
void ab
initio
and a nullity, or reviewed and
set aside. That it be so, since there was no vacancy to which
Councillor Maharaj could have been
appointed by
the
ANC,
in
January 2023.
[17]
On
the
other
hand,
the
first
to
eighth
respondents ("the
respondents")
contend
that
(a)
upon a proper interpretation of the
provisions of the Act, and in accordance with the formula prescribed
in s 43(2)(a) a change
in party representation in the council would
result in commensurate changes in the allocation of party seats on
the Exco (which
they refer to as "the proportionality
interpretation");
(b)
the relevant provisions
of the Act, namely ss 43, 45 and 46 and ss
1(d), 157(2)(b), 160(8)(a) and
(b)
and
195(1) of the Constitution when read together and in the proper
context, make it clear that the textual interpretation preferred
by
the applicants is inconsistent with the Constitution and falls to be
rejected;
(c)
since
political
parties
at
a
local
government
level
are
voted
onto
a
municipal
council by members
of
the
public
to
pursue
and
ensure
delivery
of
basic
services
and
pursuant to the provisions of s 43 of the Act, the political parties,
in turn, nominate and appoint representatives to the Exco
in
accordance with the provisions of the Act in pursuance of their
mandate, the ANC (as the party with a majority in the council)
which
has a direct and substantial interest in a judgment and order which
purports to interfere with such appointment must be joined
in the
proceedings together
with
other
political
parties
before
the
matter
is
dealt
with
on
its
merits;
[4]
and
(d)
the applicants have simply failed to make
out a case for the relief sought against the Municipal Manager (to
declare as unlawful
her decision "not to implement the
appointment" of the first applicant by the second applicant to
fill the vacancy on
the Exco of the council) as they have not, in
their founding papers, identified the source of the obligation nor
what action she
is obliged, or required to take.
# Analysis of the
applicable legal provisions
Analysis of the
applicable legal provisions
#
[18]
The language used ins
43(2)(e) of the Act seems clear. In the
event of a vacancy, the authorised·representative of the
"political party or
political interest to which the seat was
allocated" is empowered to appoint a councillor to fill that
vacancy. There can be
no debate on the facts of this matter that the
seat in which the vacancy arose was allocated to the DA in 2021.
[19]
Section
43(2) was amended in May 2021 by s
20(a)
of
the Local Government: Municipality Structures Amendment Act.
[5]
Previously
s 43(2) read as follows:
'An executive committee
must be composed in such a way that parties and interests represented
in the municipal council are represented
in the executive committee
in substantially the same proportion they are represented in the
council.'
[20]
Section
43(2)(e)
was introduced by this amendment
thereby expressing
a
plain intention by the Legislature to reserve to a political party a
seat that was allocated to it on the Exco for the term of
the
municipal council. The amended s 43(2) envisages two processes that
apply at different times: first, the constitution of the
new Exco
after local government elections (which is clear from the provisions
of s
45(a),
which
requires the executive committee to be determined within 14 days
after the council's election) and thereafter,
the
filling
of
any
vacancy
in
that
constituted
committee
by
the
party
to
whom the seat
was
allocated
initially.
Plainly,
there
could
not
be a
vacancy
when the committee was constituted.
[21]
The express wording of the section does not
differentiate between circumstances where a
vacancy
arises
on the resignation
from the
committee
or
the removal
of
the councillor from the committee or if
someone ceases to be a councillor (and in which case there would
inevitably be a by-election).
The same process is followed in either
of those eventualities -
the
political party who initially was allocated the seat fills the seat
until the next local government elections.
[22]
The plain language meaning of 43(2)(e)
of the Act is reinforced by the objective
of s 43(2) which is to ensure the stable and enduring functioning of
the Exco. At the
stage a vacancy arises on the Exco, the exercise to
be undertaken should not be about the numbers game (the number of
seats won
by a political party or political interest) to reconfigure
the award of seats in the Exco.
[23]
The above section must also be interpreted
in the context of s 46 which provides that
the
members
of the
Exco
are determined
for
a
full term
of five
years.
It
is
clear
therefore that the composition of the Exco is not affected if there
is a change in the representation of the political parties
or
interests on the council during the term. The position would not be
any different in the event of a vacancy.
[24]
It follows that in terms of s
43(2)(e)
of the Act, in the event of a vacancy
arising on the Exco, the political party or political interest to
which the seat was allocated
to (at the constitution of the new Exco
after local government elections) is empowered, through an authorised
representative,
to
appoint
a
councillor
to
fill
that
vacancy.
It
is
thus
my
considered view and finding that the section leaves no room for
another interpretation (like the proportionality interpretation
as
propagated by the respondents) that may probably be attached to the
section.
Can
s 43(2)(e) of the Act be considered to be inconsistent with ss
160(8)(a) and (b)
of the
Constitution?
[25]
I
firmly believe not, considering what the statute itself tells us.
[6]
The amendment of the statute was recently passed in Parliament by or
with the ANC in majority.
[26]
The
principle of constitutional subsidiarity requires that the
adjudication of "substantive issues is determined with reference
to more particular, rather than more general, constitutional
norms".
[7]
The
Constitutional Court has held that where legislation (such as the
present) has been enacted to give effect to the Constitution,
"a
litigant may not bypass that legislation and rely directly on the
Constitution without challenging that legislation as
falling short of
the constitutional standard".
[8]
[27]
If
the Act is inconsistent with ss 160(8)(a)
and
(b)
of
the Constitution, then a frontal attack to the constitutionality of
that legislation must be brought.
[9]
The
respondents have not done
so
in
this
case.
Therefore,
unless
and
until
a
constitutionality
declaration
is
made, s43(2)(e) must be applied as it stands.
[28]
The
court
cannot
ignore
the
plain
wording,
context
and
purpose
of
s
43(2)(e)
because it leads to an allegedly unfair result. It has recently been
confirmed in our courts that it is for the Legislature
to correct its
own drafting and it is not for the courts to substitute the provision
with
its own wording.
[10]
In
effect the respondents
are
asking this court to substitute a conclusion that is inconsistent
with the provision of the statute, which would amount to judicial
overreach.
[11]
## Non-joinder of political
parties
Non-joinder of political
parties
##
[29]
The respondents contend that the judgment
and order sought cannot be carried into effect without affecting and
probably prejudicing
the rights of the political parties in the
council and the ANC in particular. The respondents further contend
that it is no
answer
for the applicants to argue that they placed the application before
all members of the council at a special council meeting
as an agenda
item as that does not constitute service at all and informal service
does not suffice.
[30]
The relevant enquiry into a "mis-joinder"
of political parties in council is whether any such parties fall into
the categories
of third parties who should have been joined, as
necessary parties, in the proceedings. It is unclear whether this
question was
ever raised and/or traversed before Nicholson AJ before
he issued the earlier order of declaration against the Speaker and
the
council.
[31]
l hold the view that the issue of joinder
is not crucial in view of the fact that the declarations sought only
implicates and/or
triggers the legal issue the court has to decide.
The legal issue relates to the exercise of public power and
governance in the
municipality. The parties who are cited are those
who are imbued with exercising that power and responsibility in the
implementation
of the decisions in council. The third parties or
interests not cited are not left out in the cold since they form part
of the
municipality government and exercise their democratic rights
within that sphere of government. They form part of the council that
has been cited and do not necessarily have to be joined as individual
parties. The order to be made and part of which has already
been made
should not bind third parties as political parties or interests but
should bind the beholders of public power in council.
[32]
All
third parties in council were evidently aware of the proceedings and
could have sought leave to be joined should they have wished
to do
so. For purposes of this matter, I therefore do not consider them as
necessary parties whose rights and interests is deserving
to be
safeguarded.
[12]
## No case made against the
Municipal Manager
No case made against the
Municipal Manager
##
[33]
In Part A, prayer 2, of the Notice of
Motion, the applicants seek to declare unlawful the decision by the
first respondent, the
Municipal Manager of the municipality "not
to implement the appointment by the second applicant of Councillor
Shamila Sookhraj
to fill the vacancy on the seventh respondent, the
Executive Committee of the Council of the Umdoni Local Municipality
arising
from the resignation of erstwhile Councillor Edwin Baptie".
The applicants contend this was the "Municipal Manager's
unlawful decision".
[34]
The applicants seek relief against the
Municipal Manager on the basis that she is accountable for the
overall performance of the
municipality's administration and is
expected to be an enforcer of the Constitution in her own right. The
applicants have also
cited the incumbent of that office in her
personal capacity in light of the fact that the applicants seek a
personal and punitive
costs order against her. The Municipal Manager
denies that she had an obligation to act in view of the provisions of
ss
43(2)(d)
and
(e)
of the
Act.
[35]
In
terms of ss 55(1) and (2) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems
Act
[13]
("the Systems
Act") a Municipal Manager is responsible and accountable, among
other duties, for:
(a)
the management
of
the municipality's administration in accordance with this Act and
other legislation applicable to the municipality (s 55(1
)(b));
(b)
advising the political structures and
political office bearers of the municipality (s 55 (1
)(i));
(c)
managing
communications
between
the
municipality's
administration
and
its
political
s
tructures
and political office bearers (s 55(1)(j));
(d)
carrying
out
the decisions of the political structures
and political office bearers of the
municipality (s 55(1
)(k));
(e)
the
administration
and
implementation
of
the
municipality's
by-laws
and
other legislation (s 55(1
)(l));
(f)
the
implementation
of
national
and
provincial
legislation
applicable
to
the municipality
(s 55(1)(p)); and
(g)
as accounting officer of the municipality
(s 55(2)).
[36]
In the preamble
to the Systems
Act, it is stated
that
the
"new
system
of
local
government requires an efficient, effective and transparent local
public administration that conforms to constitutional principles".
And further that "there is a need to develop a strong system of
local government capable of exercising the functions and powers
assigned to it". And in s 195 of the Constitution, the Municipal
Manager is enjoined to promote a high standard of professional
ethics
for which he/she may be held accountable.
[37]
In casu, the Municipal Manager failed to
give effect to the DA's appointment of the first applicant, with
immediate
effect,
as a member
of
the Exco. She also did not respond
to
or acknowledge
receipt
of the email advising her of the appointment which was sent to her by
Councillor
Singh,
as an authorised DA representative, on 9 November 2022.
[38]
The evidence further shows that, on 5
December 2022, Councillor Singh again wrote to the Municipal Manager
to remind her of her
duty to implement the DA's appointment of the
first applicant as a member of Exco. In the email Councillor Singh
further pointed
out that the failure of the Municipal Manager to give
effect to the DA's appointment was prejudicing the DA as well as the
affected
councillor. The Municipal Manager was
also put on notice that she would be held
personally responsible for such prejudice.
[39]
Despite the above, the Municipal Manager
still failed to give effect to the DA's appointment to fill the
vacancy. Instead, the Municipal
Manager submitted a report dated 25
January 2023, to council to recommend that it adopt a resolution
pursuant to the resignation
of the erstwhile Councillor Baptie to:
(a)
re-determine
the
composition
of
the Exco in light of the result of a
by-election for Ward 13 which had been won by the ANC; or
(b)
"simply affect the changes occasioned
by
the changes in
Council".
[40]
On the same date, the applicants' attorney
wrote to the Municipal Manager to again explain that the Municipal
Manager's failure
to effect the necessary changes to implement the
DA's appointment of the first applicant as a member of Exec was in
serious breach
of the Act and highly prejudicial to the councillor
and the DA. The letter also explained why the claim in the Municipal
Manager's
report that s 43 of the Act required the Exec to be
re-determined to reflect the change in the composition of the council
was wrong
in law and grossly misleading.
[41]
The Municipal Manager again failed to
immediately implement the first applicant's appointment as a member
of Exec. She also failed
to withdraw her report to the council (as
requested) which led to the election of Councillor Maharaj to fill
the vacancy on the
Exec.
[42]
The Municipal Manager's conduct does not
accord with the applicable law referred to above. Her conduct was
blatant and egregious
- a clear instance of a deliberate neglect of a
constitutional duty. Such conduct is deserving of a personal censure.
## The applicants' case for
the declaratory and review relief in respect of the unlawful
decisions
The applicants' case for
the declaratory and review relief in respect of the unlawful
decisions
##
[43]
This court has already declared unlawful
the decisions by the Speaker to allow the subject of the filling of
the vacancy to be brought
before the council and permit votes to be
taken on the subject, as well as the decision by the council to
appoint Councillor Maharaj
to fill the vacancy. The applicants
persist with their request in prayers 2 and 4 of their Notice of
Motion for declaratory relief
in respect of the unlawful decision by
the Municipal Manager not to implement the appointment by the DA of
Councillor
Sookhraj
to fill the vacancy, and for this court to review and set aside this
decision.
[43]
The applicants' cause of action is founded in the principle of
legality.
[14]
Section 172
(1
)(a)
of
the Constitution provides that the court "must declare that any
law or conduct that is inconsistent with the Constitution
is invalid
to the extent of its inconsistency".
[15]
[45)
As demonstrated above, the Municipal Manager
exercises public power which is accompanied by constitutional and
statutory obligations.
For the reasons given above, the unlawful
decision of the Municipal Manager violates the constitutional
principle of legality and
the Constitution. It thus stands to be
accordingly declared to be unlawful.
The applicants'
case for the declaratory relief in respect of the appointment of
Councillor Sookhraj
[46]
The applicants seek a declaration that the
appointment by the DA of Councillor Sookhraj to fill the vacancy on
the Exco is lawful.
This court has already upheld the applicants'
review against the decisions associated with the election of
Councillor Maharaj.
[47]
The
court
is required to
engage
in
a
two-stage approach when it considers whether to grant declaratory
relief:
[16]
(a)
first, the court must be satisfied
that the applicant
has an interest in an existing, future or
contingent right or obligation; and
(b)
second, the court
may
then
exercise its
discretion either to
refuse or grant
the
order
sought.
[48]
The purpose of this relief is to vindicate
the DA's right to appoint Councillor Sookhraj to fill the vacancy on
the Exco and Councillor
Sookhraj's rights to discharge her powers as
a member of the Exco. The applicants also seek to guard against
unlawful conduct that
poses a grave threat to the rule of law. It
follows that to the extent required for
the
grant
of
the
declaratory
relief
the
applicants
constitute
interested
parties.
[49]
When
deciding whether to exercise its discretion to grant a declaratory
order, a court must consider all relevant factors.
[17]
The relief can generally be employed as a useful tool in the
resolution of disputes. Simply put, such orders are designed to
provide
clarity on disputed issues.
[18]
[50]
There
can be no doubt that the declaratory order sought by the applicants
is legally deserved and will also lead to greater certainty
for all
concerned. It is furthermore necessary to safeguard the rule of law.
Its effect would also, in line with the holding by
the Constitutional
Court, be to assist in "clarifying legal and constitutional
obligations in a manner which promotes the
protection and enforcement
of our Constitution and its values".
[19]
# Order
Order
#
[51]
I
therefore
grant
the
following
order
(as
contained
in
the
draft
order
with
an
amendment in paragraph 1):
1.
The decision taken by the first respondent
not to implement the appointment by the second applicant of the first
applicant to fill
the vacancy on the seventh respondent arising from
the resignation of erstwhile Councillor Edwin Baptie is declared to
be invalid.
2.
The Municipal Manager's unlawful decision
is reviewed and set aside.
3.
It is declared that the appointment by the
second applicant of the first applicant to fill the vacancy is valid.
4.
The costs of this application, including
the costs of two counsel, are to be paid on an attorney and client
scale by the second
respondent in her personal capacity
and
jointly
and
severally
by the
first,
third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth respondents.
Z P NKOSI ADJP
APPEARANCES
DATE OF
HEARING
27 JULY 2023
DATE
JUDGMENT
15 JANUARY 2024
ON BEHALF OF THE
APPLICANTS
WARREN SHAPIRO SC/
DANIEL SIVE
(Instructed by MINDE
SCHAPIRO & SMITH INC
Tygervalley Office Park
Building II
Cnr Old Oak & Willie
Van Schoor Rds
Tygervalley
(Ref: DEM16/0884/E
JONKER/ks)
c/o Brown Brodie
Ground Floor, 5 Sinembe
Crescent
La Lucia Ridge Office
Estate
La Lucia, Durban
Ref: JMM/zk/MIN3/0322
Te: 031 566 6688
Email:
janicemossop@brownebrodie.co.za)
ON
BEHALF OF
THE
RESPONDENTS:
IAN TOPPING SC/ SENZO
LUTHULI
(Instructed by MHLANGA
INCORPORATED
21 Richefond Circle,
Unit 2, First Floor
Ridgeside Office Park
Umhlanga Ridge
Ref: Mr
Mhlanga/nn/CVL.U008/23)
Tel: 031 305 7537
Email:
admin@mhlangainc.co.za)
[1]
Local
Government: Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998
.
[2]
Natal
Joint Municipal Pension Fund v Endumeni Municipality
[2012]
ZASCA 13;
2012 (4) SA 593 (SCA).
[3]
Ibid
para 18. Also see
Shoprite
Checkers (Pty) Ltd v Mafate
[2023]
ZASCA 14
;
2023 (4) SA 537
(SCA) para 18;
South
African Police Service v Public Servants Association
("
SAPS"
[2006]
ZACC 18;
2007 (3) SA 521 (CC).
[4]
Khumalo
v Wilkins
1972
(2) SA 470
(N);
Amalgamated
Engineering Union
v
Minister
of Labour
1949
(3) SA
637
(A);
Rosebank
Mall
(Pty)
Ltd
v
Cradock
Heights
(Pty)
Ltd
2004
(2)
SA
353
(W).
Also
see
Herbstein and Van Winsen:
Civil
Practice of the High
Courts
and the Supreme
Court
of Appeal of South Africa
5
ed (2009) at 215.
[5]
Local
Government: Municipality Structures Amendment Act 3 of 2021.
[6]
SAPS
above fn 3 para 20.
[7]
South
African Human Rights Commission obo South African Jewish Board of
Deputies v Masuku and Another
[2022]
ZACC
5
;
2022
(4) SA 1
(CC) para 102.
[8]
South
African
National Defence
Union
v
Minister of Defence
and
Others
[2007]
ZACC 10
;
2007 (5) SA 400
(CC) para 51.
[9]
South
African Jewish Board
above
fn 7 para 104.
[10]
Du
Bruyn NO and Others v Karsten
[2018]
ZASCA 143
;
2019 (1) SA 403
(SCA) paras 26-28.
[11]
Du
Bruyn
ibid
para 27. Also see
Potgieter
v
Olivier
and Another
2016
(6) SA 272
(GP) para 33.
[12]
Rosebank
Mall (Pty)
Ltd
and Another v Cradock Heights (Pty) Ltd
2004
(2) SA 353
(W) para 11.
[13]
Local
Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000
.
[14]
Fedsure
Life Assurance Ltd and Others v Greater Johannesburg
Transitional
Metropolitan Council and Others
[1998] ZACC 17
;
1999
(1) SA 374
(CC) para 58.
[15]
See
State
Information
Technology
Agency
SOC
Ltd
v Gijima Holdings (Pty) Ltd
[2017]
ZACC 40
;
2018 (2) SA 23
(CC) para 52.
[16]
See
Cordiant
Trading
CC
v
Daimler Chrysler Financial Services (Pty) Ltd
2005
(6) SA 205
(SCA) para 18.
[17]
Competition
Commission v Hosken Consolidated Investments Ltd and Another
[2019]
ZACC 2
;
2019 (3) SA 1
(CC) para 88;
Rail
Commuters Action Group and Others v Transnet Ltd t/a Metrorail and
Others
[2004] ZACC 20
;
2005
(2) SA 359
(CC) para 107.
[18]
Commissioner
for the
South
African Revenue Service
v
Langolm Farms (Pty) Ltd
[2019]
ZASCA 163
para 10.
[19]
Rail
Commuters Action Group
above
fn
17
para 107.
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