Case Law[2025] ZASCA 171South Africa
Naledi Local Municipality and Others v Appolus and Others (122/2024) [2025] ZASCA 171; [2026] 1 All SA 59 (SCA) (14 November 2025)
Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa
14 November 2025
Headnotes
Summary: Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 – interpretation of s 54A – review of the appointment of a Municipal Manager – whether grounds for review established – principles of legality applicable.
Judgment
begin wrapper
begin container
begin header
begin slogan-floater
end slogan-floater
- About SAFLII
About SAFLII
- Databases
Databases
- Search
Search
- Terms of Use
Terms of Use
- RSS Feeds
RSS Feeds
end header
begin main
begin center
# South Africa: Supreme Court of Appeal
South Africa: Supreme Court of Appeal
You are here:
SAFLII
>>
Databases
>>
South Africa: Supreme Court of Appeal
>>
2025
>>
[2025] ZASCA 171
|
Noteup
|
LawCite
sino index
## Naledi Local Municipality and Others v Appolus and Others (122/2024) [2025] ZASCA 171; [2026] 1 All SA 59 (SCA) (14 November 2025)
Naledi Local Municipality and Others v Appolus and Others (122/2024) [2025] ZASCA 171; [2026] 1 All SA 59 (SCA) (14 November 2025)
Download original files
PDF format
RTF format
Links to summary
PDF format
RTF format
make_database: source=/home/saflii//raw/ZASCA/Data/2025_171.html
sino date 14 November 2025
THE SUPREME COURT OF
APPEAL OF SOUTH AFRICA
JUDGMENT
Reportable
Case no: 122/2024
In
the matter between:
NALEDI LOCAL
MUNICIPALITY
FIRST
APPELLANT
NALEDI LOCAL MUNICIPAL
COUNCIL
SECOND
APPELLANT
CLLR PG GULANE N
O
THIRD APPELLANT
CLLR GROEP N
O
FOURTH APPELLANT
MR MODISENYANE SEGAPO
N O
FIFTH APPELLANT
and
THABO
APPOLUS
FIRST RESPONDENT
CLLR LORATO
SETHLAKE
SECOND RESPONDENT
CLLR LEBOGANG
JACOBS
THIRD RESPONDENT
CLLR VUYISWA
MORAKILE
FOURTH RESPONDENT
THE MEC FOR
COOPERATION OVERNANCE
HUMAN SETTLEMENT AND
TRADITIONAL
AFFAIRS, NORTHWEST
PROVINCE
FIFTH RESPONDENT
Neutral
citation:
Naledi Local
Municipality and Others v Appolus and Others
(122/2024)
[2025] ZASCA 171
(14 November 2025)
Coram:
MOTHLE, KGOELE, BAARTMAN JJA and HENNEY
and CHILI AJJA
Heard:
21 August 2025
Delivered:
14 November 2025
Summary:
Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000
– interpretation of
s 54A
– review of the appointment of
a Municipal Manager – whether grounds for review established –
principles of legality
applicable.
ORDER
On
appeal from:
North West Division of the
High Court, Mafikeng (Reid J, sitting as court of first instance):
1
The appeal is dismissed.
2
The third to fifth appellants are ordered to personally pay the costs
of this appeal,
including the costs of the application for leave to
appeal on a party and party scale, jointly and severally, the one
paying the
others to be absolved. Such costs to include costs of two
counsel where so employed.
JUDGMENT
Kgoele JA (Mothle and
Baartman JJA, Henney and Chili AJJA concurring)
[1]
This appeal is against the judgment and order of the North West
Division of the High Court, Mafikeng
(the high court), which reviewed
and set aside the appointment of the fifth appellant, Mr Modisenyane
Segapo N O (Mr Segapo) who
had been appointed as a Municipal Manager.
The high court ordered the first appellant, the Naledi Local
Municipality (the Municipality),
and the second appellant, the Naledi
Local Municipal Council (the Council), to initiate a new recruitment
process for the appointment
of a Municipal Manager. The appeal is
with leave of the high court.
[2]
The appeal originates from an urgent application that was initiated
by the first to fourth respondents.
The first respondent, Mr Thabo
Appolus (Mr Appolus), serves as a Director of Corporate Services in
the employ of the Municipality.
The second to fourth respondents, Ms
Lorato Sethlake, Mr Lebogang Jacobs and Ms Vuyiswa Morakile, are
Councillors of the Municipality.
For convenience, the first to fifth
appellants and the first to fifth respondents will be collectively
referred to as appellants
and respondents respectively, except where
the context dictates otherwise. When the urgent application served
before the high court,
the former Acting Municipal Manager, Mr Nelson
Mongale; the Speaker, Mr P G C Gulane; the Mayor, Mr Cliffton John
Groep; the Member
of the Executive Council for the Department of
Co-operative Governance Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs,
North West Province
(the MEC); the South African Local Government
Association (SALGA) and the Provincial Treasury, North West Province
(Treasury) were
also cited as the respondents.
[3]
The urgent application sought the setting aside of the appointment of
Mr Segapo as the Municipal
Manager. Among other ancillary relief, the
respondents also sought a declaration that the meeting of 10 March
2023 (the Special
Council meeting), at which a resolution to appoint
Mr Segapo was passed, was unlawful and invalid.
[4]
The impugned appointment was Mr Segapo’s third term as a
Municipal Manager. His initial
appointment spanned from 2011 to 2016,
followed by a reappointment on 1 September 2021. The second tenure
was limited to one year.
It was terminated by the election of the new
Council, which legally brought his appointment to an end. The process
regarding his
third tenure commenced in October 2022, when the
Council declared a vacancy that initiated a recruitment process.
Eight candidates
submitted applications to fill the vacancy
advertised on 4 September 2022.
[5]
Mr Segapo and Mr Appolus were the only candidates shortlisted out of
the eight applicants. Mr
Appolus subsequently withdrew his candidacy.
Since Mr Segapo was still the Municipality’s Accounting Officer
when the position
was advertised, he sought a legal opinion from
Modiboa Attorneys Inc. on the legitimacy of interviewing only one
candidate. The
legal opinion advised the Municipality to re-advertise
the vacancy to prevent the process from appearing biased, unfair, or
anti-competitive.
It also recommended the appointment of an Acting
Municipal Manager in the interim.
[6]
The legal opinion received led to a Council meeting that was held on
20 October 2022, during
which a resolution was passed to
re-advertise the position. It was further resolved that the panel
appointed for the recruitment
process of the initial advertisement be
reinstated. The panel comprised of the Mayor, Councillor Hendriëtte
Van Huysteen,
Mr Katlego Gabanakgosi, who was the Municipal Manager
from Greater Taung Local Municipality (Mr Gabankosi), Provincial
Treasurer
Mr L Mokoena, and Mrs Desiree Tlhoaele from SALGA. Mr
Gabanakgosi was subsequently replaced by Mr Rantsho Gincane. A total
of 13 applications were received, and five candidates were
shortlisted. Mr Segapo was amongst the five shortlisted. Following
the interviews conducted, Mr Segapo was recommended for appointment
as the Municipal Manager. On 10 March 2023, a Special Council
meeting
resolved to appoint him.
[7]
According to the respondents, as the recruitment process unfolded,
they became aware of certain
irregularities during the recruitment
process. The initial irregularities pertained to the involvement of
the Mayor in the panel,
in violation of Regulation 12(5) and (6) of
the Local Government: Regulations on Appointment and Conditions of
Employment of Senior
Managers (the regulations),
[1]
which regulates the disclosure by panel members, of ‘any
interest or relationship with shortlisted candidates during the
shortlisting process’. The second set of irregularities
concerned the procedures followed during the interview process. The
irregularities form the crux of this appeal, the specifics of which
will be addressed later in the judgment. It is sufficient to
note
that, dissatisfied with these irregularities, the second respondent
sent an email to the Mayor on 10 November 2022 detailing
the
specifics of the irregularities. Nonetheless, the Mayor proceeded
with the recruitment process, which ultimately resulted in
Mr Segapo
being recommended for the position of the new Municipal Manager at
the Special Council meeting.
[8]
The Special Council meeting and the resolution adopted during that
meeting are what broke the
camel’s back. This prompted the
respondents to file an urgent application, alleging that the entire
recruitment process,
including Mr Segapo’s appointment,
was riddled with apparent irregularities that could not withstand
legal scrutiny.
I pause here to note that, there is no need to
summarise the particulars of the irregularities the respondents
complained about
relating to the Special Council meeting in this
judgment, since the high court declined to grant the relief sought
that was aimed
at setting aside the said meeting inclusive of the
related resolutions. Furthermore, the respondents did not pursue a
cross-appeal
of that order. Nothing more will be said about them in
this judgment.
[9]
The urgent application to nullify Mr Segapo’s appointment was
initially filed in the high
court, prior to the MEC being provided
with a recruitment report pursuant to s 54A(7)
(a)
and
(b)
[2]
of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 (the
Municipal Systems Act). For that reason, it was struck from the
roll.
After the MEC received the report and declined to grant approval for
the appointment, the application was re-enrolled and
heard by Reid J.
The respondents argued that the recruitment process was fundamentally
flawed from the outset, both procedurally
and substantively, due to
the irregularities that were highlighted in the correspondence sent
to the Municipality. They further
relied on a letter from the MEC,
which outlined numerous irregularities in the appointment process and
wherein he declined to sanction
the appointment.
[10] In
opposition, the appellants contended that the matter was not urgent
and that the respondents failed to
establish grounds for review to
sustain their application. Three preliminary points were also raised:
that the respondents lacked
the requisite
locus standi
to
challenge the appointment; that the MEC’s inaction rendered the
respondents’ application premature; and that the
MEC’s
concerns had already been addressed.
[11]
On 19 September 2023, Reid J dismissed the appellants’
opposition together with the preliminary points
raised and set aside
Mr Segapo’s appointment. The dismissal sparked a litany of
applications and counter-applications that
culminated in a two-stream
appeal process: the application for leave to appeal against the main
judgment and order (the regular
appeal stream), and an automatic
appeal (the s 18(4) appeal stream). The details of the latter are
fully dealt with hereunder.
Some of these applications were finalised
and others remained active until the hearing of this matter. The
appellants were first
to apply for leave to appeal Reid J’s
order on 29 September 2023. On 17 October 2023, the respondents
reacted and filed an
enforcement application under s 18(3) of the
Superior Courts Act 10 of 2013 (the
Superior Courts Act),
[3
]
which Reid J granted on 17 November 2023. Leave to appeal to this
Court was only granted on 26 January 2024. In response to the
enforcement order granted, the appellants initiated an automatic
right of appeal, pursuant to
s 18(4)(
a
)(ii)
of the
Superior Courts Act.
[4
]
On 28 April 2024, the respondents issued a writ to put into operation
the enforcement order by removing Mr Segapo from his office,
as he
continued to report for work. The writ was executed, and he was
consequently removed from his position.
[12] As
if that was not enough, the appellants filed an urgent application to
set aside the writ of execution.
This application was eventually
dismissed. Mr Segapo nevertheless continued with his duties as a
Municipal Manager during these
applications. When the papers were
filed in this Court, the respondents were also preparing a contempt
of court application against
the appellants, which, as we were
informed during oral arguments, Djadje DJP, dismissed on 06 June
2025. Additionally, we were
told that Mr Segapo is still reporting
for duty.
[13]
Although these litany of applications are not part of the current
appeal, the respondents raised the status
of the
s 18
appeal stream
in their oral arguments, to the extent that it had a bearing on the
regular appeal against the main judgment and
order of Reid J. The
conundrum is created by the fact that it remains pending in the
office of the Judge President of that Division.
I will thus divert to
briefly refer to the status of the
s 18
appeal and thereafter return
to deal with the appeal before us.
[14]
Section 18(4)(
a
)(ii)
is a distinct provision establishing a unique category of appeals,
designed explicitly for orders made under
s 18(3).
Moreover, the
application in terms of
s 18(3)
serves, by its nature, to regulate
the interim position between litigants from the time that an order is
issued until the final
judgment on appeal is handed down. In
addition, the
s 18(4)
appeal specifically allows for a single right
of appeal, indicating that multiple appeals are not permitted under
the section.
[5]
In my view, once
the judgment of this Court on the main appeal is handed down,
irrespective of the outcome thereof, the
s 18(3)
order and the
automatic appeal in terms of
s 18(4)(
a
)(ii)
will automatically fall away. I now revert to the appeal in this
Court.
[15]
The crisp issue before this Court is whether the respondents
established review grounds for setting aside
the appointment of Mr
Segapo. The appellants’ main contention is that on a proper
interpretation of s 54A(7)
(a)
and
(b)
, (8), (9), and
(10) of the Municipal Systems Act, the respondents failed to
establish the grounds to set aside the impugned appointment.
To bring
context to this argument, it is necessary to skim through the section
and its subsections.
[16]
The first point of reference is s 54A (1) of the Municipal
Systems Act, which provides for the appointment
of a Municipal
Manager as head of the Council’s administration.
[6]
Sections 54A (7)-(10) of the Municipal Systems Act provides that:
‘
(7)
(a)
The municipal council must, within 14 days, inform the MEC for local
government of the appointment process and outcome, as may
be
prescribed.
(b)
The MEC for local government must, within 14 days
of receipt of the information referred to in paragraph (a), submit a
copy thereof
to the Minister
.
(
8)
If a person is appointed as municipal manager in contravention of
this section, the MEC for local government must, within 14
days of
receiving the information provided for in section (7), take
appropriate steps to enforce compliance by the municipal council
with
this section, which may include an application to a court for a
declaration order on the validity of the appointment, or any
other
legal action against the municipal council.
(9)
Where an MEC for local government fails to take appropriate steps
referred to in subsection (8), the Minister may take the steps
contemplated in that subsection
.
(10) If the MEC for local
government fails to respond to the appointment process and outcome
within the timeframe, as contemplated
in subsection (8), or the
Minister fails to respond as contemplated in subsection (9), the
appointment of the municipal manager
will be deemed to be in
compliance with this Act: Provided the municipal council submitted
all relevant documents, as prescribed.’
[17]
Whilst the appellants pin the colours of their mast in the Municipal
Systems Act, sight should not
be lost of the fact that it is trite
that an appointment of a Municipal Manager is a constitutional
issue.
[7]
The Constitutional
Court confirmed that any exercise of public power, as in the present
instance, must be within the confines of
the law and that a court is
entitled, relying on the principle of legality, to review the
exercise by a functionary of public power.
[8]
This principle applies to the exercise of all public power and is not
limited to the narrow realm of administrative action.
[9]
Therefore, s 172(1) of the Constitution serves as the second relevant
point of reference to be considered in this matter,
which
provides:
‘
When
deciding a constitutional matter within its power, a court-
(a)
must declare that any law or conduct
that is inconsistent with the constitution is invalid to the extent
of its inconsistency; and.
.
. . .
’
[18] To
substantiate their grounds of appeal, the appellants argue that the
respondents, as municipal employees
and councillors, lacked the
standing to challenge the Municipal Manager’s appointment. They
contend that the statutory enforcement
under s 54A (7)-(9) is
exclusive to the MEC, then the Minister. Further that, the
Municipality notified the MEC about the appointment
of Mr Segapo but
failed to take appropriate steps to enforce compliance within 14 days
after raising concerns as required
by s 54A (8). The appellants also
claim that the MEC’s inaction rendered the appointment
compliant with the presumption in
s 54A (10) and the respondents’
attempt to bypass this process was premature and unlawful.
[19]
The appellants further challenge the validity of the review grounds
upon which the high court relied to dismiss
their opposition. They
contend that the MEC’s initial objections articulated in his
correspondence, such as the purported delays in candidate
screening and incomplete documentation, were thoroughly addressed by
the
Mayor in the response letter dated 10 May 2023, which the high
court failed to consider. Concerning the irregularities associated
with nepotism, the appellants assert that the respondents’ case
was founded on speculative assertions rather than substantiated
irregularities, and that the high court erred in neglecting to
consider the Mayor’s rebuttal of same.
[20] I
choose to promptly dismiss the grounds of appeal concerning the
preliminary points raised by the appellants
first, which primarily
concern section 54A of the Municipal Systems Act. Firstly, the
appellants’ assertion that the correct
interpretation of
sections 54A (7) and (8) is that only the MEC has the legal standing
to initiate proceedings to nullify the appointment
of the Municipal
Manager is unfounded. Section 34 of the Constitution affirms the
right of every individual to have disputes resolved
by a court of
law. This matter relates to the principle of legality; therefore,
constraining the Municipal Systems Act to imply
that only the MEC has
the standing to file a review application would lead to absurdity.
The Constitution overrides the Municipal
Systems Act. This conclusion
also effectively addresses the appellant’s delegated argument
that the respondents lacked the
authority to act on behalf of the
MEC. An interpretation that strips the respondents of their standing
to challenge a principle
of legality cannot be sanctioned by our
courts.
[21]
The appellants’ contention that the MEC’s failure to act
under s 54A (10) renders the review
premature, is unpersuasive.
Likewise, the assertion that the Mayor’s letter dated 10 May
2023 fully addressed the irregularities,
is unfounded. In my view,
the high court was justified in intervening solely based on the MEC’s
failure to approve Mr Segapo’s
appointment. The MEC’s
failure to respond to the appellants’ delayed submissions could
not constitute an absolute obstacle
to the high court’s
examination of significant statutory violations within the
recruitment process. Additionally, there are
other significant
irregularities that will be discussed later, requiring urgent
judicial intervention despite the high court’s
failure to
address them explicitly. Neither the councillors nor the community
should passively allow bureaucracy to override legality
in their
oversight role.
[22] I
now address the key issue before this Court, which is whether the
respondents succeeded in establishing
review grounds to sustain their
application before the high court. In my view, this question must be
answered in the affirmative.
As it will be apparent below, the
respondents achieved this within the confines of the statutory,
regulatory, and constitutional
frameworks governing the local
government.
[23]
As already indicated, beyond the irregularities identified by the
MEC, there are additional significant irregularities
in the
respondents’ founding affidavit submitted to the high court,
which this Court must consider. They originate from a
letter written
by the second respondent to the Mayor, in which she raised concerns
about nepotism. The allegations involved the
Mayor’s close
relatives and questioned his impartiality in the recruitment process.
Central to these allegations is that
Mr Segapo promoted the Mayor’s
twin brother, Mr. Arthur Groep, from swimming pool attendant to
finance clerk on 2 November
2012, and shortly thereafter, to a debt
collector. Furthermore, Mr Segapo hired the Mayor’s
sister-in-law within a year of
his tenure. These promotions occurred
while the Mayor was serving as the ANC’s Chief Whip. The letter
also urged the Mayor
to recuse himself from the recruitment process.
A similar letter was sent to the Acting Municipal Manager, the Mayor,
MMC Finance
and Corporate Services, and the Chief Whip, outlining
these irregularities. To ensure fairness and prevent conflicts of
interest,
the letter suggested the appointment of a recruitment
agency to oversee the process, as required by Regulation 10(4).
[10]
However,
as indicated earlier, these letters were ignored, and the Mayor
proceeded with the process despite these concerns.
[24]
Notably, in their answering affidavit, the appellants did not
challenge the allegations made regarding these
appointments. Instead,
they characterised the concern raised by the respondents as ‘a
perceived indebtedness’ and dismissed
it as ‘pure malice’
and ‘speculation’. Additionally, the appellants
completely overlooked the issue raised
regarding the perceived
conflict of interest and recusal, which, on its own, casts an
unsavoury light on the recruitment process
as a whole.
[25]
Regulation 12(5) and (6) provides:
‘
(5)
A panel member must disclose any interest or relationship with
shortlisted candidates during the shortlisting process.
(6)
A panel member contemplated in sub-regulations (3) and (4)
[11]
must recuse himself or herself from the selection panel if-
(a)
his or her spouse, partner, close family member or
close friend has been shortlisted for the post;
(b)
the panel member has some form of indebtedness to
a short-listed candidate or
vice versa
;
or
(c)
he or she has any other conflict of interest.’
[26]
What we observe from the above, indicates a legitimate concern
regarding a possible conflict of interest
involving the Mayor and Mr
Segapo. The Mayor’s attempt to dismiss these allegations by
asserting in the papers filed by the
appellants that he did not
reciprocate any favours to Mr Segapo, is inadequate to counter the
undisputed claims of nepotistic appointments.
According to the
Plascon-Evans
principle,
[12]
such denial
does not satisfy the requirement of a genuine factual dispute. The
reasonable perceived conflict of interest, as envisioned
by the
regulation, warranted a recusal or, at the least, disclosure by the
Mayor. This inept conduct, regrettably, tarnished the
entire
recruitment process far beyond the irregularities identified by the
MEC, raising eyebrows about the Mayor’s impartiality
in his
role as a member of the recruitment panel that appointed Mr Segapo.
These irregularities are within the personal knowledge
of the
respondents in their capacity as councillors and can be legally
challenged or raised by them. In my view, the respondents
were
correct to persist in their argument that the Mayor’s apparent
indebtedness to Mr Segapo, stemming from these appointments,
was an
important factor that must not be overlooked.
[27] A
sum total of all the above is that the appellants didn’t have a
leg to stand on for this Court to
overturn the high court’s
order. In fact, the high court had ample reasons to set aside the
appointment of Mr Segapo. Therefore,
the appeal must fail.
[28]
Regarding costs, this Court notes that the respondents argued for a
punitive costs order but on an ordinary
scale due to the protracted
and unnecessary litigation between the parties. However, this Court
acknowledges that awarding costs
is a discretionary matter. While the
reasons provided by the respondents for a punitive costs order have
merit, this Court cannot
be oblivious to the fact that the
Municipality will effectively bear the costs on behalf of the other
appellants if the respondents’
submission is granted. There are
several significant concerns aside from those expressed by the
respondents that merit consideration.
These are:
(a)
The high court urgently issued the order, recognising that it
involves a matter of public interest.
(b)
The high court’s order was minimally burdensome, merely
directing the Municipality to re-advertise.
(c)
It is clear that the Municipality has been using public funds since
2023 to date to support the
indefensible.
(d)
The third to fifth appellants are clinging to the benefit of the fees
paid by the Municipality on their
behalf, while funds that could be
used by the Municipality for service delivery are clearly being
drained by ongoing litigation.
On the other hand, the respondents
have been covering expenses out of their own pockets so far.
(e)
The Municipality and the other appellants are committed to supporting
an appointment that the
MEC did not approve.
(f)
The inaction of the MEC, which the appellants are clinging on to
avoid addressing the ongoing
occupation of the Municipal Manager’s
office by Mr Segapo up to this date, even after the enforcement order
was granted,
including their failure to withdraw or prosecute the
appeal under s 18(4)(
a
)(ii), serves as a sticking point that
leaves a distasteful impression of their approach to resolving the
disputes.
(g)
This conduct is reprehensible as it indicates a flagrant abuse of
office or positions by public officials,
who are acutely aware of the
egregious breaches of the legal frameworks governing the local
government sphere.
[29] In
light of the foregoing considerations, this Court is of the view that
it would be fair and consistent
with the interests of justice,
including the welfare of the general public, to safeguard the public
purse by ordering the third
to fifth appellants to personally bear
the costs of this appeal and that of the application for leave to
appeal. The costs should
be on a party and party scale.
[30]
The following order is thus made:
1
The appeal is dismissed.
2
The third to fifth appellants are ordered to personally pay the costs
of this appeal,
including the costs of the application for leave to
appeal on a party and party scale, jointly and severally, the one
paying the
other to be absolved. Such costs to include costs of two
counsel where so employed.
A M KGOELE
JUDGE OF APPEAL
Appearances
For
the appellants:
E
Mokutu SC (with J H Mollentze)
Instructed
by:
Du
Plessis Viviers Inc., Mahikeng
Phatshoane
Henney Incorporated,
Bloemfontein
For
the first to fourth respondents:
C
Z Muza (with B J Maboea)
Instructed
by:
Mabapa
Attorneys Inc., Pretoria
Matlho
Attorneys Inc., Bloemfontein.
[1]
Local
Government: Regulations on Appointment and Conditions of Employment
of Senior Managers published in No 21, published
Government
Gazette
37245 on 17 January 2014.
[2]
This
section provides that:
‘
(7)
(a)
The municipal council must, within 14 days, inform the MEC for local
government of the appointment process and outcome, as may
be
prescribed.
(b)
The MEC for local government must, within 14 days
of receipt of the information referred to in paragraph
(a)
,
submit a copy thereof to the Minister.’
[3]
Section
18 of the Superior Courts Act 10 of 2013 (the
Superior Courts Act)
provides
:
‘
Suspension
of decision pending appeal
(1)
Subject to subsections (2) and (3), and unless the court under
exceptional circumstances orders otherwise, the operation and
execution of a decision which is the subject of an application for
leave to appeal or of an appeal, is suspended pending the
decision
of the application or appeal.
(2)
Subject to subsection (3), unless the court under exceptional
circumstances orders otherwise, the operation and execution
of a
decision that is an interlocutory order not having the effect of a
final judgment, which is the subject of an application
for leave to
appeal or of an appeal, is not suspended pending the decision of the
application or appeal.
(3)
A court may only order otherwise as contemplated in subsection (1)
or (2), if the party who applied to the court to order
otherwise, in
addition proves on a balance of probabilities that he or she will
suffer irreparable harm if the court does not
so order and that the
other party will not suffer irreparable harm if the court so orders.
(4)
(a)
If a court orders otherwise, as contemplated in subsection (1)-
(i)
the court must immediately record its reasons for doing so;
(ii)
the aggrieved party has an automatic right of appeal to the next
highest court;
(iii)
the court hearing such an appeal must deal with it as a matter of
extreme urgency; and
(iv)
such order will be automatically suspended, pending the outcome of
such appeal.
(b)
Next highest court’
, for purposes of paragraph
(a)
(ii), means-
(i)
a full court of that Division, if the appeal is against a decision
of a single judge of the Division; or
(ii)
the Supreme Court of Appeal, if the appeal is against a decision of
two judges or the full court of the Division.
(5)
For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2), a decision becomes the
subject of an application for leave to appeal or of an
appeal, as
soon as an application for leave to appeal or a notice of appeal is
lodged with the registrar in terms of the rules.’
[4]
Ibid
footnote 3.
[5]
Tshwane
Metropolitan Municipality v Vresthena (Pty) Ltd and Others
[2023] ZASCA 104
;
2023 (6) SA 434
(SCA) paras 14-16, 18 and 21-23.
[6]
Section 54A(1) of the Municipal Systems Act provides:
‘
The
municipal council must appoint –
(a)
a municipal manager as head of the administration of the
municipal council; or
(b)
an acting municipal manager under circumstances and for a period
as prescribed.’
[7]
Member
of the Executive Council for the Department of Cooperative
Governance and Traditional Affairs, KwaZulu-Natal v Nkandla
Local
Municipality and Others
[2021] ZACC 46
; (2022) 43 ILJ 505 (CC);
2022 (8) BCLR 959
(CC) para
10. See also
Notyawa
v Makana Municipality
[2019]
ZACC 43
; (2020) 41 ILJ 1069 (CC);
2020 (2) BCLR 136
(CC);
[2020] 4
BLLR 337
(CC) para 31.
[8]
Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers Association of SA and Another: In re Ex parte
President of the Republic of South Africa and Others
[2000] ZACC 1
;
2000 (2) SA 674
(CC);
[2000] ZACC 1
;
2000
(3) BCLR 241
(CC);
2000 (2) SA 674
(CC) paras 17 and 20.
[9]
See
Judicial
Service Commission and Another v Cape Bar Council and Another
[2012] ZASCA 115
;
2013 (1) SA 170
(SCA);
[2013] 1 All SA 40
(SCA);
2012 (11) BCLR 1239
(SCA) para 21.
[10]
It
provides that:
‘
A
municipality may utilise a recruitment agency to identify candidates
for posts: Provided that the advertising, recruitment and
selection
procedures comply with these regulations.’
[11]
These sub regulations provide as follows:
‘
(3)
The selection panel for the appointment of a municipal manager must
consist of at least three and not
more
than five members, constituted as follows-
(a)
the mayor, who will be the chairperson, or his or her delegate;
(b)
a councillor designated by the municipal council; and
(c)
at least one other person, who is not a councillor or a staff member
of the municipality, and who has expertise or experience
in the area
of the advertised post.
(4)
The selection panel for the appointment of a manager directly
accountable to a municipal manager must consist of at least
three
and not more than five members, constituted as follows-
(a)
the municipal manager, who will be the chairperson;
(b)
a member of the mayoral committee or councillor who is the portfolio
head of the relevant portfolio; and
(c)
at least one other person, who is not a councillor or a staff member
of the municipality, and who has expertise or experience
in the area
of the advertised post.’
[12]
Plascon-Evans
Paints (TVL) Ltd v Van Riebeck Paints (Pty) Ltd
[1984] ZASCA 51
;
1984 (3) SA 623
(A);
[1984] 2 ALL SA 366
(A);
1984 (3) SA 623
;
1984
(3) SA 620.
sino noindex
make_database footer start
Similar Cases
King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality and Others v Hintsa and Others (323/2024) [2025] ZASCA 165; [2026] 1 BLLR 1 (SCA) (31 October 2025)
[2025] ZASCA 165Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa99% similar
Mhlontlo Local Municipality and Others v Ngcangula and Another (1154/2022) [2024] ZASCA 5; [2024] 3 BLLR 239 (SCA); (2024) 45 ILJ 775 (SCA) (17 January 2024)
[2024] ZASCA 5Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa98% similar
Mkhonto and Others v Bushbuckridge Local Municipality and Others (218/2024) [2025] ZASCA 111 (23 July 2025)
[2025] ZASCA 111Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa98% similar
Mafilika and Others v Elundini Local Municipality and Another (620/2024) [2025] ZASCA 142 (1 October 2025)
[2025] ZASCA 142Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa98% similar
Emalahleni Local Municipality v Lehlaka Property Development (Pty) Ltd (600/2022) [2023] ZASCA 138; [2024] 1 All SA 1 (SCA) (25 October 2023)
[2023] ZASCA 138Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa98% similar