Case Law[2025] ZAGPJHC 735South Africa
Kwinana v Chairperson of Disciplinary Inquiry Instituted by tSouth African Institute of Chartered Accountants and Another (2023/091726) [2025] ZAGPJHC 735 (12 March 2025)
High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Johannesburg)
12 March 2025
Headnotes
Summary:
Judgment
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## Kwinana v Chairperson of Disciplinary Inquiry Instituted by tSouth African Institute of Chartered Accountants and Another (2023/091726) [2025] ZAGPJHC 735 (12 March 2025)
Kwinana v Chairperson of Disciplinary Inquiry Instituted by tSouth African Institute of Chartered Accountants and Another (2023/091726) [2025] ZAGPJHC 735 (12 March 2025)
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THE
HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
GAUTENG
DIVISION, PRETORIA
Case
no: 2023-091726
(1)
REPORTABLE: Yes
(2)
OF INTEREST TO OTHER JUDGES: Yes
(3)
REVISED: Yes
12
March 2025
In
the matter between:
YAHKE
KWINANA
Applicant
and
THE
CHAIRPERSON OF THE DISCIPLINARY INQUIRY
First Respondent
INSTITUTED
BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF
CHARTERED
ACCOUNTANTS
THE
SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED
Second Respondent
ACCOUNTANTS
Summary:
Administrative
Law – Review – Private regulatory body exercising public
power – Whether disciplinary decision
of South African
Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) constitutes administrative
action – Held that SAICA exercises
public power when enforcing
professional standards, making its decisions reviewable under the
Promotion of Administrative Justice
Act 3 of 2000 (PAJA).
Administrative
Law – PAJA – Applicability – Review application
brought under common law instead of PAJA –
Court reaffirmed
that where PAJA applies, an applicant cannot rely on common law
review.
Administrative
Law – Procedural fairness – Right to be heard –
Applicant voluntarily withdrew from disciplinary
hearing –
Failure to challenge evidence or participate in proceedings
undermined claims of procedural unfairness.
JUDGMENT
DU
PLESSIS J
# Introduction
Introduction
[1]
This is an application to review the decision of the second
respondent, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants
("SAICA"), which found the applicant, Ms Kwinana, guilty of
various charges of professional misconduct following a disciplinary
hearing.
[2]
The charges stemmed from Ms Kwinana's time as a non-executive board
member of South African Airways SOC Ltd ("SAA")
from 2009
to 2016 and chairperson of the board of South African Airways
Technical SOC Ltd ("SAAT"), a subsidiary of SAA.
She was
also the chairperson of the audit and risk committee of SAA.
[3]
SAICA is a voluntary, non-profit organisation and a prominent
accountancy membership body in South Africa. Its main objectives
are
to act in the public interest, safeguard the values of the chartered
accountancy profession and society, and contribute to
economic and
social advancement by upholding professional standards, integrity,
and the pre-eminence of the chartered account designation.
[4]
On
2,3 and 7 November 2020 Ms Kwinana appeared before the Judicial
Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption
and Fraud in the Public Sector, including Organs of State ("the
Zondo Commission"), to provide an account of certain
irregularities that occurred during her tenure at SAA and SAAT. The
then Chief Justice Zondo,
[1]
in his report, recommended that:
"The
South African Institute of Chartered Accountants should investigate
whether Ms Kwinana has the requisite knowledge and
appreciation of
her obligations as a Chartered Accountant and whether she is suitable
to continue to practise the profession of
a Chartered Accountant. The
Commission believes that the answers she gave to certain questions
during her evidence revealed either
that she has no clue about some
of the basic obligations that she should know as a Charted Accountant
or she knew those obligations
but dishonestly pretended that she did
not know them because it was convenient for her to do so. In either
case SAICA should be
interested in investigating the matter because
either explanation may mean she is not fit and proper to practise the
profession
of a Chartered Accountant."
[5]
Since the findings made serious allegations, SAICA felt it was
duty-bound to investigate Ms Kwinana's conduct as custodian
of the
accountancy profession. SAICA convened an inquiry into Ms Kwinana's
fitness to remain a member of SAICA and accredited by
them as a
chartered accountant. This culminated in a disciplinary hearing
before their disciplinary committee, chaired by the first
respondent,
Mr Mohammed Chohan SC.
[6]
The chairperson delivered a comprehensive written decision. After
hearing the testimony of various witnesses and considering
the
documents before it, Ms Kwinana was found guilty on all the charges.
SAICA sanctioned her by excluding her from membership
and imposed
monetary fines of R6,1 million. They also made a cost order against
her. A consequence of her exclusion from SAICA
membership is that she
can no longer use the designation "Chartered Accountant".
In Ms Kwinana's own words, "[t]he
sanction is a guillotine. I am
struck off the roll incapable of earning a living".
[7]
The decision was sent to the parties on 13 March 2023, finding her
guilty of the thirteen charges based on the evidence
led by SAICA
that was left unchallenged by Ms Kwinana because she and her legal
representative walked out of the disciplinary hearing
on the first
day and never returned. Ms Kwinana acknowledged receipt of the email
with the findings and said she would fight this
matter in court. She
signed the notice of motion on 11 September 2023, 182 days later, and
served this review application on 13
September 2023, 184 days later.
Whichever way, the application was launched more than 180 days later.
[8]
SAICA
raises a point in limine, stating that this delay was unreasonable
and that the review should be dismissed without the court
entertaining the merits. This is based on their argument that Ms
Kwinana should have bought the application under the
Promotion of
Administrative Justice Act
[2]
("PAJA"). The point in limine is potentially dispositive of
the matter since the Supreme Court of Appeal ("SCA")
[3]
stated clearly that:
".
. . 'after the 180 day period the issue of unreasonableness is
predetermined by the legislature; it is unreasonable per
se.' The
inevitable consequence of this is that absent an application in terms
of
s 9(2)
of PAJA, the high court should have dismissed the review
application for want of compliance with the prescripts of
s 7(1)
as
it had no power to enter into the substantive merits of the review.
Therefore, whether or not the impugned decision is unlawful
'no
longer matters.' Rather, it became 'validated' by the unreasonable
delay."
[9]
There
was neither an agreement sought in terms of
section 9(1)
nor an
application in terms of
section 9(2)
of PAJA
[4]
since Ms Kwinana was of the opinion that PAJA is not applicable in
this instance.
# Point
in limine: the applicability of PAJA
Point
in limine: the applicability of PAJA
[10]
There
are two decisions, one from the Gauteng Division Johannesburg and one
from the SCA, where PAJA was applied in the context
of a decision by
SAICA:
Sehoole
NO v Chablal
[5]
and
Beer
v The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants
.
[6]
The difficulty faced by this court was that, in both cases, the court
assumed that it applied without analysis of the question.
Since this
point was pertinently raised in limine and fiercely denied by Ms
Kwinana, it is necessary to deal with this question
in detail.
[11]
SAICA submits that even though it is a voluntary association, some of
its decisions, notably its disciplinary decisions,
are
"administrative actions" as defined in PAJA. As a juristic
person, SAICA says it exercises a public power or performs
a public
function when exercising its disciplinary powers.
[12]
To
bolster this argument, they say that SIACA's decision to admit or
exclude a person from membership determines, in terms of the
Chartered Accountants Designation (Private) Act,
[7]
whether that person is permitted to use the designation "Chartered
Accountant". Furthermore, SAICA took the decision
in terms of
their bylaws, which constitute an "empowering provision".
This decision "adversely affected the rights"
of Ms Kwinana
and had a "direct, external legal effect". Thus, since the
decision constitutes an administrative action
in terms of section 1
of PAJA, Ms Kwinana had to institute proceedings for judicial review
in terms of PAJA and is bound by the
prescripts of section 7(1)(b) to
do so without reasonable delay and no later than 180 days after the
date on which she was informed
of the administrative action and the
reasons for it.
[13]
Ms Kwinana denies that PAJA governs the review, stating that her
review application is a common law review of a decision
of a
quasi-judicial body and not a state organ exercising government
power. Unlike such organs of state, SAICA does not derive
their power
and authority from legislation but rather from contract (with its
members). Ms Kwinana, as a Chartered Accountant,
could be a member of
another voluntary association (such as the South African Institute
for Public Accountants). Not only members
of SAICA may use the
designation "Chartered Accountant"- members of other
organisations may use it too.
[14]
She
refers to bylaw 24 of SAICA, which governs membership, and indicates
that it is by application and payment of membership to
SAICA that
regulates the relationship. The Chartered Accountant Designation
(Private) Act
[8]
merely protects the rights of members of SAICA and other recognised
professional bodies to use the Chartered Accountant (South
Africa) or
CA(SA) designation. SAICA does not owe its existence to legislation;
instead, "it remains within the rubric of
private bodies and is
not a public body". Thus, PAJA does not apply. Ms Kwinana relies
on
National
Horse Racing Authority of Southern Africa v Naidoo
(
National
Horse Racing
)
[9]
for this contention.
[15]
Ms
Kwinana also relied on the
Turner
v Jockey Club of South Africa
[10]
to state that the relationship between voluntary associations and
their members is governed by the association's rules and regulations,
constituting the agreement between the parties and the common law.
She then states that in common law, a court would intervene
in the
case of bias or where the association acted ultra vires. This common
law position has not been altered but is infused with
the
constitutional principle under the concept of the rule of law.
[16]
She
turns to Hoexter and Penfold,
[11]
who explain that before 1994, courts often evaluated decisions made
by private entities, like churches and clubs, based on the
contracts
with their members. This included examining decisions related to
disciplinary matters and, at times, non-disciplinary
issues. Such
decisions were subject to review if they did not adhere to
"fundamental principles of justice". These principles
encompass compliance with the organisation's founding documents,
natural justice, honesty, impartiality, good faith, and, in some
instances, reasonableness.
[17]
Ms
Kwinana then indicates that she is bringing this review under common
law (ultra vires conduct of SAICA and bias of the chairperson,
falling under the rule of law or legality). She cites Hoexter and
Penfold
[12]
for the argument that the reviewability of private power in the
post-1994 era arises from the established principles of our common
law rather than from the direct application of section 33. Ms Kwinana
relies on
Klein
v Dainfern College
,
[13]
where the court articulated the situation as follows:
"No
rational reason exists to exclude individuals from the protection of
judicial review in the case of coercive actions by
private tribunals
not exercising any public power. To my mind the Constitution makes no
pronouncements in respect of this branch
of private administrative
law. Thus, continuing to apply the principles of natural justice to
the coercive actions of private tribunals
exercising no public powers
will in no way be abhorrent to the spirit and purport of the
Constitution."
[18]
Ms
Kwinana then further relies on Hoexter & Penfold, where the
authors state that there, thus, remains the possibility of indirectly
applying section 33 (or other rights) through section 39(2) of the
Constitution to a judicial review of a private tribunal. Thus,
through an indirect horizontal application of the Bill of Rights
(section 8(2) of the Constitution), section 39(2) potentially
provides a constitutional basis for reviewing private power in terms
of the common law. She bolsters her argument by referring
to an
article by Prof Mathenjwa, where he, in the introduction, explains
that:
[14]
"The
nature of the relationship established between the voluntary
association and its members constitutes an agreement in terms
of
which each member submits contractually to the decisions of the body
administering the association on whom they have conferred
the right
and power to make binding decisions on matters that affect their
relationship
inter se
."
[19]
Lastly,
she relies on
National
Horse Racing
[15]
where the majority expressed doubt that the Constitution's framers
and the legislature intended for domestic tribunals to be included
under PAJA.
[20]
Ms
Kwinana thus regards PAJA as applicable to only public administrators
or functionaries implementing government policy and applying
legal
rules.
[16]
Since SAICA is not part of the state bureaucracy and does not apply
state policy, its actions are not administrative per PAJA's
definition.
[21]
Ms Kwinana also submits that even if PAJA is applicable, she does not
have to bring her application in terms of it. This
is a practical
matter serving before the court, and the "[a]pplicant is not
interested in the intricacies of on what basis
is her matter against
SAICA reviewable. For her it is sufficient that the matter is
reviewable".
[22]
SAICA,
in contrast, submits that when they take disciplinary action against
a member, which results in the cancellation of membership
(and
thereby losing the designation "chartered accountant"), it
performs a public function. SAICA, relying on
AAA
Investments (Pty) Ltd v Micro Finance Regulatory Council,
[17]
says it regulates the accounting profession.
[18]
They also submit that Ms Kwinana's inability to use the "Chartered
Accountant" designation affects her ability to serve
in certain
offices.
[23]
SAICA
points out that
National
Horse Racing
[19]
is distinguishable from this case in that legislation does not
underpin the horse racing authority's powers. It deems the minority
decision of Wallis to be more correct, where he pointed out that:
[20]
"The
statutory test is whether they are exercising a public power or
performing a public function. It seems to me that when
this question
arises in relation to specific conduct by a sporting body it requires
a close examination of the functions. of that
sporting body. […]
On the other hand larger sporting bodies operating in relation
to major sports such as horseracing,
football, cricket and rugby
stand on an entirely different footing. They exercise a virtually
monopolistic control over all aspects
of those sports from junior to
national levels and are active in the international sphere. Public
interest in those sports is massive
and the amounts of money
generated by these sporting activities are very considerable. A
person excluded by one of these sporting
bodies from participation in
their sport is effectively deprived of their livelihood. I can see no
reason why Parliament should
have overlooked such bodies in enacting
the provisions of PAJA much less deliberately excluded them without
saying as much."
[24]
SAICA
also point out that decisions of the Supreme Court of Appeal and the
Constitutional Court overtook the majority decision.
In
Ndoro
v South African Football Association
[21]
Unterhalter J, after discussing the long line of cases, including
National
Horse Racing
[22]
distilled the following principles:
"First,
private entities may discharge public functions by recourse to powers
that do not have a statutory source. Powers of
this kind may be
characterised as public powers. So characterised, actions that issue
from their exercise may constitute administrative
action. Second, a
private entity may exercise public powers, but this does not entail
that all its conduct issues from the exercise
of a public power or
the performing of a public function – all depends on the
relevant power or function. Finally, while
there are broad criteria
for making an evaluation as to whether a competence enjoyed by a
private entity is a public power or public
function, there is no
warrant to conclude that simply because a private entity is powerful
and may do things that are of great
interest to the public that it
discharges a public power or function. Rather, it is the assumption
of exclusive, compulsory, coercive
regulatory competence to secure
public goods that reach beyond mere private advancement that attract
the supervisory disciplines
of public law."
[25]
This requirement for it to be "exclusive, comprehensive,
compulsory and coercive" is echoed later in the
Ndoro
judgment, where it is found that there is no other way to conduct
football other than to comply with FIFA and its progeny's regulatory
schemes since compliance is not optional and coercive sanctions back
the rules. Since football is widely enjoyed and the flourishing
of
the game is a public good often understood to be wound up in the
nation's well-being, it is discharging a public function.
[26]
SAICA
further refers to
Advertising
Regulatory Board NPC v Bliss Brands (Pty) Ltd,
[23]
pointing out that SAICA's objectives are similar to those of the
Advertising Regulatory Board
[24]
and that PAJA expressly contemplates that a juristic entity other
than an organ of state may make decisions that constitute
administrative
action due to the definition of "empowering
provision" not restricted to statutory sources.
[27]
Even
so, SAICA asserts that statutory provisions underpin its powers. The
Chartered Accountant Designation (Private) Act
[25]
grants powers only to specific societies to regulate the use of the
designation "Chartered Accountant (South Africa)".
[26]
SAICA is explicitly listed, and the other societies mentioned in
section 1 are incorporated into SAICA. Furthermore, the statute
has
punitive provisions that have the state's backing. Not being a
Chartered Accountant can exclude someone from certain statutory
positions, such as serving on the Lottery Board. This is then the
exclusion that the
Ndoro
decision refers to.
[28]
In
summary, SAICA accepts that PAJA applies
[27]
because it exercises public powers derived from a Code of
Professional Conduct of the South African Institute of Chartered
Accountants,
based on an international code of ethics. It is a
voluntary non-profit organisation that acts in the public interest by
regulating
the accounting profession. Their sanctions are coercive
and can lead to a member being excluded and precluded from being a
chartered
accountant. Furthermore, the nature of the decision taken
by the disciplinary committee is to exclude Ms Kwinana from SAICA,
and
the effect of this is that she can no longer use the designation
of "Chartered Accountant". The designation of "Chartered
Accountant" is regulated by an Act of parliament; therefore,
PAJA applies.
[29]
Ms Kwinana denies that PAJA applies, and even if it does, she submits
that the common law notion of natural justice as
infused with the
constitutional principles of review can be relied on.
[30]
It is thus necessary to first deal with whether SAICA's decision was
an administrative action and, if so, whether Ms
Kwinana had a choice
to bring it under the common law.
Discussion
[31]
To assess the submissions, it is important to look at the
requirements in terms of PAJA. For PAJA to be applicable, the
"action" must be an "administrative action",
within the definition of section 1 of PAJA. An "administrative
action" is
"administrative
action" means any decision taken, or any failure to take a
decision, by—
(a)
an organ of state, when—
(i)
exercising a power in terms of the Constitution or a provincial
constitution; or
(ii)
exercising a public power or performing a public function in terms of
any legislation; or
(b)
a natural or juristic person, other than an
organ of state, when exercising a public power or performing
a public
function in terms of an empowering provision, which adversely affects
the rights of any person and which has a direct,
external legal
effect, but does not include—
.
. . . .”
[32]
Empowering provision is defined as
"a
law, a rule of common law, customary law, or an agreement, instrument
or other document in terms of which an administrative
action was
purportedly taken. . . ."
[33]
SAICA is not an organ of state; therefore, for the action to qualify
as an administrative action, it must demonstrate
that it exercised a
public power or carried out a public function under an empowering
provision and that this negatively impacted
the rights of any
individual in a manner that has a direct, external legal effect. In
other words, it falls under the second part
of the definition.
[34]
It
must thus firstly be determined whether SAICA exercises a public
power or carry out a public function. What constitutes a "public
power" was summarised by the Constitutional Court in
Association
of Mineworkers and Construction Union v Chamber of Mines of South
Africa
[28]
as follows:
"The
question is not so much, who exercises the power, nor even, where
does the power come from: but what does the power look
and feel like?
What does it do? Pointers here include—
(a)
the source of the power;
(b)
the nature of the power;
(c)
its subject matter; and
(d)
whether it involves the exercise of a public duty."
What
do "public function" and "public power" mean?
Langa CJ illuminatingly noted in a minority judgment in
Chirwa:
[29]
"Determining
whether a power or function is 'public' is a notoriously difficult
exercise. There is no simple definition or
clear test to be applied.
Instead, it is a question that has to be answered with regard to all
the relevant factors, including:
(a) the relationship of coercion or
power that the actor has in its capacity as a public institution; (b)
the impact of the decision
on the public; (c) the source of the
power; and (d) whether there is a need for the decision to be
exercised in the public interest.
None of these factors will
necessarily be determinative; instead, a court must exercise its
discretion considering their relative
weight in the context."
[35]
The court further stated that
"[81]
Features pointing to 'public' are: (a) the decision is rooted
in legislation and its effects are circumscribed
by the statute; (b)
the effect of the decision is mandatory on non-parties and coercive
on their constitutional entitlements; (c)
the decision results in
binding consequences without those parties' acquiescence; and (d) the
rationale for extension is a plainly
public goal, namely the
improvement of workers' conditions through collectively agreed
bargains."
[36]
In
Greys
Marine,
[30]
the
SCA correctly stated that "the exercise of public power
generally occurs on a continuum with no bright line marking the
transition from one form to another".
[37]
In
AAA
Investments
[31]
,
the Micro Finance Regulatory Council, whose existence and functioning
were recognised and approved by the Minister of Trade and
Industry,
played a regulatory role in supervising financial transactions. It
took on many of the features of an organ of state.
In a minority
analysis, concurring in the majority's order, O'Regan J determined
whether a private actor exercised public power
by asking whether the
decision is "coercive" in effect and whether the decision
is related to a "clear legislative
framework". Though the
majority took a different path, nothing in its judgment disavows the
more general significance of O'Regan
J's analysis.
[38]
In
the same article that Ms Kwinana relied on by Prof Mathenjwa
[32]
he explains that although the nature of the conduct and the source of
the power help determine whether an action qualifies as an
administrative action, classifying the actions of private entities
that are not governed by statutes as public powers remains complex.
While the definition appears to exclude private bodies—such as
churches exercising disciplinary authority—there is
still scope
to argue that certain regulatory bodies perform public functions.
Prof Mathenjwa concludes by saying:
[33]
"Furthermore,
the entrenchment of the just administrative act in the Constitution
entails that the private-sector disciplinary
tribunal, exercising
public power or performing a public function, is required to apply
the just-administrative clause. . . . The
Courts have applied PAJA in
instances where the private body is not exercising powers in terms of
any empowering legislation. Although
the court decision in the SAFA
case is welcomed in extending the application of PAJA to instances
where the conduct of a private
body is not based on any empowering
legislation but on the public interest, the determination of a public
function remains a challenge.
This gives the courts broader
discretion with regard to the determination of public function. A
conclusion can be drawn that, although
the disciplinary tribunals of
voluntary associations are regulated by their constitutions, the
court's adjudication of the decisions
of these bodies is considerably
transformed by the operation of the Constitution."
[39]
This
happened in
Ndoro,
[34]
where the court found that private organisations can sometimes
perform public functions, even if their power doesn't derive from
legislation. When this happens, their actions might be treated as
administrative action and subject to legal review. However, just
because a private entity sometimes exercises public power does not
mean that everything it does is a public function—it depends
on
the specific action or decision being made. The organisation must
have exclusive control over a function that affects the public
in a
compulsory or regulatory way rather than simply serving its own
private interests.
[40]
It is important to note that public power or public function are
flexible concepts that can change over time. However,
the case law
laid down some indicators to be considered holistically when
assessing whether a private institution is exercising
a public
function.
[41]
The
first is the source of the power, whether the power is derived from
legislation or rooted in legislation. In this case (like
in the
AAA
Investments
[35]
case), SAICA relied on their bylaws, meaning that its authority
originates from a contractual relationship rather than deriving
it
directly from legislation. However, it does serve a public function
of maintaining professional standards, which the state acknowledges
regulatory role in terms of the Chartered Accountant Designation
(Private) Act.
[36]
[42]
The nature of the disciplinary function is regulatory, enforcing
compliance with ethical and professional standards in
the accounting
profession. The nature of the power is similar to other public
authorities regulating and enforcing professional
conduct (such as
the Legal Practice Council). It resembles a state function and is
public in character.
[43]
Professional
accountability likewise has public significance – it ensures
that the public can trust that a person with the
designation of
"Chartered Accountant" complies with certain professional
and ethical standards. This extends beyond a
mere private contractual
relationship and moves into the realm of public interest.
[37]
SAICA fulfils a public duty.
[38]
[44]
While SAICA's decisions only bind is members, the fact that many
accountants are required to be SAICA members to use
the designation
of Chartered Accountant impacts access to professional opportunities
and thus has a coercive effect. This is further
reinforced by the
possibility for members to be expelled, significantly affecting their
livelihood, as with Ms Kwinana.
[45]
Taking into account all these considerations, SAICA's disciplinary
function is public in character. The next requirement
is whether the
decision was taken in terms of an empowering provision.
[46]
"Empowering provision" is broadly defined in section 1 of
PAJA as set out above. This includes any document
or instrument under
which an administrative action is purportedly taken. Such empowering
provisions may take various forms, including
the constitution of a
voluntary association or, in this case, the bylaws of SAICA. The
decision was made under the bylaws, and
thus in terms of an
empowering provision.
[47]
The
requirement that the decision has to adversely affect the rights of
Ms Kwinanae should be considered with the fourth requirement
of
"external legal effect". The SCA in
Greys
Marine Hout Bay (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Public Works
[39]
stated this requirement:
"probably
intended rather to convey that administrative action is action that
has the capacity to affect legal rights, the
two qualifications in
tandem serving to emphasise that administrative action impacts
directly and immediately on individuals."
[40]
[48]
SAICA's disciplinary findings resulted in certain sanctions that
deprived Ms Kwinana of the designation "Chartered
Accountant".
This decision affected her rights because it impacted her ability to
use the Chartered Accountant designation,
which carries professional
and financial consequences.
[49]
The
fourth requirement is whether it has an external legal effect. This
element speaks to the requirement that the decision must
be final
before it can be reviewed. It must impact an individual directly and
immediately. In this case, the decision had an external
legal
(understood broadly)
[41]
effect, precluding Ms Kwinana from holding certain offices. It thus
has, in my view, an external legal effect.
[50]
SAICA's disciplinary committee's decision, thus, complies with the
definition of "administrative action" in
terms of PAJA, and
therefore PAJA applies to this review.
# Was
Ms Kwinana obliged to bring her application in terms of PAJA?
Was
Ms Kwinana obliged to bring her application in terms of PAJA?
[51]
If PAJA is applicable, can Ms Kwinana bypass it and rely on common
law? Ms Kwinana, appealing to the so-called "pathways
of
review," asserts yes. She further submits that if SAICA wishes
for PAJA to apply, they must specify where she relies on
it. To
address this, it is necessary to outline the different pathways to
review.
[52]
The constitutionalisation of administrative justice and the enactment
of PAJA have shaped the various pathways available
for judicial
review in South African law. These pathways reflect the evolving
relationship between constitutional supremacy, statutory
regulation,
and common law principles in controlling public power.
[53]
There
are five primary routes for administrative law review: PAJA, Section
33 of the Constitution, special statutory review, the
principle of
legality, and the common law.
[42]
The first four paths relate to the review of an administrative action
(as per section 1 of PAJA) even if exercised by a private
entity,
while the last route is available for the review of a private power
that does not amount to an administrative action.
## Pathways
to review of public power
Pathways
to review of public power
[54]
Before
the constitutional era, administrative law was governed entirely by
the common law principles, with judicial review grounded
in ultra
vires and parliamentary sovereignty. However, since the adoption of
constitutional supremacy, the courts have clarified
that common law
no longer provides an independent cause of action for reviewing
public power.
[43]
Instead, it informs the interpretation of PAJA and applies directly
only to exercises of private power.
[44]
[55]
The
Constitutional Court has clarified that where PAJA applies (i.e.
exercise of public power), litigants must bring their cases
under
PAJA rather than relying on common-law grounds.
[45]
The principle of legality remains relevant only when the impugned
action falls outside PAJA's definition of administrative action.
[46]
[56]
Where
public power is exercised outside PAJA's definition of administrative
action, it remains reviewable under the constitutional
principle of
legality. This principle, rooted in constitutional supremacy and the
rule of law (section 1(c) of the Constitution),
ensures that all
exercises of public power must be lawful, rational, and not
arbitrary.
[47]
[57]
In
some instances, legislation other than PAJA provides for a special
statutory review mechanism that takes precedence over PAJA,
[48]
such as rulings from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and
Arbitration (CCMA) that should be reviewed under the Labour
Relations
Act
[49]
(LRA) instead of PAJA. This means that PAJA does not apply
universally and may be displaced where a specialised review framework
exists.
[58]
Lastly,
while section 33 of the Constitution guarantees just administrative
action, it is not a primary review pathway since PAJA
was enacted to
give effect to it. Courts have ruled that litigants cannot
bypass PAJA by invoking section 33 unless they
challenge PAJA's
constitutionality. However, direct constitutional review
remains possible in cases where PAJA does not
app
[50]
ly
or where PAJA itself is challenged for inconsistency with the
Constitution.
## Pathway
of review of private power
Pathway
of review of private power
[59]
These are, thus, the pathways to the review of
public
power.
What is the position today concerning the review of private power?
[60]
The
pre-1994 position allowed courts to review decisions of private
bodies, such as churches, sports clubs, and professional
associations,
based on fundamental principles of justice, natural
fairness, and good faith. These reviews typically stemmed from
contractual
obligations between members and the organisation.
However, the post-1994 legal framework, particularly the Constitution
and PAJA,
has also reshaped the basis for reviewing private
power.
[51]
[61]
A
key question in administrative law, and as pointed out in this case,
is whether private bodies performing functions that affect
the public
should be subjected to the same review standards as public bodies.
Courts have taken an expansive approach to public
power, holding that
private bodies with significant regulatory influence, such as sports
governing bodies like SAFA,
[52]
may be reviewed under PAJA. This suggests that the scope of private
administrative law is shrinking as more regulatory private
bodies are
brought under public law scrutiny.
[62]
Purely private functions, such as disciplinary decisions of sports
clubs, religious tribunals, or homeowners' associations,
fall outside
PAJA's scope and have traditionally been reviewed under contract law,
as membership in voluntary associations creates
contractual
obligations. However, courts have explored alternative grounds for
reviewing private power, including section 8(2)
of the Constitution,
which allows the Bill of Rights to apply to private actors in
appropriate cases. Under section 39(2), courts
can develop the common
law in line with constitutional values, ensuring that fairness,
rationality, and reasonableness remain relevant
when assessing
private power, even where PAJA does not apply.
[63]
This
was confirmed in
Klein
v Dainfern College
[53]
,
where the court confirmed that judicial review is not limited to
public power. Even when a private body does not exercise public
functions, its coercive actions can still be subject to judicial
scrutiny. However, such cases are reviewed under common law
principles.
[54]
[64]
Ultimately, there is a dual approach to reviewing private power:
Where private bodies exercise public functions, they
may be subject
to PAJA and administrative law principles, such as in this case.
Where purely private decisions are involved, judicial
review still
applies via common law, contractual obligations, and constitutional
influence under Section 39(2).
## Conclusion
on pathways
Conclusion
on pathways
[65]
Ms
Kwinana's submission that a litigant has a choice between PAJA and
the common law when the decision amounts to administrative
action is
incorrect. If a decision meets the definition of administrative
action under section 1 of PAJA, an applicant must rely
on PAJA, even
if a voluntary association took the decision. There is no residual
right to rely on the common law in such cases,
as established in
Bato
Star Fishing (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
.
[55]
Since PAJA is applicable, Ms Kwinana had to bring the case in terms
of PAJA.
# Conclusion
on the point in limine
Conclusion
on the point in limine
[66]
Based on the reasoning above, I agree with SAICA that when the
disciplinary tribunal made its decision, it did so as
a private
entity exercising a public power, namely regulating the accounting
profession. It does not matter that other institutions
have similar
powers; what matters is that the power it exercises complies with the
second part of the definition of "administrative
action",
as set out above.
[67]
This situation has certain implications, as noted by SAICA and
acknowledged by Ms Kwinana's legal representative during
the hearing.
Specifically, an application must be submitted within 180 days. This
application missed the deadline by two days,
and there was no section
9 application for condonation from the court or an attempt to obtain
an agreement from SAICA. This is
because Ms Kwinana brought the
application under the common law, maintaining that it was done within
a reasonable time frame. Nonetheless,
it appears that strict
adherence to the 180-day rule in this instance, where the application
was submitted two days late, may not
warrant strict compliance since
Ms Kwinana, albeit incorrectly, did not file the review under PAJA.
[68]
However, even if the court does not hold Ms Kwinana to the exact
180-day requirement, this does not assist her case.
On the merits, Ms
Kwinana's application still fails for reasons that will be elaborated
upon below. To understand Ms Kwinana's
grounds for review, it is
necessary first to provide a background of the procedure that was
followed.
The
disciplinary hearing
[69]
As explained in the introduction, the Zondo Commission found that
allegations of corruption and mismanagement characterised
Ms
Kwinana's tenure at SAA. Consequently, Ms Kwinana was summoned to
testify at the Zondo Commission. Her appearance resulted in
negative
publicity for her and SAICA, owing to her membership in SAICA. Some
of the Zondo Commission's findings indicated that
Ms Kwinana,
alongside Ms Dudu Myeni, inflicted damage on SAA, facilitated
acts of fraud and corruption within SAA and SAAT,
and engaged in
corrupt activities that benefited their preferred suppliers. Ms
Kwinana believes that the Zondo Commission addressed
the evidence in
a selective manner that aligns with the media's preconceived
narrative and the political fervour of the time. On
3 November 2020,
following the unfavourable media coverage, SAICA issued a notice
under their bylaws to Ms Kwinana, indicating
its intention to make a
public statement.
[70]
The findings also made serious allegations that SAICA felt duty-bound
to investigate as the custodian of the accountancy
profession. For
this reason, SAICA issued a notice to Ms Kwinana to attend a
Disciplinary Committee hearing, accompanied by a charge
sheet, on 28
March 2022. Initially, this charge sheet contained 14 charges, but
one was withdrawn later. The notice requested that
she file a
response to the charges by 19 April 2022, but she did not. She only
filed a plea of "not guilty" to all the
charges without
elaborating further.
[71]
Instead, her attorney addressed a letter to SAICA on 19 April 2022,
raising technical complaints against SAICA's procedures.
SAICA
responded to these complaints on 2 September 2022 and invited her
again to respond to the charge sheet by 30 September 2022,
which she
did not do.
[72]
On 26 August 2022, SAICA issued a further notice to Ms Kwinana,
informing her that the disciplinary proceedings were
scheduled for 26
and 27 October 2022 and 2 and 3 November 2022. Closer to the
disciplinary hearing, the chairperson issued directions
stating that
if Ms Kwinana sought a postponement of the hearing, her legal
representative must submit a formal postponement application
by the
end of the week, specifying the dates for an answer and a reply.
Should no application be delivered by the end of the week,
the
Disciplinary Committee would assume that the parties were prepared to
proceed on 26 October 2022. No postponement application
was
submitted.
[73]
Instead, Ms Kwinana's legal representative issued an objection to the
charge sheet and a formal objection against the
hearing, including
the argument that, since there was no proper complaint before SAICA,
no proper referral had been made to the
Disciplinary Committee.
[74]
The Disciplinary Committee heard oral submissions regarding these
objections on 26 October 2022. After considering them,
the committee
dismissed the objections, with the chairperson providing an ex
tempore ruling on the objections. It was then that
Ms Kwinana's legal
representative requested a postponement, stating that she did not
have sufficient time to review the documents
that SAICA intended to
use in the meeting, which were the same documents that formed the
basis of her evidence in November 2020
before the Zondo Commission.
[75]
The chairperson postponed the hearing for approximately four months
to February 2023, imposing a cost order against Ms
Kwinana for not
adhering to the chairperson's directives and for only applying for
the postponement after the objections to the
charge sheet had been
dismissed.
[76]
Some of the other procedural objections pertained to an application
to compel further and better particulars regarding
the provision of
documents cited in the charge sheet.
[77]
A week before the disciplinary hearing, a notice was sent to Ms
Kwinana to remind her of the hearing and to inform her
of a change of
venue – from SAICA's own offices to those of SAICA's attorneys.
On the day of the hearing, Ms Kwinana and
her attorney arrived late,
objecting to the venue, stating that it was not a neutral venue and
that the new location would disadvantage
her. After listening to her
objection, the chairperson said they would proceed with the venue for
the day. Ms Kwinana and her legal
representative left despite the
chairperson warning them of the consequences of leaving the
disciplinary hearing.
[78]
Despite the warning, Ms Kwinana did not return to the hearing, which
proceeded in her absence. Over five days, oral evidence
was presented
without her. Consequently, Ms Kwinana did not testify, call
witnesses, or cross-examine any of SAICA's witnesses.
In summary, she
did not present her version of the charges against her. After SAICA
closed its case, the chairperson delivered
a comprehensive written
decision sent to the parties on 13 March 2023.
[79]
Ms Kwinana asserts that her review application is founded on
common-law principles, contending that the disciplinary
proceedings
were procedurally unfair, irrational, and marred by bias. She further
submits that the decision was unlawful, as it
was based on flawed
evidence and improper charges. The application challenges the
decision on multiple grounds, alleging procedural
irregularities,
duplication of charges, lack of jurisdiction, and disproportionate
sanctions.
# Appeal
versus review
Appeal
versus review
[80]
Some of Ms Kwinana's complaints are appeals on merit rather than a
review. A review of a disciplinary hearing is not
an appeal on the
merits. The court must ensure that in reaching the decision or
exercising the discretions granted, the decision-makers
are kept
within their mandate and exercise their functions in compliance with
the law. The question is not whether the decision-maker
made the
correct decision, but rather whether the decision taken was a legal
decision.
[81]
Review
is about "how" the decision was taken. Of course, the
distinction is not clear cut, as assessing an administrative
action
based on reasonableness or mistake of fact or law inevitably requires
delving into the merits of a case.
[56]
Still, Froneman J in
Carephone
(Pty) Ltd v Marcus NO
[57]
warned that the distinction between review and appeal remains. He
continues:
"In
determining whether administrative action is justifiable in terms of
the reasons given for it, value judgments will have
to be made which
will, almost inevitably, involve the consideration of the 'merits' of
the matter in some way or another. As long
as the judge determining
this issue is aware that he or she enters the merits not in order to
substitute his or her own opinion
on the correctness thereof, but to
determine whether the outcome is rationally justifiable, the process
will be in order."
[82]
Thus, the purpose for which the courts engage with the merits of an
administrative action is limited to ascertaining
whether the decision
falls within what could legally be taken, not whether it is the
correct or best decision. This poses considerable
challenges for Ms
Kwinana's review.
[83]
The challenges stems from the fact that she chose not to attend the
disciplinary hearings and place her objections on
the record. In many
instances, she uses the review grounds to raise her objections.
[84]
Of
course, Ms Kwinana was at liberty not to attend the disciplinary
inquiry. However, this comes with the inevitable consequence
she must
bear when adverse findings are made against her. In the context of
labour law, the Supreme Court of Appeal in
Old
Mutual Life Assurance Co SA Ltd v Gumbi
[58]
made it clear that if an employee does not take the opportunity
offered to attend a hearing, the employer's decision cannot be
challenged on the bases of procedural unfairness.
[85]
Thus, this court of review is restricted to answering whether the
disciplinary committee's decision is justifiable based
on the reasons
they gave (the how) based on the available evidence before it. If the
only evidence and version before it is that
of SAICA, then such a
review is limited.
# A
PAJA review of the merits
A
PAJA review of the merits
[86]
The
difficulty that the court faces regarding reviewing the merits is
that, having found in favour of SAICA on the point in limine
that
PAJA is applicable, on what basis must the court review the merits?
In other words, the court cannot find on the point in
limine that
PAJA is applicable and then review the merits based on the common law
because the applicant has wrongly relied on the
common law. Case law
also requires an application for review to set out the grounds relied
upon. The
Bato
Star
[59]
matter is instructive in this regard, where the court stated:
"Where
a litigant relies upon a statutory provision, it is not necessary to
specify it, but it must be clear from the facts
alleged by the
litigant that the section is relevant and operative. I am prepared to
assume, in favour of the applicant, for the
purposes of this case,
that its failure to identify with any precision the provisions of
PAJA upon which it relied is not fatal
to its cause of action.
However, it must be emphasised that it is desirable for litigants who
seek to review administrative action
to identify clearly both the
facts upon which they base their cause of action, and the legal basis
of their cause of action."
[87]
Recently,
the Constitutional Court in
Eskom
Holdings SOC Ltd v Vaal River Development Association (Pty) Ltd
[60]
stated:
"It
matters not even if the Ngwathe residents have not specifically
alleged that one of the grounds of review will be that
Eskom took its
decision for an ulterior purpose. Although ordinarily parties must be
held to their pleadings, courts must not be
dogmatic about this. Just
under a century ago Innes CJ held in Robinson :
'The
object of pleading is to define the issues; and parties will be
kept strictly to their pleas where any departure would
cause
prejudice or would prevent full enquiry. But within those limits the
Court has a wide discretion. For pleadings are made
for the Court,
not the Court for pleadings. And where a party has had every facility
to place all the facts before the trial Court
and the investigation
into all the circumstances has been as thorough and as patient as in
this instance, there is no justification
for interference by an
appellate tribunal, merely because the pleading of the opponent has
not been as explicit as it might have
been.'
The
Lekwa residents characterise this as a rationality issue. They plead
that it is irrational of Eskom to reduce the electricity
supply in an
attempt to force Lekwa Municipality to pay its debt. Based on this,
they then say the means chosen by Eskom are not
rationally connected
to the purpose sought to be achieved. That is plainly a case founded
on section 6(2)(f)(ii) of PAJA."
[88]
Ms
Kwinana does not always plead the grounds of review with sufficient
particularity where specific issues are raised. It was indicated
in
the heads of argument that she relies on the concept of rationality
to attack the decision of the disciplinary hearing, even
though she
relies on rationality in terms of common law – it being that
the decision must be rational in relation to the
evidence that was
before the tribunal.
[61]
She also indicates what objections she has against the procedure. The
review on the merits will subsequently be a PAJA review.
I will show
how the rules of natural justice are reflected in PAJA.
[62]
[89]
The
rules of natural justice as articulated in
Turner
v Jockey Club of South Africa
[63]
and
subsequent case law are fundamental principles of justice that govern
decision-making by domestic tribunals, professional bodies,
and other
non-judicial forums. These principles ensure that decisions affecting
individuals' rights, privileges, or professional
standing are made
fairly, honestly, and rationally.
[90]
From
Turner
v Jockey Club of South Africa
[64]
and other authorities, it is clear that natural justice does not
impose rigid, court-like procedures on domestic tribunals. Still,
it
does require minimum standards of fairness and rational
decision-making. The scope of natural justice depends on the nature
of the tribunal, the complexity of the issues, and the severity of
the consequences for the affected individual.
[91]
In
National
Horseracing Authority
,
[65]
the court stated the following regarding natural justice:
"[8]
In Turner v Jockey Club of South Africa
1974 (3) SA 633
at 646 Botha
JA dealt in detail with the concept of the fundamental principles of
justice which are applicable and which arise
from the express and
implied terms of the agreement between the Jockey Club and those that
are bound by that agreement. The learned
judge of appeal observed : -
"What
the fundamental principles of justice are which underlie our system
of law, and which are to be read as tacitly included
in the
respondent's rules, have never been exhaustively defined and are not
altogether clear. In
Russell v Duke of Norfolk and Others
,
(1949) 1 All E.R. 109
, Lord TUCKER said at p. 118 that -
"The
requirements of natural justice must depend on the circumstances of
the case, the nature of the enquiry, the rules under
which the
tribunal is acting, the subject matter that is being dealt with, and
so forth. Accordingly, I do not derive much assistance
from the
definitions of natural justice which have been from time to time
used, but, whatever standard is adopted, one essential
is that the
person concerned should have a reasonable opportunity of presenting
his case."
The
principles of natural justice do not require a domestic tribunal to
follow the procedure and to apply the technical rules of
evidence
observed in a court of law, but they do require such a tribunal to
adopt a procedure which would afford the person charged
a proper
hearing by the tribunal, and an opportunity of producing his evidence
and of correcting or contradicting any prejudicial
statement or
allegation made against him […]. The tribunal is required to
listen fairly to both sides and to observe "the
principles of
fair play" […]. In addition to what may be described as
the procedural requirements, the fundamental
principles of justice
require a domestic tribunal to discharge its duties honestly and
impartially […]. They require also
that the tribunal's finding
of the facts on which its decision is to be based shall be "fair
and bona fide" […].
It is, in other words, "under an
obligation to act honestly and in good faith […]”
[9]
The learned judge dealt with an interesting submission which had been
made by the appellant's counsel as follows : -
"Counsel
for the appellant contended that these requirements postulate more
than honesty and good faith, and that no decision
of a domestic
tribunal should be sustained unless it is fair and reasonable in the
sense that there was evidence on which a reasonable
man, acting
fairly and bona fide, could have arrived at that decision. Counsel
for the respondent strenuously resisted this proposition.
It is,
however, in view of my conclusions on the other alleged grounds upon
which the conviction and sentence are sought to be
set aside,
unnecessary to decide this point."
[10]
As the learned judge of appeal observed the concept of the
fundamental principles of justice as applicable to domestic tribunals
is an elastic concept and I would hasten to say that this would
depend upon the nature of the hearing, the complexity or otherwise
of
the matters in dispute before the particular tribunal.”
[92]
Part
of the requirement that a person should have a reasonable opportunity
to present their case implies that they should have access
to the
evidence against them, be allowed to challenge it, submit their own
evidence, and call witnesses in their defence. This
enables the
person to correct or contradict prejudicial statements made against
them.
[66]
[93]
These principles or rules are subsumed in PAJA in section 3 and are
grounds for review in section 6(2)(c). These sections
set out in
detail what fairness demands.
[94]
Section
3(2)(b)
[67]
sets out specific requirements for a procedurally fair hearing. What
is fair will depend on the circumstances of each case.
[68]
In general, when assessing fairness in procedures, it should be
remembered that administrative decision-makers are not courts of
law,
and it is not necessary for them to adopt the strict rules of
procedures as in courts.
[69]
Even in disciplinary tribunals, the technical rules of evidence do
not need to be complied with.
[70]
Arguably, in cases where expert witnesses testify and credibility
assessments are required, the expectation of procedural rigour
is
higher than in a simple disciplinary infraction hearing. A tribunal
must allow the affected party to engage meaningfully with
expert
testimony and ensure that its credibility findings are explained and
based on the available evidence.
[95]
The first requirement in section 3(2)(b) is that adequate notice must
be given for the intended action, with "adequate"
being
relative to the circumstances of the case. A person must also be
given a reasonable opportunity to make representations before
making
a decision. Being allowed to make representations does not imply that
all the representations will be accepted. However,
as an essential
ingredient to the audi alterem partem principle, representations are
made to influence the outcome of the decision
since the
decision-maker can hear and consider all points of view.
[96]
Once the decision is taken, the next requirement is that there must
be a clear statement of the administrative action
that sets out what
was decided, who the decision-makers were and on what legal and
factual basis the decision was taken. This is
to enable an affected
person to launch an appeal or review.
[97]
Another
essential component of natural justice is the rule that no one should
be a judge in their own cause. As set out in
President
of the Republic of South Africa and Others v South African Rugby
Football Union
,
[71]
the test for bias objective and that the apprehension of a reasonable
person (of bias) must be assessed in the light of the true
facts as
they emerge. The court stated that “[t]he question is whether a
reasonable, objective and informed person would
on the correct facts
reasonably apprehend that the judge has not or will not bring an
impartial mind to bear on the adjudication
of the case, that is a
mind open to persuasion by the evidence and the submissions of
counsel”.
[72]
[98]
In
Dabner
v SA Railways and Harbours
,
[73]
the court affirmed that a tribunal must act honestly and impartially,
ensuring its decisions are free from prejudgment or undue
influence.
Turner
v Jockey Club of South Africa
[74]
further emphasises that a tribunal must "listen fairly to both
sides and observe the principles of fair play". In
Jockey
Club of SA v Transvaal Racing Club
,
[75]
the court held that a tribunal must base its findings on "fair
and bona fide" facts.
[99]
Bias may be actual (where the decision-maker has a direct interest in
the outcome) or perceived (where circumstances
create a reasonable
apprehension of bias). A finding of bias may be based on the personal
interest of the decision-maker in the
outcome, a procedural
irregularity that creates an appearance of unfairness or the
tribunal's composition or manner of conducting
proceedings that
suggests partiality.
[100]
The
rule against bias is incorporated in section 6(2)(a)(iii) of PAJA. If
an administrator prejudges a decision and thus fails to
approach the
decision with an open mind, the decision is reviewable. Likewise, if
the administrator created the impression, perception,
apprehension or
suspicion in the eyes of a reasonable person, on reasonable
grounds,
[76]
that they might be biased, the decision may be reviewed.
[101]
The
court in
Turner
[77]
stated that a further ingredient in natural justice is that a
decision must be reasonable and made in good faith.
National
Horse Racing Authority
included
the concept of “rationality”.
[78]
The court found that a decision must be based on reasonable grounds
rather than arbitrariness or personal preference and that it
must be
defensible when assessed against objective legal standards. A
tribunal's decision must thus bear a rational connection
to the
evidence before it. This common law principle has been confirmed in
Trinity
Broadcasting (Ciskei) v Independent Communications Authority of South
Africa
,
[79]
post PAJA, and incorporated in PAJA.
[102]
Rationality (as an element of reasonableness) is reviewable under
PAJA section 6(2)(f)(ii) if:
"the
action itself is not rationally connected to –
(aa)
the purpose for which it was taken;
(bb)
the purpose of the empowering provision;
(cc)
the information before the administrator; or
(dd)
the reasons given for it by the administrator."
[103]
The purpose of the decision should align with the objectives of the
relevant legislation, and if it does not it may
be set aside for
ulterior purposes. Similarly, if a decision is made under an
empowering provision but pursues a different, unauthorised
objective,
it would be irrational. The information before the decision-maker
must support the decision, meaning the factual material
and findings
must logically lead to the conclusion reached. Finally, the reasons
for the decision must also align with the actual
decision, ensuring
transparency and accountability in administrative action. The
decision may be legally irrational and subject
to review if any of
these connections are missing.
# A
review of Ms Kwinana's complaints
A
review of Ms Kwinana's complaints
[104]
With this background, it is possible to turn to Ms Kwinana's
objections.
## Evidence
disclosed late
Evidence
disclosed late
[105]
Ms Kwinana's first complaint regarding the process is that the
evidence was only disclosed late. She submits that SAICA
provided
3,670 pages of documents only seven working days before the hearing,
significantly prejudicing her ability to prepare
a defence. SAICA
disputes this, stating that she had several months to respond to the
allegations and was given an opportunity
to seek a postponement,
which she did not meaningfully pursue. SAICA also clarified that it
relied on the same witnesses and the
same documents that served
before the Zondo commission, as well as Ms Kwinana's own evidence
given under oath.
[106]
Section 3(2)(b)(ii) of PAJA requires that the person affected by
administrative action must be given a reasonable opportunity
to make
representation. For representations to be meaningful, the affected
person must know what will inform the decision-making.
What is fair,
as explained above, is a contextual question. On the facts, Ms
Kwinana received the charges well ahead of time and
had ample time to
prepare. She had knowledge of all documents that were to serve before
the disciplinary hearing. She had an opportunity
to ask for a
postponement. In fact, when she did ask for a postponement the first
time, albeit belatedly, it was granted.
## Failure
to subpoena witnesses and provide her with further particulars
Failure
to subpoena witnesses and provide her with further particulars
[107]
Ms Kwinana further submits that SAICA failed to subpoena key
witnesses despite her requesting it. She also states that
she was not
provided with further particulars despite asking for it. SAICA
contends that it has no power to subpoena witnesses
and that she had
the opportunity to call her own witnesses but failed to do so. SAICA
also states that they are not obliged to
provide further particulars
in a disciplinary hearing. Despite not being obliged to, they
provided her with the documents.
[108]
Section 3 of PAJA governs procedural fairness in general, and seen in
light of the whole of section 3, it should be
reiterated that Ms
Kwinana was not denied an opportunity to challenge the case against
her. Section 3(3)(ii) gives persons affected
the right to present and
dispute information and arguments. Failure to subpoena witnesses and
provide further particulars can be
seen as restricting Ms Kwinana's
ability to dispute SAICA's evidence and to present her case
effectively but Ms Kwinana was not
denied an opportunity to present
and dispute information – she had a right to call witnesses and
challenge evidence during
the hearing and chose not to do so. SAICA
is not obligated to provide further particulars due to the nature of
the hearing, nor
do they have the power to subpoena witnesses. Ms
Kwinana's case falls on the fact that she could attend the hearing
and raise the
issues in the hearing, but also interrogate the
evidence and call her own witnesses. Her failure to do so does not
create grounds
for review.
## SAICA
did not follow the procedures as set out in their bylaws
SAICA
did not follow the procedures as set out in their bylaws
[109]
Related to the above is the claim that SAICA did not provide an
opportunity to respond to the allegations before formal
charges were
laid, thereby denying her the right to be heard. SAICA submits that
their bylaws do not require a pre-charge hearing
and that her right
to a fair hearing was fully upheld in the disciplinary process –
she chose to be absent.
[110]
This links to a technical and long argument that Ms Kwinana made
regarding the interpretation of the 2011 bylaws under
which she was
charged. She states that SAICA failed to conduct an independent
investigation before charging her. She contends that
because
prima
facie
evidence existed, SAICA was required to first refer the
matter for further investigation rather than proceeding directly to a
disciplinary
hearing. SAICA, on the other hand, submits that prima
facie evidence was sufficient to establish a prima facie case,
justifying
the initiation of disciplinary proceedings without a
separate investigation.
[111]
Central to this dispute is the distinction in the bylaws between
"prima facie evidence" and a "prima
facie case."
Ms Kwinana contends that the presence of prima facie evidence meant
that SAICA should have followed the procedural
requirements in the
2011 Bylaws, which required the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC)
to evaluate whether a prima facie case
of misconduct existed before
disciplinary charges could be laid. SAICA, however, asserts that the
Designated Disciplinary Officer
(DDO) had the discretion to determine
whether the prima facie evidence was already sufficient to establish
a case against the applicant,
allowing SAICA to proceed directly to
disciplinary action without an additional investigation.
[112]
Ms Kwinana submits that SAICA failed to adhere to this process by not
referring her case to the PCC for further assessment.
Instead, SAICA
relied solely on the findings of the Zondo Commission, treating them
as conclusive rather than subjecting them to
further scrutiny. If
SAICA had complied with Bylaw 19.1, the PCC would have evaluated
whether the evidence was strong enough to
warrant formal charges
before initiating disciplinary proceedings.
[113]
SAICA maintains that it was not required to conduct an additional
investigation where sufficient prima facie evidence
already existed.
SAICA relies on its disciplinary procedures, which allow the DDO to
proceed with charges if satisfied that there
is enough evidence to
sustain them. In this case, SAICA determined that the Zondo
Commission's findings provided sufficient grounds
to move directly to
a hearing.
[114]
PAJA
lawfulness section 6(2)(b) deals with the failure to comply with
procedural requirements. In common law, this is referred to
as
jurisdictional facts, which are facts that must exist for the
administrator to have jurisdiction to act. Ms Kwinana thus states
that because there was no investigation as per the bylaws, the
disciplinary committee could not hear the matter. However, procedural
requirements in empowering provisions should not be assessed
formalistically. In
Allpay
Consolidated Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd v Chief Executive Officer,
South African Social Security Agency
,
[80]
the Constitutional Court stated that a two-step approach must be
followed when reviewing an alleged irregularity. Firstly, to
establish whether factually an irregularity occurred, and secondly,
whether the irregularity is material regarded in terms of the
purpose
of the provision. This is a contextual question as to whether the
purpose of the provision was met, rather than whether
every
procedural step has been followed to the letter. Thus, even if, per
the bylaws, the PCC had to investigate (which I am not
making a
finding on), the purpose of such an investigation is overtaken by the
seriousness of the allegations and the thoroughness
with which the
disciplinary hearing was conducted.
[115]
The complaint is dwarfed even further when considering that under
PAJA review principles, a court must assess whether
the entire
administrative process was fair, reasonable, and lawful rather than
isolating specific procedural missteps. This impacts
her submission
in two ways. Firstly, PAJA does not permit courts to set aside
administrative action for minor procedural errors
unless they
materially affected the fairness of the entire process. Thus, even if
SAICA bypassed the PCC, the central question
is whether this omission
undermined the fairness of the disciplinary process as a whole. In
this context, SAICA argues that the
disciplinary hearing provided a
fair opportunity for Ms Kwinana to contest the allegations. They are
correct. Courts are generally
reluctant to intervene where the final
stage of the process—such as a hearing—remedied prior
procedural defects. I
agree. The lack of a PCC referral will not
constitute a material procedural irregularity if the hearing was
robust and procedurally
sound.
## Reliance
on the Zondo commission report
Reliance
on the Zondo commission report
[116]
Ms
Kwinana further persisted that SAICA relied too heavily on the
findings of the Zondo Commission. She submits that the findings
of
the Zondo Commission are currently under review in the High
Court,
[81]
and SAICA's decision improperly adopted these findings without
independent verification. Her concern is further that public
perception,
particularly following the findings of the Zondo
Commission, had influenced the outcome of the proceedings. She
suggested that
media pressure and reputational concerns had shaped
SAICA's approach, thereby undermining the fairness of the process.
[117]
SAICA disagrees, stating that the pending review of the Zondo
Commission's report does not render its findings void—they
remain credible and valid unless and until set aside. There was a
full disciplinary process independent of the Commission. They
assert
that Ms Kwinana had every opportunity to challenge the evidence
during the disciplinary process but chose to withdraw from
the
hearing instead.
[118]
SAICA repeat that the two processes are distinct. The two processes
encompass different legal implications, each standing
or falling on
its own merits. In other words, even if the Commission's findings are
overturned on review, the findings of the disciplinary
hearing remain
unaffected. The chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee dismissed
this objection and provided reasons for such
dismissal. SAICA, in any
case, maintains that the findings of the Zondo commission are not
reviewable under administrative action
and are merely a precursor to
further action.
[119]
Section 6(2)(f)(ii)(cc) of PAJA requires that an administrative
action must be rationally connected to the evidence
before the
decision-maker. For Ms Kwinana to succeed with her argument, she must
show that SAICA adopted the Zondo Commission's
findings without
independently verifying them.
[120]
Having considered the entire disciplinary process, including the
hearing and the reasons for the decision, SAICA may
have used the
Zondo Commission report as an initial reference, but it conducted its
own independent investigation and disciplinary
proceedings. The
disciplinary hearing was a comprehensive evidentiary process,
standing on its own merits, and provided Ms Kwinana
with a full
opportunity to interrogate and challenge the evidence, which included
findings of the Zondo report. However, she did
not make use of this
opportunity. Review proceedings cannot serve as a means to revisit
opportunities that were available but not
exercised.
## Bias
Bias
[121]
Ms Kwinana raises various issues that fall under the "bias"
heading. Firstly, she submits that the disciplinary
hearing was moved
to the offices of SAICA's attorneys (ENS Africa), which she argues
created a reasonable apprehension of bias,
as the legal
representatives prosecuting her controlled the venue. SAICA states
that the venue change was administrative and did
not compromise
fairness or independence. She only raised this issue at the last
minute before walking out of the proceedings.
[122]
Suffice it to say, at this stage, that a change in venue per se does
not indicate bias. While that might contribute
to a perception of
bias, Ms Kwinana would have to demonstrate why the venue change is
biased, which she did not do.
[123]
Secondly, Ms Kwinana also raised the issue of institutional
independence, submitting that the chairperson of the disciplinary
committee was not independent from SAICA. She claimed that the
chairperson's appointment process and tenure renewal structure
compromised impartiality. Specifically, she contended that the
chairperson was a "tendered panellist" whose continued
appointment depended on SAICA's Designated Disciplinary Officer (DDO)
recommendations. She claimed this created a structural bias
in favour
of SAICA, as the chairperson would have a professional incentive to
align with SAICA's prosecutorial position to secure
reappointment.
[124]
Additionally, Ms Kwinana asserted that the role of the DDO created an
unfair conflation of functions, as the DDO was
responsible for
initiating disciplinary proceedings and recommending the composition
of the disciplinary panel. She contended that
this violated the
nemo
iudex in sua causa
principle, as the prosecutor effectively
influenced the selection of the adjudicating panel.
[125]
Firslty, Ms Kwinana, by becoming a member of SAICA, accepted the
bylaws, which include how the disciplinary committee
will be
composed. Of course, that does not take away her right to raise the
issue of bias, it just indicates that the rules of
SAICA have
specific provisions for the composition of the disciplinary committee
and the appointment of the chairperson, which
is not per se bias.
[126]
At
common law, institutional bias occurs when a tribunal's structure or
decision-making process inherently creates a reasonable
apprehension
of bias rather than bias stemming from an individual adjudicator's
personal predisposition. The case law discussed
by Hoexter
[82]
suggests that not all institutional influence amounts to
disqualifying bias. For example, in
Dumbu
v Commissioner of Prisons
,
[83]
the court found institutional bias where the presiding officer had
actively suppressed the grievances of the disciplined employees.
Similarly, in
Council
of Review, South African Defence Force v Mönnig
,
[84]
the court recognised that military officers presiding over a trial
concerning loyalty to the military institution created a structural
conflict of interest. This is not such a case. There is no indication
that the chairperson had any prior involvement in matters
concerning
Ms Kwinana nor that the tribunal's structure created a conflict of
interest so pronounced as to compromise his impartiality.
[127]
Section 6(2)(a)(iii) of PAJA incorporated the rule against bias. The
common law test remains: a "real likelihood
of bias" or a
"reasonable suspicion of bias". What is required is that
the affected individual must prove the appearance
of partiality. Ms
Kwinana did not cross this hurdle.
[128]
SAICA's
structure, as a self-regulating professional body, does not
automatically render its disciplinary proceedings institutionally
biased.
[85]
Regulatory bodies often oversee disciplinary matters concerning their
members, and a predisposition to uphold professional integrity
does
not inherently indicate bias. A disciplinary hearing is not a
criminal trial, and the issue of bias should be viewed in the
framework of a self-regulatory body tasked with upholding the
profession's integrity.
[86]
[129]
For Ms Kwinana's claim to succeed, she must demonstrate that the
chairperson's dependence on SAICA for reappointment
created a real or
perceived lack of impartiality or that the designated disciplinary
official's dual role effectively resulted
in prosecutorial influence
over the adjudicative process. She did not convince the court that a
reasonable, objective and informed
person would not, on the correct
facts, reasonably apprehend that the chairperson would not bring an
impartial mind to the disciplinary
hearing. Without concrete evidence
of such (this was not raised in the founding affidavit, and no
evidence was provided either),
the claim of institutional bias fails.
## SAICA
does not have the jurisdiction to charge her on the grounds they
charged her with
SAICA
does not have the jurisdiction to charge her on the grounds they
charged her with
[130]
Ms
Kwinana contends that the charges against her are duplicative and
artificially inflate the allegations' severity. She further
argues
that SAICA exceeded its jurisdiction, as several charges pertain to
her role as an executive at SAA and SAAT rather than
her professional
conduct as a Chartered Accountant. It should be noted that this was
not pleaded in her founding affidavit, and
thus, a discussion of this
point is in the interest of addressing all the points raised in
argument. This does not detract from
case law, which clearly states
that it is not for the applicant to make out a case in reply or
argument.
[87]
[131]
SAICA maintains that the charges are properly formulated, each
addressing distinct instances of misconduct rather than
duplicating
allegations. It asserts that membership in SAICA binds individuals to
professional and ethical standards, even in non-accounting
roles, and
that her actions at SAA and SAAT directly implicate her professional
integrity. SAICA further submits that professional
misconduct is not
limited to technical accounting work and that ethical breaches in
leadership positions fall within its jurisdiction.
[132]
Firstly,
the court notes that Ms Kwinana, by becoming a member of SAICA,
agreed to the bylaws. Nowhere has she attacked the bylaws
for being
unlawful. She is thus bound by it. That includes being bound by the
jurisdiction of the disciplinary committee. If she
was of the opinion
that SAICA did not have the jurisdiction to charge her with the
offences, she was obliged to raise that in the
proceedings.
[88]
The submission is, in any case, completely untenable.
[133]
Moreover,
the code of conduct includes punishable conduct for services rendered
in any office of trust. Being a director is such
an office of
trust.
[89]
## Double
jeopardy argument
Double
jeopardy argument
[134]
Ms Kwinana asserts that the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors
(IRBA) had already investigated the same allegations
against her in
2017 and found no sufficient grounds for action. She contends that
SAICA's disciplinary proceedings constitute double
jeopardy, as they
amount to a second prosecution for already assessed and dismissed
conduct.
[135]
This submission cannot succeed for two reasons. First, IRBA and SAICA
are distinct regulatory bodies, with IRBA overseeing
auditors and
SAICA regulating chartered accountants. Second, double jeopardy
presupposes a prior adjudication of guilt or innocence.
Since IRBA
did not lay charges against Ms. Kwinana, no such determination was
ever made; thus, the double jeopardy principle does
not apply.
## Set
aside policy
Set
aside policy
[136]
Regarding her involvement in the Set-Aside Policy at SAAT, Ms Kwinana
maintains that the policy was lawfully implemented
to promote
transformation and that SAICA misrepresented its legitimacy under
South African procurement law. She further contends
that no evidence
connects her to any personal financial gain from procurement
decisions. SAICA counters this defence, arguing that
the Set-Aside
Policy was misused to circumvent competitive bidding procedures,
leading to irregular procurement practices. While
it does not claim
that she personally benefitted financially, SAICA asserts that she
enabled systemic non-compliance with procurement
regulations, thereby
breaching professional and ethical obligations.
[137]
This is not grounds for review but an attempt at an appeal, as it
raises the question of whether the chairperson's decision
was
correct.
## Excessive
sanctions
Excessive
sanctions
[138]
Finally, Ms. Kwinana submits that the sanctions imposed by SAICA were
excessive, highlighting her expulsion, the R6.1
million fine, and the
costs order. She contends that these penalties were punitive rather
than corrective. SAICA, however, defends
the disciplinary outcome,
stating that her actions undermined public trust in the profession,
justifying her expulsion. It further
argues that the fine was
proportionate to the seriousness of the breaches and that the costs
order was necessary to prevent members
from delaying disciplinary
proceedings with meritless challenges.
[139]
This might be grounds for review under section 6(2)(h) because the
action is so unreasonable that no reasonable person
could have
exercised their power that way. The sanctions must be proportionate
to the conduct. There is, however, no evidence that
the sanctions
were excessively punitive compared to similar cases. Her conduct was
serious, and there is nothing to suggest that
the tribunal's conduct
was so unreasonable that the court must interfere.
## Conclusion
Conclusion
[140]
Ms Kwinana’s review on the merits, thus, also fails.
Application
to strike out
[141]
Lastly, Ms Kwinana also seeks an order striking out portions of the
respondents' answering affidavit and heads of argument
because they
contain inadmissible, irrelevant, or prejudicial material. The
respondents oppose this application, submitting that
the impugned
portions are relevant to the issues before this court and form part
of the factual and legal matrix necessary for
determining the review
application.
[142]
It is trite that an application to strike out is an exceptional
remedy, granted only where the material sought to be
struck is
scandalous, vexatious, or irrelevant and where its continued
inclusion in the record would cause prejudice to the applicant.
rule
6(15) provides that a court may strike out a matter which is
"scandalous, vexatious or irrelevant," but only if
the
court is satisfied that the applicant will be prejudiced if the
material remains on record.
[143]
The test for relevance is whether the material in question has a
bearing on the issues in dispute. The applicant contends
that certain
references in the answering affidavit and heads of argument cast
aspersions on her character and are prejudicial to
her case. However,
a review of the impugned portions reveals that they primarily concern
the background of the disciplinary proceedings,
the findings of the
Zondo Commission, and the procedural history of the matter. These are
all issues central to the court's determination
of the review
application and cannot be considered extraneous or prejudicial in the
legal sense.
[144]
Moreover, the applicant has not demonstrated how the continued
presence of these passages in the record would cause
her any actual
prejudice in adjudicating the review. The fact that specific
averments may be unfavourable to the applicant does
not render them
vexatious or inadmissible. To the extent that the applicant disputes
the accuracy of any of the allegations, the
proper course would have
been to address these in reply rather than to seek their wholesale
removal from the record.
[145]
Having considered the application and the nature of the impugned
material, the court is not satisfied that the applicant
has met the
threshold required for striking out. The application accordingly
stands to be dismissed.
Conclusion
[146]
This judgment has carefully and comprehensively considered Ms
Kwinana's review application, ensuring a fair and thorough
assessment. Ultimately, Ms Kwinana undermined her position by
choosing to leave the disciplinary hearing. That was the appropriate
forum to challenge SAICA's evidence and present her version of
events. In the absence of her participation, the committee was left
with credible and comprehensive evidence untested by any contrary
account. As a result, her prospects of success in this review
were
significantly diminished from the outset—a consequence for
which she must bear responsibility.
[147]
The general principle in review proceedings is that costs follow the
result, meaning an unsuccessful applicant is ordinarily
required to
pay the respondent's costs. While the court has considered that she
raised concerns about limited resources for legal
representation,
this does not absolve her from the consequences of litigation she
chose to pursue. The appropriate order is thus
that costs should
follow the result, and Ms Kwinana is to bear the costs of this
application, including the costs of two counsel,
where applicable.
The matter was complex, and the papers voluminous, warranting costs
on scale B.
## Order
Order
[148]
The following order is made:
1.
The application to strike out is dismissed.
2.
The review application is dismissed.
3.
The applicant is ordered to pay the costs, including the costs of two
counsel, to be taxed on scale B.
WJ
du Plessis
Judge
of the High Court Gauteng Division, Pretoria
Heard
on:
21
– 23 January 2025
Decided
on:
12
March 2025
For
the Applicants:
L
Mbanjwa, attorney with right of appearance
For
the Respondents:
D
Smit and S Lindazwe instructed by Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Inc
[1]
Report
of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture: Part 1:
vol 1:
at
445.
[2]
Act 3 of 2000.
[3]
Commissioner,
South African Revenue Service v Sasol Chevron Holdings Limited
[2022] ZASCA 56
; 2022 JDR 0978 (SCA) at para 42.
[4]
Section 9 provides that: “(1) The period of—. . .
(b)
90 days or 180 days referred to in sections 5 and 7 may be extended
for a fixed period, by agreement between the parties or,
failing
such agreement, by a court or tribunal on application by the person
or administrator concerned. (2) The court or tribunal
may grant an
application in terms of subsection (1) where the interests of
justice so require.”
[5]
[2005] JOL 14042 (SCA).
[6]
[2022] ZAGPJHC 710.
[7]
67 of 1993, section 1.
[8]
67 of 1993.
[9]
[2009] ZAKZHC 7
; ;2010 (3) 182 (N) at para 6.
[10]
1974 (3) SA 633 (A).
[11]
Hoexter & Penfold
Administrative
law in South Africa
(2021)
at 163.
[12]
Hoexter & Penfold
Administrative
law in South Africa
(2021)
at 165 – 166.
[13]
[2005]
ZAGPHC 102
;
2006 (3) SA 73
(T) at para 24.
[14]
MJ Mathenjwa “Judicial review of decisions of disciplinary
tribunals of voluntary association: the post-1994 interpretation”
(2017)
Obiter
at
1 – 14.
[15]
[2009] ZAKZHC 7
; 2010 (3) 182 (N) at para 6.
[16]
Greys
Marine Hout Bay (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Public Works
[2005] ZASCA 43
;
2005 (6) SA 313
(SCA);
2005 (10) BCLR 931
(SCA)
referencing paras 22 – 24.
[17]
[2006]
ZACC 9
;
2007 (1) SA 343
CC; 2006 (11) BCLR 1255 (CC).
[18]
Ms Kwinana, however, disputes that SAICA regulates the whole
accounting profession, as there are other bodies that one can join
to practice as a chartered accountant. The case is also
distinguishable, she says, because the issue in AAA was the
rule-making
of the Micro Finance Regulatory Council and the nature
of the council. It was re-iterated in that case that the Council
functions
by ministerial notice, which is absent in this case. For
that reason, Ms Kwinana states, AAA Investments is not good
authority
for SAICA’s proposition that it fulfils a public
function when disciplining its members.
[19]
[2009] ZAKZHC 7
; 2010 (3) 182 (N) at para 6.
[20]
[2009] ZAKZHC 6
; 2010 (3) 182 (N) at para 23.
[21]
[2018]
ZAGPJHC 74, [2018] 3 All SA 277 (GJ); 2018 (5) SA 630 (GJ).
[22]
[2009]
ZAKZHC 7
; 2010 (3) 182 (N) at para 6.
[23]
[2022]
ZASCA 51; 2022 (4) SA 57 (SCA); [2022] 2 All SA 607 (SCA).
[24]
Id at para 1.
[25]
Act 67 of 1993.
[26]
Section 1.
[27]
Also evident from
Sehoole
NO v Chablal
[2005] JOL 14042
(SCA) and
Beer
v The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants
[2022] ZAGPJHC 710 where the review applications were brought in
terms of PAJA and they did not object.
[28]
[2017] ZACC 3
;
2017 (3) SA 242
(CC);
2017 (6) BCLR 700
(CC) at para
74.
[29]
Chirwa
v Transnet Limited
[2007] ZACC 23
,
2008 (4) SA 367
(CC);
2008 (3) BCLR 251
(CC) at para
186.
[30]
Greys
Marine Hout Bay (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Public Works
[2005] ZASCA 43; 2005 (6) SA 313 (SCA); 2005 (10) BCLR 931 (SCA).
[31]
AAA Investments (Proprietary) Limited v Micro Finance Regulatory
Council
[2006] ZACC 9
;
2007 (1) SA 343
CC;
2006 (11) BCLR 1255
(CC).
[32]
MJ Mathenjwa “Judicial review of decisions of disciplinary
tribunals of voluntary association: the post-1994 interpretation”
(2017)
Obiter
at
paras 1 – 14 on 9.
[33]
Id at 14.
[34]
[2018] ZAGPJHC 74;
2018 (5) SA 630
(GJ);
[2018] 3 All SA 277
(GJ).
[35]
AAA
Investments (Proprietary) Limited v Micro Finance Regulatory Council
[2006] ZACC 9
;
2007 (1) SA 343
CC; 2006 (11) BCLR 1255 (CC).
[36]
Act 67 of 1993.
[37]
Chirwa
v Transnet Ltd
[2007] ZACC 23, 2008 (4) SA 367 (CC); 2008 (3) BCLR 251 (CC).
[38]
Greys
Marine Hout Bay (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Public Works
[2005] ZASCA 43; 2005 (6) SA 313 (SCA); 2005 (10) BCLR 931 (SCA).
[39]
[2005]
ZASCA 43
;
2005 (6) SA 313
(SCA);
2005 (10) BCLR 931
(SCA).
[40]
Id at para 23.
[41]
Joseph
v City of Johannesburg
[2009] ZACC 30
;
2010 (4) SA 55
(CC),
2010 (3) BCLR 212
(CC) at para
29.
[42]
A sixth route, derived from
Sidumo
v Rustenburg Platinum Mines Ltd
[2007]
ZACC 22
, is often categorised under special statutory review.
[43]
Bato
Star Fishing (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
[2004] ZACC 15
;
2004 (4) SA 490
(CC);
2004 (7) BCLR 687
(CC) at para
22.
[44]
Hoexter & Penfold
Administrative
law in South Africa
(2021)
at 150.
[45]
Minister
of Health and Another v New Clicks South Africa (Pty) Ltd and Others
(CCT
59/2004)
[2005] ZACC 14
;
2006 (2) SA 311
(CC);
2006 (1) BCLR 1
(CC) para 96 and
inister
of Home Affairs v Public Protector
[2018]
ZASCA 15
;
[2018] 2 All SA 311
(SCA);
2018 (3) SA 380
(SCA) para 27.
[46]
Fedsure
Life Assurance Ltd v Greater Johannesburg Transitional Metropolitan
Council
[1998] ZASCA 14
;
1998 (2) SA 1115
(SCA);
[1998] 2 All SA 325
(A) and
Klaaren & Penfold “Just administrative
action” in
Matthew Chaskalson et al
Constitutional Law of South Africa
(2002) at 15.
[47]
This has mostly been applied where the executive exercise original
constitutional powers rather than administrative functions,
or where
the President or Parliament exercises power not derived from
legislation.
[48]
Hoexter & Penfold
Administrative
law in South Africa
(2021)
at 155.
[49]
Act 66 of 1995.
[50]
Hoexter & Penfold
Administrative
law in South Africa
(2021)
at 152.
[51]
Hoexter & Penfold
Administrative
law in South Africa
(2021)
at 163.
[52]
Ndoro
v South African Football Association
[2018] ZAGPJHC 74, 2018 (5) SA 630 (GJ); [2018] 3 All SA 277 (GJ).
[53]
[2005] ZAGPHC 102
;
2006 (3) SA 73
(T).
[54]
Hoexter & Penfold
Administrative
law in South Africa
(2021)
at 165.
[55]
[2004]
ZACC 15; 2004 (4) SA 490 (CC); 2004 (7) BCLR 687 (CC).
[56]
See the remarks made in
Takata
South Africa (Pty) Limited v Competition Commission of South Africa
[2025] ZACAC 1
at para 16 onwards.
[57]
[1998] ZALAC 11
at para 36.
[58]
[2007]
ZASCA 52
;
2007 (5) SA 552
(SCA);
[2007] 4 All SA 866
(SCA) at paras
16 and 21..
[59]
[2004] ZACC 15
;
2004 (4) SA 490
(CC);
2004 (7) BCLR 687
(CC) at para
27.
[60]
[2022] ZACC 44
;
2023 (4) SA 325
(CC);
2023 (5) BCLR 527
(CC) at
paras 277-278.
[61]
National
Horse Racing Authority of Southern Africa v Naidoo
[2009] ZAKZHC 7
;
2010 (3) SA 182
(N) at para 11.
[62]
See
Klaaren & Penfold “Just administrative action” in
Matthew Chaskalson et al Constitutional Law of South Africa
(2002)
page 81.
[63]
1974
(3) SA 633 (A).
[64]
1974
(3) SA 633
(A).
[65]
[2009]
ZAKZHC 7
,
2010 (3) SA 182
(N) paras 8 to 10.
[66]
Marlin
v Durban Turf Club
1942 AD 112
at 128.
[67]
In order to give effect to the right to procedurally fair
administrative action, an administrator, subject to subsection (4),
must give a person referred to in subsection (1) —
(i)
adequate notice of the nature and purpose
of the proposed
administrative action;
(ii)
a reasonable opportunity to make representations;
(iii)
a clear statement of the administrative action;
(iv)
adequate notice of any right of review or internal
appeal, where
applicable; and
(v)
adequate notice of the right to request reasons
in terms of section
5.
[68]
Section
3(2)(a).
[69]
Dabner
v South African Railways and Harbours
1920 AD 583
;
Heatherdale
Farms (Pty) Ltd v Deputy Minister of Agriculture
1980 (3) SA 476
(T) at 486D–E;
Bongoza
v Minister of Correctional Services
2002 (6) SA 330
(TkH) at paras 21–5,
Bekker
v Western Province Sports Club (Inc)
1972 (3) SA 803
(C) at 811.
[70]
Mose
NO v Minister of Education, Western Cape
2009 (2) SA 408
(C) at paras 14–15.
[71]
[1999] ZACC 9; 1999 (4) SA 147; 1999 (7) BCLR 725.
[72]
At para 48.
[73]
1920 AD 583
at 589.
[74]
1974
(3) SA 633
(A) at 646G.
[75]
1959
(1) SA 441
(A) at 450D
[76]
BTR
Industries South Africa (Pty) Ltd v Metal and Allied Workers’
Union
[1992] ZASCA 85
;
1992 (3) SA 673
(A) at 688D–697.
[77]
1974 (3) SA 633 (A).
[78]
National Horse Racing Authority of Southern Africa v Naidoo
[2009]
ZAKZHC 7
;
2010 (3) SA 182
(N) at para 11.
[79]
[2003]
ZASCA 119
;
2004 (3) SA 346
(SCA);
[2003] 4 All SA 589
(SCA at para
21.
[80]
[2013] ZACC 42
;
2014 (1) SA 604
(CC);
2014 (1) BCLR 1
(CC). at para
40.
[81]
Case No. 34178/2022.
[82]
Hoexter & Penfold
Administrative
law in South Africa
(2021)
at 624 - 625
[83]
1992
(1) SA 58
(E) at 64D.
[84]
1992
(3) SA 482 (A).
[85]
Associated
Portfolio Solutions (Pty) Ltd v Basson
[2020]
ZASCA 64; 2021 (1) SA 341 (SCA).
[86]
Ngobeni
v Prasa Cres
[2016]
ZALCJHB 225;
[2016] 8 BLLR 799
(LC) at para 11.
[87]
Global
Environmental Trust and Others v Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd
[2021] ZASCA 13
;
[2021] 2 All SA 1
(SCA) at para 94.
[88]
Advertising
Regulatory Board NPC and Others v Bliss Brands (Pty) Ltd
[2022] ZASCA 51
;
2022 (4) SA 57
(SCA);
[2022] 2 All SA 607
(SCA) at
para 13.
[89]
De
Bruyn v Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.
[2020] ZAGPJHC 145;
2022 (1) SA 442
(GJ).
sino noindex
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