A critical appraisal of the parole system and its compliance with section 165 of the Constitution

by | Aug 17, 2024 | SALJ, SALJ V141 I3 2024

ARTICLE

A critical appraisal of the parole system and its compliance with section 165 of the Constitution

Author: Loammi Wolf

ISSN: 1996-2177
Affiliations: Research Associate, UFS Centre for Human Rights, University of the Free State
Source: South African Law Journal, Volume 141 Issue 3, p. 554-588
https://doi.org/10.47348/SALJ/v141/i3a7

Abstract

In terms of state organisation under the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, the administration of justice, which encompasses the powers of the judiciary and the prosecuting authority, is clearly demarcated from the executive. Section 165(5) of the Constitution explicitly states that an order or decision of a court ‘binds all persons to whom and organs of state to which it applies’. Sentencing is a judicial power, and the discretion to grant parole is also a judicial power. The legislature attempted to reform the 1959 parole system, which conferred parole powers upon executive state organs, with the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 but failed to align the granting of parole with the constitutional norms of ss 165 and 35(2) of the Constitution. Instead, the legislature conferred these powers upon executive state organs in contravention of s 165(4). In practice, the executive is therefore usurping judicial power, although s 165(3) proscribes any organ of state from interfering with the functioning of the courts. The granting of parole cannot be transformed into some kind of ‘administrative action’ of the executive taken under s 85(2) of the Constitution. The rights of detained sentenced offenders are protected by s 35(2) of the Constitution, which offers relief for unlawful detention. Section 33 upholds just administrative action and does not apply to criminal justice.

Propping up the crumbling city: Sectional title law, residential building governance and local government

by | Aug 17, 2024 | SALJ, SALJ V141 I3 2024

ARTICLE

Propping up the crumbling city: Sectional title law, residential building governance and local government

Author: Marius Pieterse

ISSN: 1996-2177
Affiliations: Professor of Law, University of the Witwatersrand
Source: South African Law Journal, Volume 141 Issue 3, p. 589-621
https://doi.org/10.47348/SALJ/v141/i3a8

Abstract

This article considers the interface between urban local government and sectional title, focusing specifically on the governance of residential apartment blocks in urban areas. It argues that the governance of sectional title schemes is currently wrongly depicted in South African law as being predominantly ‘private’ and contractual in nature. Based on a historical overview and qualitative case study of apartment building governance in centrally located suburbs in the city of Johannesburg, the article argues that building governance ought to be reconceptualised as being located primarily within a public-law paradigm, more specifically as forming part of the ‘special cluster of relationships’ that govern service delivery in South African cities and that give rise to public-law rights and responsibilities, ultimately sourced in the Constitution, for all the relevant parties. This would imply that the relationship between cities and sectional title schemes ought to be viewed as one between local government and rights-bearing stakeholders (rather than customers or residential subjects). Moreover, it would require that sectional title schemes’ governing agents be both adequately empowered and adequately held accountable, under administrative and constitutional law, for exercising their governance functions.

J Smit, E O Alemika, C Botha, G Ngantweni & G van Mollendorf (eds) Policing in Africa — Towards an African Epistemology (2022)

by | Aug 17, 2024 | SALJ, SALJ V141 I3 2024

BOOK NOTICE

J Smit, E O Alemika, C Botha, G Ngantweni & G van Mollendorf (eds) Policing in Africa — Towards an African Epistemology (2022)

Author: Elrena van der Spuy

ISSN: 1996-2177
Affiliations: Centre of Criminology, University of Cape Town
Source: South African Law Journal, Volume 141 Issue 3, p. 630-633
https://doi.org/10.47348/SALJ/v141/i3a10

Abstract

None

A brief overview of collective consumer redress in the European Union and South Africa and moving towards the increased use of consumer class action in South Africa (part 1)

by | Aug 11, 2024 | TSAR, TSAR 2024 I3

A brief overview of collective consumer redress in the European Union and South Africa and moving towards the increased use of consumer class action in South Africa – part 1*

Author: T Broodryk

ISSN: 1996-2207
Affiliations: Professor in Private Law, Stellenbosch University
Source: Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg, Issue 3, 2024, p. 410-426
https://doi.org/10.47348/TSAR/2024/i3a1

Abstract

Hierdie tweedelige artikel bied ’n oorsig oor kollektiewe verbruikersregstelling in die Europese Unie en in Suid-Afrika. Dit bekyk redes waarom in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg die bestaande klasaksie onderbenut bly as ’n meganisme om verbruikersgeskille mee op te los. In die afgelope sowat 30 jaar, is slegs twee sertifiseringsuitsprake in verbruikersklasaksies gelewer wat oor ’n geskil handel wat beheers word deur artikel 4(1) van die Wet op Verbruikersbeskerming. Die onlangs uitgereikte aanwysing oor kollektiewe regstelling om die kollektiewe belange van verbruikers te beskerm van die Europese Unie, is aanduidend dat dit vir die Europese Unie ’n prioriteit is om verbruikersbelange te beskerm en dat ’n omvattende benadering verkieslik is om kollektiewe verbruikersregstelling in lidlande te hanteer.
Die gebrek aan wetgewende regulering van die Suid-Afrikaanse klasaksie soos ook van die meganisme vir verbruikersklasaksie wat in die Wet op Verbruikersbeskerming vervat is, bring mee dat die klasaksie sedert die instelling daarvan meer as ’n dekade gelede, steeds onderbenut bly. Ander faktore wat tot die onderbenutting van die verbruikersklasaksie bydra, is onder meer die onduidelike formulering van die Wet op Verbruikersbeskerming, verbruikers se gebrek aan kennis ten aansien van hul regte ingevolge die Wet op Verbruikersbeskerming en die afwesigheid van voldoende hulpbronne om verbruikers in staat te stel om hulle regte af te dwing, onder meer deur middel van so ’n klasaksie. Op hulle beurt belemmer al hierdie faktore toegang tot geregtigheid, wat juis die primêre doel van Suid-Afrika se klasaksie is.
Deel een van hierdie tweedelige artikel handel oor die ontwikkeling van kollektiewe regstelling in die Europese Unie asook die besonderhede van die aanwysing betreffende kollektiewe regstelling van die Europese Unie. In deel twee oorweeg die outeur kollektiewe regstelling in Suid-Afrika. Daarin ondersoek die outeur verder die redes waarom Suid-Afrika se klasaksie onderbenut bly as ’n meganisme om verbruikersgeskille op te los. Die bespreking bevat ook voorstelle, onder andere gebaseer op die Europese ervaring, vir die toenemende benutting van die Suid-Afrikaanse verbruikersklasaksie. Dit behels, onder andere, die regulering van die meganisme deur wetgewing asook die bemagtiging van Suid-Afrikaners om hul sodoende in staat te stel om hul regte, soos vervat in die Wet op Verbruikersbeskerming, uit te oefen.
Die oogmerk van die outeur met die artikel is om ’n bydrae te lewer tot die toenemende benutting van die Suid-Afrikaanse verbruikersklasaksie om sodoende toegang tot geregtigheid vir Suid-Afrikaanse verbruikers te help bewerkstellig.