INTERPRETATION OF
STATUTES
****
IOS2601
****
COMPLETE SUMMARY
****
P a g e 1 | 58
,Table of Content
CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
WHAT IS THE INTERPRETATION OF STATUTES? ........................................................................................................................... 5
WHY IS INTERPRETATION NOT A RULE ACTIVITY? ....................................................................................................................... 5
DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
3 PHASE PROCESS OF INTERPRETATION...................................................................................................................................... 8
CHAPTER 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
WHAT IS LEGISLATION ................................................................................................................................................................... 9
TYPES OF LEGISLATION ................................................................................................................................................................. 9
ORIGINAL LEGISLATIO .................................................................................................................................................................. 10
SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION........................................................................................................................................................ 10
WHAT IS NOT LEGISLATION? ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
THE COMMENCEMENT OF LEGISLATION .................................................................................................................................... 11
THE PRESUMPTION THAT LEGISLATION ONLY APPLIES TO FUTURE MATTERS ...................................................................... 11
INFLUENCE OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION ................................................................................................................................... 13
CHAPTER 4 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
DEMISE AND AMENDMENT OF LEGISLATION ............................................................................................................................. 14
MODIFICATIVE INTERPRETATION................................................................................................................................................. 14
READING DOWN AND READING IN (SEVERANCE) ....................................................................................................................... 14
INVALIDATION OF LEGISLATION .................................................................................................................................................. 15
EXPLAIN THE DEMISE/REPEAL OF LEGISLATION........................................................................................................................ 16
THE PRESUMPTION THAT LEGISLATION DOES NOT INTEND TO CHANGE THE EXSTING LAW MORE THAN NECESSARY .... 17
CHAPTER 5 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 18
THE THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF STATUTORY INTERPRETAION ....................................................................................... 18
THE TEXTUAL (LITERAL) APPROACH ........................................................................................................................................... 18
THE CONTEXTUAL (PURPOSIVE) APPROACH ............................................................................................................................. 20
P a g e 2 | 58
,THE POSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA BEFORE 94’ ............................................................................................................................ 21
INFLUENCE OF THE CONSTITUTION ............................................................................................................................................ 23
THE SUPREMACY CLAUSE – SECTION 2..................................................................................................................................... 23
THE INFLUENCE OF SECTION 39 OF THE CONSTITUTION ......................................................................................................... 23
SECTION 233 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
CHAPTER 6 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
THE INITIAL PHASE – BASIC PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................................................... 26
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION .................................................................................................................................................. 26
IMPORTANT DISTINCTION WITH REGARD TO THE INTENTION OF THE LEGISLATURE............................................................. 26
MODERN APPROACH .................................................................................................................................................................... 27
THE INITIAL MEANING OF THE TEXT ........................................................................................................................................... 27
MEANING ASSIGNED TO EVERY WORD ....................................................................................................................................... 28
THE CONTINUING TIME FRAME OF LEGISLATION ...................................................................................................................... 28
NO ADDITIONS OR SUBTRACTIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 29
BALANCE BETWEEN TEXT AND CONTEXT ................................................................................................................................... 29
THE PRESUMPTION THAT THE LEGISLATION DOES NOT CONTAIN FUTILE OR MEANINGLESS PROVISION .......................... 30
CHAPTER 7 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
THE RESEARCH PHASE – ASCERTAINING THE PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION ..................................................................... 32
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................. 32
INTRA-TEXTUAL AIDS ................................................................................................................................................................... 32
EXTRA-TEXTUAL AIDS .................................................................................................................................................................. 36
THE INTERPRETATION ACT........................................................................................................................................................... 41
TIME FACTOR ................................................................................................................................................................................ 41
THE PRESUMPTION THAT GOVERNMENT BODIES ARE NOT BOUND BY THEIR OWN LEGISLATION ....................................... 42
THE INFLUENCE OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION ........................................................................................................................... 43
THE PRESUMPTION THAT THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS IS NOT RESTRICTED OR OUTSED BY LEGISLATION .......... 43
THE INFLUENCE OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION ........................................................................................................................... 44
P a g e 3 | 58
, CHAPTER 8 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
THE CONCRETIZATION PHASE ..................................................................................................................................................... 45
WHAT IS CONCRETIZATION? ........................................................................................................................................................ 45
THE LAW-MAKING FUNCTION OF THE COURTS ......................................................................................................................... 45
TEXTUAL (ORTHODOX)APPROACH: ............................................................................................................................................. 45
PURPOSIVE (CONTEXTUAL) APPROACH ..................................................................................................................................... 45
THE MYTH THAT COURTS MERELY INTERPRET THE LAW ......................................................................................................... 46
THE INFLUENCE OF THE CONSTITUTION .................................................................................................................................... 46
FACTORS THAT RESTRICT THE LAW-MAKING POWERS OF THE COURTS ............................................................................... 47
FACTORS WHICH SUPPORT MODIFICATIVE INTERPRETATION ................................................................................................. 47
EXTENSIVE INTERPRETATION IN GENERAL ................................................................................................................................. 50
LIMITS OF MODIFICATIVE INTERPRETATION .............................................................................................................................. 50
NO MODIFICATION OF THE MEANING IS POSSIBLE ................................................................................................................... 51
STEPS TO INTERPRET A PIECE OF LEGISLATION ....................................................................................................................... 51
CHAPTER 9 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
PEREMPTORY AND DIRECTORY PROVISIONS ............................................................................................................................. 52
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................. 52
THE GUIDELINES ........................................................................................................................................................................... 52
SEMANTIC GUIDELINES ................................................................................................................................................................ 52
JURISPRUDENTIAL GUIDELINES .................................................................................................................................................. 53
IMPORTANT CASES ...................................................................................................................................................................... 53
PRESUMPTION REGARDING SPECIFIC CASES ............................................................................................................................ 56
PEREMPTORY PROVISIONS IN THE CONSTITUTION ................................................................................................................... 57
CHAPTER 10 .................................................................................................................................................................................. 58
METHODS OF CONSTITUTIONAL INTERPRETATION ................................................................................................................... 58
P a g e 4 | 58
STATUTES
****
IOS2601
****
COMPLETE SUMMARY
****
P a g e 1 | 58
,Table of Content
CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
WHAT IS THE INTERPRETATION OF STATUTES? ........................................................................................................................... 5
WHY IS INTERPRETATION NOT A RULE ACTIVITY? ....................................................................................................................... 5
DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
3 PHASE PROCESS OF INTERPRETATION...................................................................................................................................... 8
CHAPTER 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
WHAT IS LEGISLATION ................................................................................................................................................................... 9
TYPES OF LEGISLATION ................................................................................................................................................................. 9
ORIGINAL LEGISLATIO .................................................................................................................................................................. 10
SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION........................................................................................................................................................ 10
WHAT IS NOT LEGISLATION? ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
THE COMMENCEMENT OF LEGISLATION .................................................................................................................................... 11
THE PRESUMPTION THAT LEGISLATION ONLY APPLIES TO FUTURE MATTERS ...................................................................... 11
INFLUENCE OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION ................................................................................................................................... 13
CHAPTER 4 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
DEMISE AND AMENDMENT OF LEGISLATION ............................................................................................................................. 14
MODIFICATIVE INTERPRETATION................................................................................................................................................. 14
READING DOWN AND READING IN (SEVERANCE) ....................................................................................................................... 14
INVALIDATION OF LEGISLATION .................................................................................................................................................. 15
EXPLAIN THE DEMISE/REPEAL OF LEGISLATION........................................................................................................................ 16
THE PRESUMPTION THAT LEGISLATION DOES NOT INTEND TO CHANGE THE EXSTING LAW MORE THAN NECESSARY .... 17
CHAPTER 5 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 18
THE THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF STATUTORY INTERPRETAION ....................................................................................... 18
THE TEXTUAL (LITERAL) APPROACH ........................................................................................................................................... 18
THE CONTEXTUAL (PURPOSIVE) APPROACH ............................................................................................................................. 20
P a g e 2 | 58
,THE POSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA BEFORE 94’ ............................................................................................................................ 21
INFLUENCE OF THE CONSTITUTION ............................................................................................................................................ 23
THE SUPREMACY CLAUSE – SECTION 2..................................................................................................................................... 23
THE INFLUENCE OF SECTION 39 OF THE CONSTITUTION ......................................................................................................... 23
SECTION 233 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
CHAPTER 6 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
THE INITIAL PHASE – BASIC PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................................................... 26
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION .................................................................................................................................................. 26
IMPORTANT DISTINCTION WITH REGARD TO THE INTENTION OF THE LEGISLATURE............................................................. 26
MODERN APPROACH .................................................................................................................................................................... 27
THE INITIAL MEANING OF THE TEXT ........................................................................................................................................... 27
MEANING ASSIGNED TO EVERY WORD ....................................................................................................................................... 28
THE CONTINUING TIME FRAME OF LEGISLATION ...................................................................................................................... 28
NO ADDITIONS OR SUBTRACTIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 29
BALANCE BETWEEN TEXT AND CONTEXT ................................................................................................................................... 29
THE PRESUMPTION THAT THE LEGISLATION DOES NOT CONTAIN FUTILE OR MEANINGLESS PROVISION .......................... 30
CHAPTER 7 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
THE RESEARCH PHASE – ASCERTAINING THE PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION ..................................................................... 32
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................. 32
INTRA-TEXTUAL AIDS ................................................................................................................................................................... 32
EXTRA-TEXTUAL AIDS .................................................................................................................................................................. 36
THE INTERPRETATION ACT........................................................................................................................................................... 41
TIME FACTOR ................................................................................................................................................................................ 41
THE PRESUMPTION THAT GOVERNMENT BODIES ARE NOT BOUND BY THEIR OWN LEGISLATION ....................................... 42
THE INFLUENCE OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION ........................................................................................................................... 43
THE PRESUMPTION THAT THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS IS NOT RESTRICTED OR OUTSED BY LEGISLATION .......... 43
THE INFLUENCE OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION ........................................................................................................................... 44
P a g e 3 | 58
, CHAPTER 8 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
THE CONCRETIZATION PHASE ..................................................................................................................................................... 45
WHAT IS CONCRETIZATION? ........................................................................................................................................................ 45
THE LAW-MAKING FUNCTION OF THE COURTS ......................................................................................................................... 45
TEXTUAL (ORTHODOX)APPROACH: ............................................................................................................................................. 45
PURPOSIVE (CONTEXTUAL) APPROACH ..................................................................................................................................... 45
THE MYTH THAT COURTS MERELY INTERPRET THE LAW ......................................................................................................... 46
THE INFLUENCE OF THE CONSTITUTION .................................................................................................................................... 46
FACTORS THAT RESTRICT THE LAW-MAKING POWERS OF THE COURTS ............................................................................... 47
FACTORS WHICH SUPPORT MODIFICATIVE INTERPRETATION ................................................................................................. 47
EXTENSIVE INTERPRETATION IN GENERAL ................................................................................................................................. 50
LIMITS OF MODIFICATIVE INTERPRETATION .............................................................................................................................. 50
NO MODIFICATION OF THE MEANING IS POSSIBLE ................................................................................................................... 51
STEPS TO INTERPRET A PIECE OF LEGISLATION ....................................................................................................................... 51
CHAPTER 9 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
PEREMPTORY AND DIRECTORY PROVISIONS ............................................................................................................................. 52
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................. 52
THE GUIDELINES ........................................................................................................................................................................... 52
SEMANTIC GUIDELINES ................................................................................................................................................................ 52
JURISPRUDENTIAL GUIDELINES .................................................................................................................................................. 53
IMPORTANT CASES ...................................................................................................................................................................... 53
PRESUMPTION REGARDING SPECIFIC CASES ............................................................................................................................ 56
PEREMPTORY PROVISIONS IN THE CONSTITUTION ................................................................................................................... 57
CHAPTER 10 .................................................................................................................................................................................. 58
METHODS OF CONSTITUTIONAL INTERPRETATION ................................................................................................................... 58
P a g e 4 | 58
