,© 2013 University of South Africa
All rights reserved
Printed and published by the
University of South Africa
Muckleneuk, Pretoria
ADL2601/1/2014
70089566
InDesign
,CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................... vi
PART 1: STATE AUTHORITY AND THE HOLDERS OF SUCH AUTHORITY
STUDY UNIT 1: Describing administrative law ............................................................ 1
1.1 An overview of the general features of administrative law ................................. 1
1.2 What is administrative law? ............................................................................... 4
1.3 List of general concepts and technical terms often encountered in
administrative law and their explanation ............................................................. 14
1.4 A brief list of abbreviations encountered in administrative law sources .............. 18
1.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 18
STUDY UNIT 2: The administrative-law relationship .................................................. 19
2.1 The characteristics of the administrative-law relationship................................... 21
2.2 The distinction between a general and an individual administrative-law
relationship.......................................................................................................... 22
2.3 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 24
STUDY UNIT 3: The legal subjects of the administrative-law relationship ................. 25
3.1 The identification of the authoritative party to/in the administrative-law
relationship.......................................................................................................... 26
3.2 The role of associations, clubs and other “private” organisations ....................... 30
3.3 The persons – natural or juristic – whose rights and interests are affected by
the exercise of authority ...................................................................................... 31
3.4 Is the subordinate person powerless in the authoritative relationship? .............. 32
3.5 The object of/reason for the administrative-law relationship ............................... 33
3.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 33
STUDY UNIT 4: The sources of Administrative Law .................................................... 34
4.1 What are the sources of law? ............................................................................. 34
4.2 The sources of administrative law....................................................................... 35
4.3 Where to find administrative-law sources ........................................................... 45
4.4 How to find the sources of administrative law in a particular situation ................ 46
4.5 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 48
PART 2: ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
STUDY UNIT 5: Administrative Action ........................................................................ 49
5.1 The need to establish whether administrative action is involved ........................ 51
5.2 The definition of “administrative action” .............................................................. 51
5.3 Action that does NOT qualify as administrative action ........................................ 58
5.4 The classes of administrative acts ...................................................................... 63
5.5 The legal force of administrative action .............................................................. 67
5.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 70
iii
, PART 3: JUST ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
STUDY UNIT 6: Just Administrative Action – Setting the Scene ................................. 71
6.1 An explanation of the concept of just administrative action ................................ 75
6.2 Other over-arching terms used to refer to just administrative action .................. 77
6.3 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 80
STUDY UNIT 7: The Right to Lawful Administrative Action as Requirement for Valid
Administrative Action ......................................................................... 82
7.1 The concept of lawfulness ................................................................................. 84
7.2 Provisions dealing with the administrator............................................................ 91
7.3 The powers of the administrator ......................................................................... 102
7.4 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 112
STUDY UNIT 8: The Constitutional Right to Reasonable Administrative Action .......... 113
8.1 Introductory remarks .......................................................................................... 114
8.2 The common law and reasonableness ............................................................... 115
8.3 Justifiable administrative action in terms of section 24(d) of the interim
constitution .......................................................................................................... 117
8.4 The present position in terms of the 1996 Constitution and the provisions of
PAJA ................................................................................................................... 121
8.5 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 124
STUDY UNIT 9: The Right to Procedurally Fair Administrative Action ......................... 125
9.1 Introduction: The purpose of the right to procedurally fair administrative action . 126
9.2 The origin of the right to procedurally fair administrative action.......................... 127
9.3 The content of the common-law rules of natural justice...................................... 128
9.4 The constitutional right to procedurally fair administrative action: Some
general observations........................................................................................... 135
9.5 PAJA and the right to procedurally fair administrative action .............................. 138
9.6 At what stage of the decision-making process should procedural fairness
be applied? ......................................................................................................... 149
9.7 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 149
STUDY UNIT 10: The right to be given written reasons .............................................. 150
10.1 General remarks on the importance of reasons.................................................. 150
10.2 The right to reasons in terms of section 24(c) of the interim Constitution and
section 33(2) of the 1996 Constitution ................................................................ 151
10.3 Who has a right to reasons? ............................................................................... 152
10.4 PAJA and the requirement of reasons ................................................................ 153
10.5 When will reasons be adequate? ........................................................................ 154
10.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 156
PART 4: CONTROL AND REMEDIES
Introductory remarks to Part 4: The control of administrative action and remedies ..... 157
iv
All rights reserved
Printed and published by the
University of South Africa
Muckleneuk, Pretoria
ADL2601/1/2014
70089566
InDesign
,CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................... vi
PART 1: STATE AUTHORITY AND THE HOLDERS OF SUCH AUTHORITY
STUDY UNIT 1: Describing administrative law ............................................................ 1
1.1 An overview of the general features of administrative law ................................. 1
1.2 What is administrative law? ............................................................................... 4
1.3 List of general concepts and technical terms often encountered in
administrative law and their explanation ............................................................. 14
1.4 A brief list of abbreviations encountered in administrative law sources .............. 18
1.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 18
STUDY UNIT 2: The administrative-law relationship .................................................. 19
2.1 The characteristics of the administrative-law relationship................................... 21
2.2 The distinction between a general and an individual administrative-law
relationship.......................................................................................................... 22
2.3 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 24
STUDY UNIT 3: The legal subjects of the administrative-law relationship ................. 25
3.1 The identification of the authoritative party to/in the administrative-law
relationship.......................................................................................................... 26
3.2 The role of associations, clubs and other “private” organisations ....................... 30
3.3 The persons – natural or juristic – whose rights and interests are affected by
the exercise of authority ...................................................................................... 31
3.4 Is the subordinate person powerless in the authoritative relationship? .............. 32
3.5 The object of/reason for the administrative-law relationship ............................... 33
3.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 33
STUDY UNIT 4: The sources of Administrative Law .................................................... 34
4.1 What are the sources of law? ............................................................................. 34
4.2 The sources of administrative law....................................................................... 35
4.3 Where to find administrative-law sources ........................................................... 45
4.4 How to find the sources of administrative law in a particular situation ................ 46
4.5 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 48
PART 2: ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
STUDY UNIT 5: Administrative Action ........................................................................ 49
5.1 The need to establish whether administrative action is involved ........................ 51
5.2 The definition of “administrative action” .............................................................. 51
5.3 Action that does NOT qualify as administrative action ........................................ 58
5.4 The classes of administrative acts ...................................................................... 63
5.5 The legal force of administrative action .............................................................. 67
5.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 70
iii
, PART 3: JUST ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
STUDY UNIT 6: Just Administrative Action – Setting the Scene ................................. 71
6.1 An explanation of the concept of just administrative action ................................ 75
6.2 Other over-arching terms used to refer to just administrative action .................. 77
6.3 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 80
STUDY UNIT 7: The Right to Lawful Administrative Action as Requirement for Valid
Administrative Action ......................................................................... 82
7.1 The concept of lawfulness ................................................................................. 84
7.2 Provisions dealing with the administrator............................................................ 91
7.3 The powers of the administrator ......................................................................... 102
7.4 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 112
STUDY UNIT 8: The Constitutional Right to Reasonable Administrative Action .......... 113
8.1 Introductory remarks .......................................................................................... 114
8.2 The common law and reasonableness ............................................................... 115
8.3 Justifiable administrative action in terms of section 24(d) of the interim
constitution .......................................................................................................... 117
8.4 The present position in terms of the 1996 Constitution and the provisions of
PAJA ................................................................................................................... 121
8.5 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 124
STUDY UNIT 9: The Right to Procedurally Fair Administrative Action ......................... 125
9.1 Introduction: The purpose of the right to procedurally fair administrative action . 126
9.2 The origin of the right to procedurally fair administrative action.......................... 127
9.3 The content of the common-law rules of natural justice...................................... 128
9.4 The constitutional right to procedurally fair administrative action: Some
general observations........................................................................................... 135
9.5 PAJA and the right to procedurally fair administrative action .............................. 138
9.6 At what stage of the decision-making process should procedural fairness
be applied? ......................................................................................................... 149
9.7 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 149
STUDY UNIT 10: The right to be given written reasons .............................................. 150
10.1 General remarks on the importance of reasons.................................................. 150
10.2 The right to reasons in terms of section 24(c) of the interim Constitution and
section 33(2) of the 1996 Constitution ................................................................ 151
10.3 Who has a right to reasons? ............................................................................... 152
10.4 PAJA and the requirement of reasons ................................................................ 153
10.5 When will reasons be adequate? ........................................................................ 154
10.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 156
PART 4: CONTROL AND REMEDIES
Introductory remarks to Part 4: The control of administrative action and remedies ..... 157
iv
