Constitutional Law
312 notes
Compiled by Mari Louw in 2021. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE.
MARIA MAGDALENA Louw
, 1
Contents
Transformative Constitutionalism.......................................................................................................5
Concept of transformative constitutionalism..................................................................................5
Implications of transformative constitutionalism: adjudication and democracy............................6
Adjudication:...............................................................................................................................7
Substantive legal reasoning:........................................................................................................9
Provision of positive and negative state duties.........................................................................11
Vertical and Horizontal application..........................................................................................12
Openness towards international and foreign law:.....................................................................12
Criticisms of TC from perspective of decolonisation theories.................................................13
Equality.............................................................................................................................................15
The constitutional concept of equality..........................................................................................15
Interpretation: s9(1), (3), (4).........................................................................................................16
S9(3): step 1 – Discrimination..................................................................................................18
S9(3) step 2 – the unfairness inquiry........................................................................................21
Application of s36.....................................................................................................................25
S9(4): horizontal application and duty to enact legislation:.........................................................25
Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act......................................25
restitutionary equality/ affirmative action.....................................................................................29
Applicable provisions...............................................................................................................30
Minister of Finance v Van Heerden test...................................................................................31
Socio-economic rights.......................................................................................................................40
Socio-economic rights in the 1996 Constitution...........................................................................40
S26: housing..............................................................................................................................41
S29: education...........................................................................................................................42
Justiciability of SERs....................................................................................................................43
, 2
Interpreting SERs..........................................................................................................................44
General approach:.....................................................................................................................44
Applicable international law.....................................................................................................46
Values and purposes that SERs protect and promote:..................................................................47
Interdependence of rights..........................................................................................................47
CESCR, General Comment 4....................................................................................................49
Positive obligations on the state by SERs.....................................................................................51
S26 and s27 (progressively realisable SERs)............................................................................51
Reasonableness review – developed in Grootboom.................................................................53
Progressive realisation:.............................................................................................................56
Immediately realisable rights:...................................................................................................59
Negative duties imposed by SERs................................................................................................62
Remedies in SER cases:................................................................................................................63
Freedom of expression......................................................................................................................65
Freedom of expression in international law..................................................................................65
first amendment right in USA v SA right to freedom of expression........................................66
Why do we value and protect freedom of expression?.................................................................67
Protected expression in section 16(1)...........................................................................................67
Protected expression in s16(1):.....................................................................................................68
a) Freedom of the press and other media..................................................................................69
b) Freedom to receive and impart information and ideas.........................................................70
c) Freedom of artistic creativity................................................................................................72
d) Academic freedom and freedom of scientific research........................................................73
Free speech in legislative bodies:..............................................................................................73
Controversial categories of expression:....................................................................................74
Unprotected expression in s16(2):................................................................................................79
Propaganda for war:..................................................................................................................80
, 3
Incitement of imminent violence:.............................................................................................81
Hate speech:..............................................................................................................................81
Developments in case law:............................................................................................................84
Qwelane v South African Human Rights Commission SCA 2019:..........................................84
Political rights...................................................................................................................................87
1 Introduction: Link between Political Rights and Democracy....................................................87
2 Key Constitutional Provisions: Sections 1(d) and 19................................................................88
3 Values and purposes that inform Section 19..............................................................................89
The right to vote: s19(3)(a)...........................................................................................................97
Prisoners?..................................................................................................................................98
funding of political parties & independent candidates............................................................102
the right to stand and/or hold office: S19(3)(b)......................................................................105
Children’s rights..............................................................................................................................109
International law.........................................................................................................................109
S28 constitution...........................................................................................................................109
Legislative framework:...............................................................................................................110
Autonomy and protection............................................................................................................110
S28 of the Constitution...............................................................................................................112
S28(1) every child has the right –...........................................................................................112
S28(2) best interests of the child.............................................................................................119
Environmental rights.......................................................................................................................122
Approaches to interpreting environmental rights:......................................................................122
S24 of the Constitution:..............................................................................................................123
S24(a) definitions of terms......................................................................................................123
S24(b)......................................................................................................................................126
S24 and other rights in the Bill of Rights:..............................................................................132
Climate change............................................................................................................................133
312 notes
Compiled by Mari Louw in 2021. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE.
MARIA MAGDALENA Louw
, 1
Contents
Transformative Constitutionalism.......................................................................................................5
Concept of transformative constitutionalism..................................................................................5
Implications of transformative constitutionalism: adjudication and democracy............................6
Adjudication:...............................................................................................................................7
Substantive legal reasoning:........................................................................................................9
Provision of positive and negative state duties.........................................................................11
Vertical and Horizontal application..........................................................................................12
Openness towards international and foreign law:.....................................................................12
Criticisms of TC from perspective of decolonisation theories.................................................13
Equality.............................................................................................................................................15
The constitutional concept of equality..........................................................................................15
Interpretation: s9(1), (3), (4).........................................................................................................16
S9(3): step 1 – Discrimination..................................................................................................18
S9(3) step 2 – the unfairness inquiry........................................................................................21
Application of s36.....................................................................................................................25
S9(4): horizontal application and duty to enact legislation:.........................................................25
Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act......................................25
restitutionary equality/ affirmative action.....................................................................................29
Applicable provisions...............................................................................................................30
Minister of Finance v Van Heerden test...................................................................................31
Socio-economic rights.......................................................................................................................40
Socio-economic rights in the 1996 Constitution...........................................................................40
S26: housing..............................................................................................................................41
S29: education...........................................................................................................................42
Justiciability of SERs....................................................................................................................43
, 2
Interpreting SERs..........................................................................................................................44
General approach:.....................................................................................................................44
Applicable international law.....................................................................................................46
Values and purposes that SERs protect and promote:..................................................................47
Interdependence of rights..........................................................................................................47
CESCR, General Comment 4....................................................................................................49
Positive obligations on the state by SERs.....................................................................................51
S26 and s27 (progressively realisable SERs)............................................................................51
Reasonableness review – developed in Grootboom.................................................................53
Progressive realisation:.............................................................................................................56
Immediately realisable rights:...................................................................................................59
Negative duties imposed by SERs................................................................................................62
Remedies in SER cases:................................................................................................................63
Freedom of expression......................................................................................................................65
Freedom of expression in international law..................................................................................65
first amendment right in USA v SA right to freedom of expression........................................66
Why do we value and protect freedom of expression?.................................................................67
Protected expression in section 16(1)...........................................................................................67
Protected expression in s16(1):.....................................................................................................68
a) Freedom of the press and other media..................................................................................69
b) Freedom to receive and impart information and ideas.........................................................70
c) Freedom of artistic creativity................................................................................................72
d) Academic freedom and freedom of scientific research........................................................73
Free speech in legislative bodies:..............................................................................................73
Controversial categories of expression:....................................................................................74
Unprotected expression in s16(2):................................................................................................79
Propaganda for war:..................................................................................................................80
, 3
Incitement of imminent violence:.............................................................................................81
Hate speech:..............................................................................................................................81
Developments in case law:............................................................................................................84
Qwelane v South African Human Rights Commission SCA 2019:..........................................84
Political rights...................................................................................................................................87
1 Introduction: Link between Political Rights and Democracy....................................................87
2 Key Constitutional Provisions: Sections 1(d) and 19................................................................88
3 Values and purposes that inform Section 19..............................................................................89
The right to vote: s19(3)(a)...........................................................................................................97
Prisoners?..................................................................................................................................98
funding of political parties & independent candidates............................................................102
the right to stand and/or hold office: S19(3)(b)......................................................................105
Children’s rights..............................................................................................................................109
International law.........................................................................................................................109
S28 constitution...........................................................................................................................109
Legislative framework:...............................................................................................................110
Autonomy and protection............................................................................................................110
S28 of the Constitution...............................................................................................................112
S28(1) every child has the right –...........................................................................................112
S28(2) best interests of the child.............................................................................................119
Environmental rights.......................................................................................................................122
Approaches to interpreting environmental rights:......................................................................122
S24 of the Constitution:..............................................................................................................123
S24(a) definitions of terms......................................................................................................123
S24(b)......................................................................................................................................126
S24 and other rights in the Bill of Rights:..............................................................................132
Climate change............................................................................................................................133
