CSL2601 Assignment 2
Semester 2 2024 - DUE
10 September 2024
[Company address]
, CSL2601 Assignment 2 Semester 2 2024 - DUE 10 September 2024
In the early 1990s when South Africa was contemplating transition to democracy,
Wiechers advanced the case for the establishment of a constitutional court. He
argued that this court would be able to protect and enforce human rights and
liberties [and] to provide expert knowledge and the political as well as socio-
economic understanding which is needed to judge intricate constitutional processes
and issues.1 This view echoes the contemporary view that the Constitution2 that
was designed to revolutionise the South African state reflects the needs and
interests of all South Africans.3 In its articulation of a unique form of the
separation of powers doctrine4 and in pursuit of ensuring a modern, robust
constitutional democracy, the judiciary has viewed its role as complementary to (as
opposed to distinct from) the legislative and executive branches of the state. As
Corder remarks, in its first 15 years, the Constitutional Court’s judgments were
‘careful, wide, fair and at time courageous commitment to constitutional principle
and practice’.5 So determined is the judiciary to uphold constitutional principle
and practice that it has recently admonished the executive, with a court declaring
that a particular government department was ‘grossly non-compliant’ and its
representatives had shown up late for the court hearing.6 Some important
developments in South African constitutional law are set out below. First, for the
first time in South Africa’s history, two judges and the Public Protector were
impeached. South Africa also has a multi-party government for the first time since
the advent of democracy thirty years ago. _________________ 1 Marinus
Wiechers ‘A constitutional court for South Africa’ in DJ van Vuuren et al South
Africa in the Nineties (1991) HSRC Publisher 290. 2 Constitution of the Republic
of South Africa, 1996. 3 Pierre de Vos & Warren Freedman (eds) et al South
Semester 2 2024 - DUE
10 September 2024
[Company address]
, CSL2601 Assignment 2 Semester 2 2024 - DUE 10 September 2024
In the early 1990s when South Africa was contemplating transition to democracy,
Wiechers advanced the case for the establishment of a constitutional court. He
argued that this court would be able to protect and enforce human rights and
liberties [and] to provide expert knowledge and the political as well as socio-
economic understanding which is needed to judge intricate constitutional processes
and issues.1 This view echoes the contemporary view that the Constitution2 that
was designed to revolutionise the South African state reflects the needs and
interests of all South Africans.3 In its articulation of a unique form of the
separation of powers doctrine4 and in pursuit of ensuring a modern, robust
constitutional democracy, the judiciary has viewed its role as complementary to (as
opposed to distinct from) the legislative and executive branches of the state. As
Corder remarks, in its first 15 years, the Constitutional Court’s judgments were
‘careful, wide, fair and at time courageous commitment to constitutional principle
and practice’.5 So determined is the judiciary to uphold constitutional principle
and practice that it has recently admonished the executive, with a court declaring
that a particular government department was ‘grossly non-compliant’ and its
representatives had shown up late for the court hearing.6 Some important
developments in South African constitutional law are set out below. First, for the
first time in South Africa’s history, two judges and the Public Protector were
impeached. South Africa also has a multi-party government for the first time since
the advent of democracy thirty years ago. _________________ 1 Marinus
Wiechers ‘A constitutional court for South Africa’ in DJ van Vuuren et al South
Africa in the Nineties (1991) HSRC Publisher 290. 2 Constitution of the Republic
of South Africa, 1996. 3 Pierre de Vos & Warren Freedman (eds) et al South
