Lawfulness as a Standard of Just Administrative Action Part 1: Introduction and the ‘What’ Question Flashcards
whats the key aim of lawfulness?
to keep administrators within the
bounds of their authority
considers them ultra vires as soon as they start acting outside the bounds of their authority
explain the relation between lawfulness and admin action
Lawfulness is the first of the three requirements of administrative justice in section
33 of the Constitution
What’s the requirement of lawfulness?
the statement in the administrative law of the
principle of rule of law
what does the principle of law state?
everyone, including the state, is subject
to the law, and all public power is derived from law.
whats the effect of the complete overlap between the lawfulness standard for just administrative action(reviewed through PAJA) and the lawfulness standard for the exercise of public power that does not amount to administrative action (reviewed through the avenue of legality)
cases dealing with non-administrative action (where someone challenges a decision) can help illustrate what it means for administrative action to be lawful. In other words, these cases help explain the standards for fairness and legality in administrative decisions.
Explain authorisation as the basic requirement for admin action
The PAJA section 1 definition of ‘administrative action’ indicates that there must be a
source for an administrator’s decision.
Definition of Administrative Action:
Administrative action refers to any decision taken or any failure to take a decision by:
An organ of state, when:
Exercising a power in terms of the Constitution or a provincial constitution.
Exercising a public power or performing a public function in terms of any legislation.
A natural person or juristic person (other than an organ of state), when:
Exercising a public power or performing a public function in terms of an empowering provision.
Whats the def of organ of state ito s239 of Constitution?
(a) any department of state or administration in the national, provincial or local sphere of government; or
(b) any other functionary or institution –
(i) exercising a power or performing a function in terms of the Constitution or a provincial constitution; or
(ii) exercising a public power or performing a public function in terms of any legislation, but does not include a court or judicial officer.
describe the enquiry into the lawfulness of administrative action
The enquiry into the lawfulness of administrative action entails two parts:
(i) There must be a valid authorisation in an empowering provision; and
(ii) The administrative action taken must be aligned to, or overlap with, the
authorisation in the empowering provision
whats does the basic lawfulness inquiry entail?
It entails comparing the administrative action with elements of the authorisation conferred by the empowering provision to determine
the extent of their alignment.
General rule on authority granting admin power to act.
In general, administrators must act in terms of the correct empowering provision.
Ø Where an administrator deliberately and expressly purports to act in terms of an empowering provision that does not authorise
them to take the particular action, they will act unlawfully, even if there is another empowering provision that could have
authorised the particular action.
Explain the effect of the alignment of the comparison of the admin action with elements of authorisation on determining lawfulness.
If the administrative action aligns with the elements of the authorisation conferred by
the empowering provision, then the administrative action is lawful
If the administrative action does NOT align with the elements of the authorisation
conferred by the empowering provision, then the administrative action is unlawful
What are the questions that determine the various elements of the authorisation conferred by the empowering provision?
(i) What was authorised?
(ii) Who was authorised?
(iii) How did the authorisation prescribe the action to be taken?
What are the important sub questions that should be considered when examining what an administrator is empowered to do?
- How much discretion does the empowering provision confer upon the administrator?
- Is the empowering provision mandatory or
permissive? - What power is expressly conferred by the empowering provision and what power might be
impliedlyconferred? - What is the purpose of the empowering provision?
- Is the administrator required to act in terms of the empowering provision within a prescribed
time period or, if not, within a reasonable time? - Once the administrator has taken the decision, are they empowered to change their minds and
vary their decision?
What is the primary role of the lawfulness standard where the empowering provision grants a wide discretion to the administrator?
primary role of the lawfulness standard is to ensure that:
(i) the administrator does in fact have a discretion (i.e. the discretion is not curtailed)
(ii) exercises a discretion when taking the action.
The What Question: What is an Administrator Authorised to Do?
Primarily reflected in S 6(2)(f)(i) which states:
§ A court or tribunal has the power to judicially review an
administrative action if the action itself:
* Contravenes a law; or
* Is not authorised by the empowering provision