Head of Department: Department of Education, Free State Province v Welkom High School and Another, Head of Department: Department of Education, Free State Province v Harmony High School and Another (766/2011, 767/2011) [2012] ZASCA 150; 2012 (6) SA 525 (SCA); [2012] 4 All SA 614 (SCA) (28 September 2012)

Head of Department: Department of Education, Free State Province v Welkom High School and Another, Head of Department: Department of Education, Free State Province v Harmony High School and Another (766/2011, 767/2011) [2012] ZASCA 150; 2012 (6) SA 525 (SCA); [2012] 4 All SA 614 (SCA) (28 September 2012)

The Supreme Court of Appeal held that the Head of Department (HOD) lacked authority under the South African Schools Act to instruct school principals to disregard pregnancy policies adopted by school governing bodies. The adoption of such policies is a governance function reserved for the governing body, not the...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2012] ZASCA 150
Parties
Appellant: Head of Department: Department of Education, Free State Province; Respondent: Welkom High School; Respondent: The Governing Body of Welkom High School; Respondent: Harmony High School; Respondent: The Governing Body of Harmony High School
Court
Supreme Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction
South Africa
Case Number
766/2011, 767/2011
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Appeal From Free State High Court, Bloemfontein
Outcome
Appeal dismissed with costs; high court order amended.
Judges
MPATI P, CLOETE JA, MHLANTLA JA, THERON JA, PLASKET AJA
Legal Topics
School Governance, Code of Conduct, Principle of Legality, Administrative Action, Collateral Challenge, Pregnancy Policy
Administrative Law Civil Procedure Constitutional Law School Governance Code of Conduct Principle of Legality Administrative Action Collateral Challenge +1 more

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Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Head of Department: Department of Education, Free State Province

Appellant

Welkom High School

Respondent

The Governing Body of Welkom High School

Respondent

Harmony High School

Respondent

The Governing Body of Harmony High School

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil Appeal / Appeal From Free State High Court, Bloemfontein

  1. 1 Whether the Head of Department (HOD) has authority to instruct school principals to disregard policies adopted by school governing bodies.
  2. 2 Whether the HOD may mount a collateral challenge to the validity of the governing bodies' pregnancy policies.
  3. 3 Whether the principle of legality was violated by the HOD's conduct.

Ratio Decidendi

The Supreme Court of Appeal held that the Head of Department (HOD) lacked authority under the South African Schools Act to instruct school principals to disregard pregnancy policies adopted by school governing bodies. The adoption of such policies is a governance function reserved for the governing body, not the HOD. Even if the policies are unlawful or unconstitutional, they remain valid and binding until set aside by a court in judicial review proceedings. The HOD's attempt to mount a collateral challenge was rejected, as such a challenge is only available to persons threatened with coercive action, which did not apply to the HOD. The principle of legality requires that public power be...

Court Disposition

Appeal dismissed with costs; high court order amended.

Orders

  • Each appeal is dismissed, with costs.
  • In each case, for as long as the pregnancy policy remains in force, the first respondent is interdicted and restrained from directing the school principal to act in a manner contrary to the policy adopted by the school governing body.