Fraus Legis in Constitutional Law: The Case of Expropriation "Without" or for "Nil" Compensation

Authors

  • Martin van Staden Sakeliga, Free Market Foundation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2021/v24i0a10406

Keywords:

constitutional amendments, without compensation, substance over form, Fraus legis

Abstract

Fraus legis – defrauding or evading the application of law – is a phenomenon well-known to students of private law, but its application in public law, including constitutional law, remains largely unconsidered. To consider whether a transaction, or, it is submitted, an enactment, is an instance of fraus legis, an interpreter must have regard to the substance and not merely the form of an enactment. In 2018 Parliament resolved to amend section 25 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (the Constitution) to allow government to expropriate property without being required to pay compensation. While the public and legal debate has since before that time been concerned with "expropriation without compensation", the draft Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Bill, 2019 provides instead for expropriation where "the amount of compensation is nil". By the admission of Parliament's legal services unit, this is a distinction without a difference. But compensation and expropriation are legally and conceptually married, and as a result, it would be impermissible to expropriate without compensation – instead, nil compensation will be "paid". How does this current legal affair comport with the substance over form principle, and is fraus legis at play? This article considers the application of the fraus legis phenomenon to public law, utilising the contemporary case study of the Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Bill.

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References

Literature

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Case law

City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality v Afriforum & Another [2016] ZACC 19

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Legislation

Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Bill, 2019

Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996

Constitution of the United States of America, 1789 (United States)

Group Areas Act 14 of 1950

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Agri SA 2017 https://www.blsa.org.za/assets/Uploads/2017-July-Possible-impact-of-land-expropriation-on-the-agric-sector-27-July2.pdf accessed 11 March 2021

Cronin J 2018 “It’s land reform, not narrow ‘expropriation without compensation’ https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-07-23-its-land-reform-not-narrow-expropriation-without-compensation/ accessed 11 March 2021

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Hall R 2018 https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/opinion/landexpropriation-for-what-land-reform-for-whom-your-land-questions-answered-16370960 accessed 11 March 2021

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Published

28-06-2021

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

van Staden, M. (2021). Fraus Legis in Constitutional Law: The Case of Expropriation "Without" or for "Nil" Compensation. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 24, 1-31. https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2021/v24i0a10406

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