Landmark cases — South Africa

The South Africa authorities every law student is expected to cite. Citations follow SA law-reports / Juta; full text on SAFLII.

• S v Makwanyane 1995 (3) SA 391 (CC)Constitutional / Criminal · 1995

  Death penalty unconstitutional — first major Constitutional Court judgment.

• Carmichele v Minister of Safety and Security 2001 (4) SA 938 (CC)Delict / Constitutional · 2001

  Constitutional duty to develop common law to protect rights.

• Government of the Republic of South Africa v Grootboom 2001 (1) SA 46 (CC)Socio-economic rights · 2000

  Reasonableness review of socio-economic-rights obligations.

• Minister of Health v Treatment Action Campaign (No 2) 2002 (5) SA 721 (CC)Socio-economic rights · 2002

  Right to access healthcare — government must make nevirapine available.

• Barkhuizen v Napier 2007 (5) SA 323 (CC)Contract / Constitutional · 2007

  Constitutional review of contractual fairness — time-bar clauses.