Tjaart Jurgens Maré Doctor Legum Universiteit van die Vrystaat

117 Baxter, 1984:312.
sal toegelig word om dit in konteks te plaas. Baxter maak die volgende
opmerking.
“If the principle of legality requires that all administrative acts must be
authorised, then the courts must evaluate administrative action by
examining the scope of authority conferred by the relevant enabling
legislation. The meaning of the legislation must be determined through
the process of statutory interpretation, by which the court attempts to
divine that meaning which is believed to have been intended by the
legislators. This process requires some investigation since it obviously
constitutes the link between courts and legislator in the formulation of
the content of legality. As will be seen, the chimera of legislative
intention, like the ultra vires doctrine, turns out to be a justificatory
concept rather than one which furnishes any substantial information
concerning the scope of lawful authority in each particular case.” 117
Dit is dus duidelik dat die doel van die wetgewing in die administrasieproses
vasgestel moet word en wanneer daar voldoen word aan die wetgewer se
doel met die wetgewing, dit veral administratiewe geregtigheid in die hand
moet werk. Om te verseker dat administratiewe geregtigheid wel aan die
hand van die legaliteitsbeginsel bewerkstellig word, het die wetgewer Artikel
33 in die Grondwet ingebou. Statutêr word die volgende nou voorgeskryf :
“33(1) Everyone has the right to administrative action that is lawful,
reasonable and procedurally fair”
En in Artikel 33(3) bepaal die Grondwet die volgende :
“Natural legislation must be enacted to give effect to these rights, and
must-
(a) provide for the review of administrative action by a court or,
where appropriate, an independent and impartial tribunal.”
Daar is derhalwe ʼn statutêre verpligting op die howe geplaas om by die uitleg
van wetgewing te sorg dat administratiewe geregtigheid gehandhaaf word.
Die beginsel van legaliteit beteken dat regsvoorskrifte by die verrigting van
administratiewe handelinge nagekom moet word. Die beginsel postuleer ʼn
verhouding tussen twee punte of objekte, te wete –
(a) die optrede of die gedrag van die administrasie en
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