The applicants’ claim was based on s. 27(1)(b) of the Constitution – the right to sufficient food and water, which they submitted found further expression in the provisions of the Water Services Act 108 of 1997 (“WSA”). Their complaint argued that farm occupiers and labour tenants, especially the applicants, lacked “access to sufficient water, basic …Read more

A motion for an interlocutory injunction was brought to prevent the City of Toronto from enforcing its By-law that prohibited camping and erecting tents, structures, and shelters in City parks, City of Toronto Municipal Code, c. 608. The applicants did not challenge the validity of the By-law but sought an order to have it suspended …Read more

The applicants appealed a decision affirming the constitutionality of Brian’s Law (Mental Health Legislative Reform), 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 9. (“Brian’s Law”), which was enacted by the Ontario legislature in 2000. Brian’s Law amended the Mental Health Act (“MHA”), adding provisions that expanded criteria for involuntary committal in a psychiatric hospital and introduced community treatment …Read more

The applicant, Mr. Slavko Krajnc, was a professional truck driver in Celje, Slovenia. On September 29, 2003, Krajnc was deemed to have “category III work-related disability” as a result of his epilepsy, which rendered him unable to work as a truck driver. Accordingly, he had the right to be assigned to a different, more suitable …Read more

The respondent – DZ in this case gave birth to WZ. Due to prolonged labour, DZ suffered from asphyxation, which led to cerebral palsy. WZ brought an action for damages on behald of DZ on the account of negligence of the hopsital staff. The Medical of the Executive Council (MEC) for health admitted negligence on …Read more

The Appellant was diagnosed with testicular cancer and his left testicle was surgically removed. He did not like the oncologist who was refered by the surgeon and decided to go for alternative therapies. The respondent practised alternative therapies and treated the appellant for more than a year. The Appellant went back to conventional treatment and …Read more

The appellant suffered an incomplete miscarriage and was admitted into the Manapo Hospital on the same day. A uterine evacuation was conducted. She alleges that she was discharged despite constant pain and swelling in her abdomen. She was given antibiotics and was instructed to come back for a check-up if she does not feel better. …Read more

The applicant worked as a cleaner and dislocated his left thumb. He went to Kimberlery Hospital for medical treatment and he was sent home after a plaster of paris case was put on his left hand and forearm and was asked to come after 10 days. He returned to the hospital before the stipulated time …Read more

The plaintiff instituted an action for medical negligence on behalf of her daughter. She stated that due to the negligence of the hospital staff, her daughter suffers from spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, poor cognitive ability, feeding difficulty etc. The plaintiff was admitted and assessed by a midwife who authorised her admission to a ward for …Read more

This case concerned physician-assisted suicide in South Africa. The applicant, a 66-year-old highly educated, experienced lawyer with four children and a mother, had terminal stage 4 cancer with only a few weeks left to live and brought suit against various government ministries. He sought a declaratory order that a medical practitioner may end, or enable …Read more

The plaintiff filed a suit against the Member of the Executive Council for negligence on part of the George Mukhari Hospital during and after her caesarean (C-sec) operation and also the manner in which they treated her infant daughter. The said public hospital is under the administration of the Gauteng Provincial Department. The plaintiff was …Read more

The plaintiff in this case alleged negligence in her legal capacity of a guardian of her child (B) who suffers from cerebral palsy. She alleged that it was the hospital’s negligence during labour and childbirth, which cause a permanent brain damage in her daughter. In her plaint, she stated that the hospital did not keep …Read more

The Appellant is a 17 year old, who suffered spinal injuries during a rugby match, which left him paralysed below his neck and in a quadriplegic state. Thereafter, he received treatment at three hospitals under the responsbiliy of the respondent. At the first hospital, he arrived at around 3 pm and was attended to by …Read more

The plaintiff filed a suit in her personal capacity and as a guardian of her minor child, Z alleging medical negligence. She alleged that the hospital failed to determine the need for a Caesarean Section and due to prolonged labour and foetal distress, Z suffered from cerebral damage at birth. The Defendant pleaded that under …Read more

The mother of the applicant, who was born in 2008 with Down Syndrome instituted a claim on his behalf for damages against the Fetal Assessment Centre. Her son was born in 2008 with Down syndrome. She claimed that the Centre negligently failed to warn her of the high risk that her child would be born …Read more

The plaintiff underwent a regular hysterectomy for fibroid uterus at Dora Nginza Hospital. A week later, she was readmitted as she was suffering from unbearable pain and wound abscess. The abscess burst, as operation was not conducted on the scheduled date. She was again admitted to the hospital as she complained of a hard swelling …Read more

The plaintiff alleged that the defendant was negligent in causing burn wounds during a thyroid lobectomy operation. She stated that she was not explained the possible complications of the operation. After the effect of Anaesthesia wore off, she complained of severe back pain but was not attended to immediately.

Netcare approached the High Court in order to protect its confidential information from being disclosed by KPMG to the Competition Commission. The Commission had launched a market inquiry into the private health sector and had employed KPMG as a consultant for this purpose. Netcare alleged that KPMG had a conflict of interest because it was …Read more

The appellant was found guilty of rape of a two-year-old girl by the Malamulele regional court under section 11(2) of the criminal procedure Act based on his guilty plea and statement. He was subsequently sentenced on 05 September 2013 to 5 (five) years’ imprisonment, 2 (two) years of which are suspended for 5 (five) years …Read more

The respondent patient had filed a claim of negligence against the appellant doctor. She alleged that she suffered from urine incontinence after her hysterectomy surgery performed by the appellant. When she consulted a urologist, it was found that a fistula or hole was present in the patient’s bladder wall. In the High Court, there was …Read more

While incarcerated in congested prison with poor hygienic conditions, Dudley Lee was infected with tuberculosis (TB).  The responsible prison authorities were aware of the risk of the inmates’ contracting TB, but did not have a comprehensive system in place to reduce the risk of infection. Rather, the prison authorities relied on a system of inmates …Read more

Section 3(1)(a) of the Tobacco Products Control Act of 1993 (the “Act”) prohibited any person from “advertising” or “promoting” a tobacco product.  The appellant, a tobacco manufacturer, contended that this prohibition should not extend to its one-to-one communication with consenting adult consumers of tobacco products as it was an unconstitutional limit on both the appellant’s …Read more

Aventis, a pharmaceutical company, applied for a preliminary injunction against infringement of its patent on its cancer drug Taxotere in order to restrain Cipla, an Indian pharmaceutical company, from importing, manufacturing or selling Cipla’s generic equivalent of the drug. Prior to this, Cipla had applied for revocation of Aventis’ amended patent on a number of …Read more

This case was about the scope of the constitutional right of access to a water supply. The applicant was a resident of Kwa-Ngquba Locality and the respondent was a District Municipality responsible for providing water services under the Water Service Act 108 of 2017. The case of the applicant was that in 2004, the respondent …Read more

The plaintiff filed an action for damages against the defendant on behalf of her minor child “A” alleging that the nursing staff at the clinic failed to properly monitor the child’s fetal growth and heart beat, refer her to a hospital for ante-natal sonar tests and were negligent in providing appropriate treatment and perform a …Read more

Mr Mankayi brought an action for delictual (tort) damages against AngloGold Ashanti Limited (AngloGold). While working as an underground mineworker between January 1979 and September 1995, Mr Mankayi claimed to have been exposed to harmful dusts and gases that led to his contracting tuberculosis and a chronic obstructive airway condition; these ailments rendered him unable …Read more

The Applicant, Allpass, was hired as a stable yard manager and horse-riding instructor for the Respondent, Mooikloof Estates. He had 27 years of experience in horse riding, instructing and stable yard management. At the time of his hiring, the Applicant had been living with HIV for 17 years and was in a same-sex civil union. …Read more

Water in Silobela, Carolina Town and Caropark neighbourhoods in the town of Carolina, South Africa was contamintaed by acid mines severaly rendering it unfit for consumption. Water tanks were brought in from neighboring towns to supply drinking water to the town’s residents, but some of the tanks were not refilled, and some were not refilled …Read more

The plaintiff alleged medical negligence on behalf of the Dora Nginza Hospital (hereinafter referred to as “the hospital”. The plaintiff states that she was referred to the hospital as her blood sugar and blood pressure was high during pregnancy. She had also informed the hospital that she had had previous C-Section deliveries. She was also …Read more

The City of Cape Town entered into an agreement with the individual members of the community for building over 1300 toilets. The City authorities stated that the residents would enclose the toilets themselves if the City provided one toilet per household. The Applicants argued that due to lack of finances, most of the toilets were …Read more

Two cases (numbers 37505/09 and 21352/09) were consolidated by an order of the court along with this case of the Hospital Association of South Africa Ltd (number 37377/09), as they all dealt with the same issues. The Applicants sought relief in respect of the promulgation by the Minister of Health (Minister) of Regulations Relating to …Read more

Bradley McCallum, a detainee at a maximum correctional facility in South Africa, claimed to be a victim of violations of articles 7 and 10 of the International on Civil and Political Rights (“Covenant”). In particular, McCallum alleged that he was physically abused, raped, and subject to other ill treatment by South African prison authorities during …Read more

This was an appeal from an order of the South Gauteng High Court. The Applicants were members of the Harry Gwala Informal Settlement (Settlement). They approached the High Court for an order against the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (Municipality) to install communal water taps, temporary sanitation facilities, refuse removal facilitation and high-mast lighting in key areas, …Read more