Reconsidering our legal reasoning, legal culture and vision of law: 20 years after Froneman
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38140/aa.v57i1.9853Keywords:
transformative constitutionalism, legal reasoning, legal cultureAbstract
This paper reflects on whether and to what extent we have made progress in transforming our formal vision of law to a constitutional vision of law, particularly in the application and interpretation of private law. What was needed for this transformation was a more substantive reasoning that acknowledges the unavoidable connection between law and politics. Following the adoption of the Constitution, different academics identified a disconnect between the legal culture and the transformative aspirations of the Constitution and questioned whether we were equipped to meet the necessary demands. The judgment in the matter between Changing Tides 74 (Pty) Ltd and the Municipality of Johannesburg is considered in this paper to indicate our prevailing formal vision of law, legal culture and legal reasoning.
References
References
Froneman J. 2005. Legal reasoning and legal culture: our "vision" of law. Stellenbosch Law Review 16(1): 4-20.
Klare K. 1998. Legal culture and transformative constitutionalism. South African Journal on Human Rights 14(1): 146-188.
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Cases
Changing Tides 74 (Pty) Ltd v The City of Johannesburg (40135/2016) [2025] ZAGPJHC 279.
City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality v Blue Moonlight (338/10) [2011] ZASCA 47.
City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality v Blue Moonlight Properties 39 (Pty) Ltd and Another (CC) [2011] ZACC 33.
City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and others v Hlophe and others (1035/2013) [2015] ZASCA 16.
Du Plessis v De Klerk (CCT8/95) [1996] ZACC 10.
Loureiro and others v Imvula Quality Protection (Pty) Ltd 2014 (5) BCLR (CC).
Minister of Law and Order v Kadir 1995 1 SA 303 (A).
Modderfontein Squatters, Greater Benoni City Council v Modderklip Boerdery (Pty) Ltd (with Agri SA and the Legal Resources Centre as amici curiae); President of the Republic of South Africa and others v Modderklip Boerdery (Pty) Ltd (also with Agri SA and the Legal Resources Centre as amici curiae) 2004 (6) SA 40 (SCA).
Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of South Africa and Another: In re Ex Parte President of the Republic of South Africa and Others ((CCT31/99) [2000] ZACC 1; 2000 (2) SA 674; 2000 (3) BCLR 241).
Government publications
Department of Human Settlements National Housing Code of 2009. 2009. Available at: https://www.dhs.gov.za/National-Housing-Code
Housing Act, No. 107 of 1997. 1997. Available at: https://www.dhs.gov.za/Legislations
Social Housing Act, No. 16 of 2008. Available at: https://www.dhs.gov.za/Legislations
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Copyright (c) 2025 Martie Bloem
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