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

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

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

The parties to the dispute settled out of court based on the stipulation that the policies of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) concerning the recruitment, deployment and promotion of people living with HIV were unconstitutional. The SANDF was given six months to set aside these policies. In this decision, the Court considered the …Read more

The applicants, T and S, applied for relief against the 12 respondents in relation to certain vitamin-based pharmaceutical products (“Products”) which T and S alleged were being unlawfully distributed and marketed in South Africa as a treatment for AIDS while the distributors discredited legitimate antiretroviral medicines. T and S produced expert testimony that antiretroviral medicines …Read more

A public sector strike took place in 2007. The State contended that not all employees of the State have a right to participate in such a public sector strike, in particular those engaged in essential services. The State subsequently obtained an order in which an interdict was granted to the effect that essential services employees …Read more

This is an application for leave to appeal an interim implementation order. In the main application fifteen prisoners were successful in compelling the State to provide them, and other similarly situated prisoners living with HIV/AIDS, with antiretroviral (ARV) treatment while they were incarcerated at the Westville Correctional Centre (WCC) in KwaZulu-Natal province. The Respondents filed …Read more

An urgent application was filed on behalf of fifteen prisoners living with HIV/AIDS who required antiretroviral (ARV) treatment while incarcerated at the Westville Correctional Centre (WCC) in KwaZulu-Natal province. The Applicants were acting in their individual capacities and as representatives of the class of prisoners incarcerated at WCC. The sixteenth applicant was the Treatment Action …Read more

The Applicant, Simon Musi Mazibuko, was a prisoner living with HIV. He had been convicted of murder assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, robbery, theft, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and sentenced to life in prison. The Applicant was suffering from several opportunistic infections, including tuberculosis, and his CD4 count …Read more

The Applicant, a prisoner, was suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia, a terminal illness. He had no prospects of recovery and was on the verge of dying in prison. He sought the review and setting aside of Respondents’ refusal to release him on medical parole and requested his immediate release. He also requested an order allowing …Read more

Christian Lawyers’ Association (“plaintiff”) submitted an action seeking to find unconstitutional sections of the Choice on Termination of pregnancy Act 92 of 1996 (“the Act”). The sections enabled women under the age of 18 to terminate their pregnancy without restrictions such as parental consent, parental consultation, required counselling, or a waiting period (collectively called “parental …Read more

While serving a six-year sentence in prison, Stanfield was diagnosed with lung cancer.  Prior to this diagnosis he had already suffered from advanced coronary disease.  The lung cancer required treatment with chemotherapy for three consecutive days every twenty-one days over a period of at least six months. In light of his medical condition, Stanfield sought …Read more

Applicants sought an order that the respondents (the Minister of Health and the members of the executive council for health) make Nevirapine available to pregnant women with HIV who give birth in public health institutions and “produce and implement an effective national program to prevent or reduce mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV, including …Read more

Plaintiffs brought on a constitutional challenge to the recently enacted Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1996, alleging that the Act violated Section 11 of the South African Constitution, which provides that everyone has the right to life.  The Choice of Termination Act allowed abortion during the first trimester regardless of the reason and …Read more

The Applicants were four prisoners living with HIV. They sought an order declaring that prisoners living with HIV who had reached the symptomatic stage of the disease and whose CD4 counts was less than 500 per milliliter of blood were entitled to receive appropriate antiretroviral treatment at the Government’s expense. They noted that Section 35(2)(e) …Read more

While a prisoner in custody of the defendant, the plaintiff was informed by the prison nurse in the presence of other prisoners that he was to undergo a blood test for HIV and that he had the right to refuse such test. This information was repeated to the plaintiff in a closed consulting room, but …Read more