BRIEF
ANALYSIS OF TWO JUDGMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT AND TWO JUDGMENTS OF THE
SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL DEALING WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL VALIDITY AND
INTERPRETATION OF SECTIONS 51 AND 52 OF THE (“MINIMUM SENTENCES”) ACT, 1997
During the operation of the
discretionary minimum sentences legislation, the constitutional validity of
both sections 51 and 52 of the Act was tested, in 2000 and 2001, respectively.[1] The
State v Dzukuda
In S v Dzukuda, the
State v Dodo
In S v Dodo, the
“[33] On this part of the case I accordingly
conclude as follows:
33.1 While our Constitution
recognises a separation of powers between the different branches of the state
and a system of appropriate checks and balances on the exercise of the
respective functions and powers of these branches, such separation does not confer on the courts the sole authority to
determine the nature and severity of sentences to be imposed on convicted
persons.
33.2 Both the legislature and the executive have a legitimate interest, role
and duty, in regard to the imposition and subsequent administration of penal
sentences.
33.3 The concomitant authority
of the other branches in the field of sentencing must not, however, infringe
the authority of the courts in this regard.
33.4 It is neither possible
nor, in any event, desirable to attempt a comprehensive delineation of the
legitimate authority of the courts in this regard.
33.5 For purposes of this case
it is sufficient to hold that the legislature is not empowered to compel any
court to pass a sentence which is inconsistent with the Constitution”.
The
Brandt v
The State (SCA)
High Courts have given conflicting
decisions regarding the application of the minimum sentences legislation to
offenders under 18 years of age. In an
attempt to resolve these conflicting interpretations the Supreme Court of
Appeal, in
“To summarise:
(a)
The legislative scheme entails that the fact that an offender is under
18 although over 16 at the time of the offence automatically confers a
discretion on the sentencing court which is without more free to depart from
the prescribed minimum sentence.[7]
(b)
In consequence the sentencing court is generally free to apply the usual
sentencing criteria in deciding on an appropriate sentence.
(c)
The offender under 18 though over 16 does not have to establish the
existence of substantial and compelling circumstances because s51(3)(a) finds
no application to him or her.
(d)
By contrast with the class of offender under 16, however, the statutory
scheme requires that the sentencing court should take into account the fact
that the legislature has ordinarily ordained the prescribed sentences for the
offences in question. This operates as a
weighting factor in the sentencing process.
(e)
It follows on this approach that where the provisions of s51(2) apply
the regional court retains its competence to finalise the matter contrary to
the conclusion in Makwetsja”.[8]
Conclusion
In conclusion, the sentencing
principles and procedures under both sections 51 and 52 were therefore held to
be constitutional by the
[1] S v
Dzukuda and Others 2000 (4) SA 1078 (CC) and S v Dodo 2001 (1) SACR 594 (CC).
[2] Par J at 1083 and
A at 1084.
[3] The High Court
reasoned that if it were not bound by the provisions of s 51(1) of the Act it
would have imposed a sentence other than life imprisonment; on its construction
of the phrase ‘substantial and compelling circumstances’ the discretion to
depart from the imposition of mandatory life sentence arose when such sentence
would occasion a shocking injustice, would be grossly disproportionate to the
crime committed or startlingly inappropriate or the Court formed the view that
such sentence was offensive to its sense of justice or when such sentence was
disturbingly inappropriate; if it were bound by the provisions it would be
obliged to impose a sentence of life imprisonment, the circumstances relating
to the murder count on which the applicant had been convicted not being
‘substantial and compelling’ so as to warrant the imposition of a lesser
punishment.
[4] At
par 11. The
“A.
Section 51 has limited but not eliminated the courts' discretion in imposing
sentence in respect of offences referred to in Part I of Schedule 2 (or
imprisonment for other specified periods for offences listed in other parts of
Schedule 2).
B. Courts are required to approach the
imposition of sentence conscious that the legislature has ordained life
imprisonment (or the particular prescribed period of imprisonment) as the
sentence that should ordinarily and in the absence of weighty justification be
imposed for the listed crimes in the specified circumstances.
C. Unless there
are, and can be seen to be, truly convincing reasons for a different response,
the crimes in question are therefore required to elicit a severe, standardised
and consistent response from the courts.
D. The specified sentences are not to be
departed from lightly and for flimsy reasons. Speculative hypotheses favourable
to the offender, undue sympathy, aversion to imprisoning first offenders,
personal doubts as to the efficacy of the policy underlying the legislation,
and marginal differences in personal circumstances or degrees of participation
between co-offenders are to be excluded.
E. The legislature has however deliberately left
it to the courts to decide whether the circumstances of any particular case
call for a departure from the prescribed sentence. While the emphasis has
shifted to the objective gravity of the type of crime and the need for
effective sanctions against it, this does not mean that all other
considerations are to be ignored.
F. All factors (other than those set out in D
above) traditionally taken into account in sentencing (whether or not they
diminish moral guilt) thus continue to play a role; none is excluded at the
outset from consideration in the sentencing process.
G. The ultimate impact of all the circumstances
relevant to sentencing must be measured against the composite yardstick
(''substantial and compelling'') and must be such to cumulatively justify a
departure from the standardised response that the legislature has ordained.
H. In applying the statutory provisions, it is
inappropriately constricting to use the concepts developed in dealing with
appeals against sentence as the sole criterion.
I. If the sentencing court on consideration of
the circumstances of the particular case is satisfied that they render the
prescribed sentence unjust in that it would be disproportionate to the crime,
the criminal and the needs of society, so that an injustice would be done by
imposing that sentence, it is entitled to impose a lesser sentence.
J. In so doing, account must be taken of the
fact that crime of that particular kind has been singled out for severe
punishment and that the sentence to be imposed in lieu of the prescribed
sentence should be assessed paying due regard to the bench mark which the legislature
has provided”.
[5] As
above.
[6] At
par 27.
[7] At par 11 the SCA
held as follows: “It may decide in the
exercise of its sentencing discretion to impose the minimum sentence prescribed
by s51(2) for an offence of the kind specified in Schedule 2. That a discretion to impose the minimum
sentence does indeed exist is clear from the use of the words ‘decides’ and
‘decision’ in s51(3)(b). The sentencing
court is called upon in the exercise of its discretion to make a decision as to
whether or not to impose the minimum sentence prescribed by the Act”.
[8] In Direkteur van
Openbare Vervolgings, Transvaal v Makwetsja 2004 (2) SACR 1 (T) it was held
that “Die streekhof moet alle gevalle waarin ‘n skuldigbevinding aan ‘n misdryf
soos in Deel I van Bylae 2 tot die Wet vermeld uitgespreek word vir vonnis na
die Hooggeregshof verwys: ook die
gevalle waar die beskuldigde ten tye van die pleging van die misdryf tussen 16
en 18 jaar oud was” at par 49.