Public Law
South Africa’s public law environment is vibrant and ever-evolving. Our ground-breaking Constitution permeates every aspect of South African life and law. This has resulted in a significant body of precedent-setting cases in the public law sphere, which are often referenced by courts and scholars around the world.
Thulamela Chambers has an unrivalled reputation for excellence in public law. Our junior and senior members frequently appear, on both sides of the courtroom, in the cases that shape South Africa’s constitutional landscape. Our members are also a regular feature in the Constitutional Court (where many of our members began their legal careers as clerks), as well as the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court and a number of regulatory and other tribunals.
Our members are frequently called upon to advise and represent a diverse array of parties, from the South African government (and its structures and institutions) to civil society and private parties – not only in court, but also in the development of policy and legislation.
Many of our members have featured prominently in arbitrations of national importance, such as the Life Esidimeni Arbitration, and in various national commissions of inquiry, including:
The Marikana Commission, 2012.
The Commission of Inquiry into Tax Administration and Governance by SARS, 2018.
The Commission of Inquiry into allegations of state capture, corruption and fraud in the Public Sector including organs of State, 2018.
The areas in which our public law Counsel practise include:
Administrative law
Constitutional law
Communications and media law
Competition law
Development and Planning law
Environmental law
Human rights law
Immigration law
Local government law
Procurement law
Public interest law
Refugee law
Regulatory law