This is an index of legal resources related to Privacy (especially regards the workplace) as at 6 September 2008.

Electronic Communications – email, entrapment, internet, SMS, tapping

Note: See “Code of Practice on the Protection of Workers’ Personal Data”

[ILO, Geneva, Meeting of Experts on Workers’ Privacy, Geneva 1-7 October 1996] published in (1997) 18 ILJ 26-55.

Grogan [EL (2004) 20/2 p9] discusses RICA, [Regulation of Interception of Communications & Provision of Communications-related Information Act 70 of 2002] which came into effect on 30 September 2005, and some related issues.

See also ECTA (Electronic Communications & Transactions Act 25 of 2002).

Warren Beech ‘The Right of an Employer to Monitor Employees’ Electronic Usage and other Recordings’ (2005) 26 ILJ pp 650-660 discusses pre-RICA, being the Interception and Monitoring Prohibition Act 127 of 1992, repealed with effect from 30 June 2008.

Constitutional Court

Magajane v Chairperson, NW Gambling Board (GF 6241) [Van der Westhuizen J, 8.06.06]

2006 (10) BCLR 1133 & [2006] JOL 17821(CC)

[Appeal allowed after leave granted – inspection an invasion of privacy – NW Gambling Act 2/2001 s65 invalid as it violated constitutional right to privacy]

Omar v Government of RSA (GF 5811) [Van der Westhuizen  J, 7.11.05]

2006 (2) BCLR 253 & [2005] JOL 15972 (CC)

[Appeal disallowed – protection orders – validity – Domestic Violence Act 116/1998]

Supreme Court of Appeal

Transnet Ltd v SA Metal Machinery Co (Pty) Ltd (GF 5827) [Howie P, 29.11.2005]

(2006) 1 All SA 352; 2006 (4) BCLR 473 & [2005] JOL 16170 (SCA)

[Appeal disallowed – information to be supplied – unsuccessful tenderer]

Gumede v Subel NO (Allimpex International Ltd) (GF 5764) [Lewis JA, 27.09.2005]

[2006] 3 All SA 411 & [2005] JOL 15571 (SCA)

[Appeal disallowed – commissioner – subpoena – documents – no right to privacy]

High Court

Tshabalala-Msimang v Makhanya (GF 6712) [Jajbhay J, 30.08.2007] [2008] 1 All SA 509; 2008 (3) BCLR 338; [2007] JOL 20547 (HC-WLD)

[Medical records ordered to be returned to hospital – respondents to delete all copies of those records but not personal notes – discharged interim order preventing the respondents from further commenting on the records]

Omar v Government of RSA (GF 6067) [Tshabalala JP, 31.08.2004] [2005] 3 All SA 65 & [2005] JOL 14471(HC-NPD)

[Application refused – protection order – approved on appeal to CC – see GF 5811 above]

Ndlovu v Minister of Correctional Services (GF 6069) [Gautschi AJ, 19.05.2004] [2006] 4 All SA 165 & [2006] JOL 17037 (HC-WLD)

[Damages awarded for wrongful detention – computer printouts – evidential value – ECT Act 25/2002 interpreted]

Protea Technology Ltd v Wainer (GF 5261) [Heher J, 29.09.1997]

1997 (9) BCLR 1225 (W)

[Telephone tapping]

Labour Court

Jafta v Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (GF 7139) [Pillay J, 1.07.2008] [2008] JOL 22096 (LC)

[Upheld claim for contractual damages resulting from repudiation of contract by employer – offer of employment accepted by SMS – ECTA 25/2002 interpreted and applied – proof of loss – awarded damages of R166,336.07 for loss of past and future earnings and travelling expenses]

Van Wyk v Independent Newspapers Gauteng (Pty) Ltd (GF 5800) [Revelas J, 11.03.05] [2006] 1 BLLR 73; (2005) 26 ILJ 2433 & [2005] JOL 15777 (LC)

[Fair & lawful reason to dismiss – email abuse – no right to privacy]

Grieve v Denel (Pty) Ltd (GF 5103) [Pillemer AJ, 30.01.2003] [2003] 4 BLLR 366 & (2003) 24 ILJ 551 (LC)

[email abuse]

Cronje v Toyota Manufacturing (GF 4948) [Gering AJ, 18.07.2002] [2002] 9 BLLR 855 & (2002) 23 ILJ 1563 (LC)

[email abuse]

Cape Town City Council v SAMWU (GF 4387) [Stelzner AJ, 22.09.2000] [2000] 11 BLLR 1239 & (2000) 21 ILJ 2409 (LC)

[Unfair dismissals – reinstated – entrapment permissible but must be fair and comply with Criminal Procedure Act]

Arbitration Awards

Toker Bros (Pty) Ltd /Keyser (GFA 2380) [Van Niekerk, 17.06.2005]

(2005) 26 ILJ 1366 (CCMA)

[Fair & lawful reason to dismiss – abuse of email – defamation – no right to privacy]

Caji / Africa Personnel Services (Pty) Ltd (GFA 2274) [Van Rooyen, 27.10.2004]

(2005) 26 ILJ 150 (CCMA)

[Entrapment – guidelines – CPA 51/1977 – s 252A – application]

Mbuli / Spartan Wiremakers CC (GFA 2062) [Loveday [G], 25.03.2004] [2004] 5 BALR 598 & (2004) 25 ILJ 1128 (MEIBC)

[entrapment – dismissal fair]

NUMSA obo Abrahams / Guestro Wheels (GFA 2045) [Brand [F], 16.02.2004] [2004] 4 BALR 520 (CCMA)

[videotape]

Smuts v Backup Storage Facilities (GFA 1375) [Taylor [N], 11.11.2002] [2003] 2 BALR 219 (CCMA)

[Illicit internet use]

Dauth / Weir’s Cash & Carry (GFA 493) [Lyster, 22.05.2002]

(2002) 23 ILJ 1472 (CCMA)

[email abuse]

Sugreen / Standard Bank of SA Ltd (GFA 892) [Rycroft, 29.04.2002] [2002] 7 BALR 769 & (2002) 23 ILJ 1319 (CCMA)

[Telephone tapping]

Jardine / Tongaat Hulett Sugar Ltd (GFA 842) [Rycroft, 23.01.2002] [2002] 4 BALR 426 & (2002) 23 ILJ 547 (CCMA)

[email abuse]

Philander / CSC Computer Sciences (GFA 835) [Maritz, 27.12.2001] [2002] 3 BALR 304 (CCMA)

[email abuse]

Bamford / Energizer (SA) Ltd (GFA 792) [Sutherland, 2.10.2001] [2001] 12 BALR 1251 (P)

[Illicit internet use]

Volkwyn / Truworths Ltd (GFA 868) [Kruger, 11.02.2001] [2001] 12 BALR 1251 (P)

[SMS abuse]

Cronje / Toyota Manufacturing (GFA 402) [Lyster, 9.11.2000] [2001] 3 BALR 213 (CCMA)

[email abuse – see LC case GF 4948]

Moonsamy / The Mailhouse (GFA 1349) [Van Dokkum, 13.07.1998]

(1999) 20 ILJ 464 (CCMA)

[Telephone tapping]

Mncube v Cash Paymaster Services (Pty) Ltd (GFA 1124) [Pillay, 6.05.1997] [1997] 5 BLLR 639 (CCMA)

[Fair dismissal – polygraph tests not acceptable as corroborative evidence]

Journal Articles – 2006 onwards

[T Pistorius CILSA (2006) 39/02 p178 – “From snail mail to e-mail”] [K Alheit CILSA (2006) 39/02 p265 – “Delictual liability arising from the use of defective software”] [SP van Zyl De Jure (2006) 39(1) p127 – “An Employer’s Vicarious Liability with reference to the Internet and E-Mail“] [EH van Coller De Jure (2006) 39(1) p163 – “Transparency and Access to Documents: A General Principle of European Community Law?“] [M van Jaarsveld De Jure (2006) 39(3) p620 – “Words, words, words …more than just words in employment references?: some thoughts on the liability of employers for calamitous references“] [D Lewis ILJ(UK) (2006) 35:324-328 – `Whistleblowers, Reasonable Belief and Data Protection Issues’] [VA Lawack-Davids Obiter (2006) 27(1) p 174 – `The Internet and jurisdiction: lessons from the American Experience’] [R de Villiers SALJ (2006) 123(2) p 315 – `Computer programs and copyright: The South African perspective’] [GJ Lidovho SALJ (2006) 123(2) p 338 – `The internet and the piracy of copyrightable computer software in South Africa: some comparative perspectives’] [J Hoffman SALJ (2007) 124(2) p 262 – ‘The meaning of the exclusions in s 4 of the Electronic Communications & Transactions Act 25 of 2002′] [A Roos SALJ (2007) 124(2) p 400 – ‘Data protection: explaining the international backdrop and evaluating the current South African position’] [D van der Merwe THRHR (2007) 70(2) p309 – ‘Information technology crime: a new paradigm is needed’] [M Watney THRHR (2006) 69(2) p227 – `Regulation of internet pornography in South Africa (1)] [L Olivier THRHR (2006) 69(2) p325 – `The South African Revenue Service’s right to disclose confidential information to law enforcement agencies’] [M Watney THRHR (2006) 69(3) p381 – “Regulation of internet pornography in South Africa (2)’]

[M Watney TSAR (2007) 3 p494 – ‘The evolution of legal regulation of the internet to address terrorism and other crimes’]

Journal Articles – 2005

[C Mischke CLL (2005) 15/04 p37-39 – Van Wyk (LC)] [W Beech ILJ (2005) 26/4 pp 650-660] [C Mischke IRN 9.02.2005 – Jardine (CCMA)] [VA Lawack-Davids & A van der Walt Obiter (2005) 26(1) p 133 – interception in the workplace] [J Neethling SALJ (2005) 122(1) p18 – the concept] [J Neethling THRHR (2005) 68(3) p521 – “shadowing”]

Journal Articles – 2004

[J Grogan EL (2004) 20/2 p9] [J Grogan EL (2004) 20/3 p23] [Dekker SAMLJ (2004) 16(4) p622 – monitoring] [M McGregor SAMLJ (2004) 16(4) p638 – guidance re internet & email] [M van Jaarsveld SAMLJ (2004) 16(4) p651 – use of computers] [J Coetzee Stell LR (2004) 15/3 p501 – facilitating electronic commerce] [J Neethling & JM Potgieter THRHR (2004) 67(2) p318]

Journal Articles – 2003

[C Mischke CLL (2003) 12/08 p71-80] [J Grogan EL (2003) 19/2 p25] [J van Rensburg JBL (2003) 11(2) p90] [J van Rensburg JBL (2003) 11(3) p148] [A Dekker JBL (2003) 11(3) p151] [Gerrie Ebersohn JBL (2003) 11(3) p159] [M McGregor JBL (2003) 11(3) p189 – guidelines [email/internet]]

[Modiba SAMLJ (2003) 15(3) p363] [JMT Labuschagne THRHR (2003) 66(2) p297] [J Neethling TSAR (2003) 3 p568] [J Neethling TSAR (2003) 4 p783]