Molapo v Maseru City Council and Another (CIV/APN 36 of 98) [1998] LSCA 99 (2 October 1998)

CIV/APN/36/98 IN T HE H I GH C O U RT OF L E S O T HO In the matter between ' M a m a h a li M p ho M o l a po A p p l i c a nt and M a s e ru City C o u n c il T o wn C l e rk - M CC 1st R e s p o n d e nt 2 nd R e s p o n d e nt J U D G M E NT D e l i v e r ed by the H o n o u r a b le M r. Justice M . M. R a m o d i b e di On the 2 nd d ay of O c t o b er 1 9 98 In this m a t t er the A p p l i c a nt s e e ks a declaratory o r d er to t he effect that her p u r p o r t ed dismissal as the e m p l o y ee of the 1st R e s p o n d e nt is null a nd v o id a nd of no force a nd effect. As ancillary p r a y e rs s he a c c o r d i n g ly s e e ks r e i n s t a t e m e nt to h er position as p e r s o n n el m a n a g er of the 1st R e s p o n d e n t, p a y m e nt of m o n t h ly salary f r om S e p t e m b er 1 9 97 to d a te of j u d g m e nt as w e ll as c o s ts of suit. I s h o u ld m e n t i on at t he outset that d u r i ng t he c o u r se of a r g u m e nt b e f o re me the parties w e re in a g r e e m e nt that in the e v e nt of this C o u rt granting reinstatement the A p p l i c a nt c o u ld o n ly be reinstated to h er n ew position of Social a nd E c o n o m ic P l a n n er as s he h ad a l r e a dy b e en transferred thereto at the t i me of h er p u r p o r t ed dismissal. N ow for t he story of t he litigation: T he parties are i n d e ed on c o m m on g r o u nd that the A p p l i c a nt w as a p p o i n t ed to the post of M a n p o w er M a n a g er in the service of the 1st R e s p o n d e nt on the 2 2 nd April 1 9 9 2. T he letter of a p p o i n t m e nt to that effect is A n n e x t u re " A" to the Applicant's f o u n d i ng p a p e r s. T h is letter h as b e en signed by the then T o wn C l e rk S . M. P h a m o t s e. It is Applicant's case h o w e v er that the latter w as m e r e ly i n f o r m i ng h er of the a p p o i n t m e nt w h i ch a c c o r d i ng to her h ad b e en m a de by the Minister of the Interior a nd Chieftainship Affairs in t e r ms of Section 4 ( 1) of the U r b an G o v e r n m e nt ( A m e n d m e n t) O r d er 1 9 90 (repealing a nd replacing Section 29 of the principal A ct n a m e ly the U r b an G o v e r n m e nt A ct 1 9 8 3 ). T he R e s p o n d e n t s, on the other h a n d, c o n t e nd that the a p p o i n t m e nt in q u e s t i on w as m a de by the T o wn C l e rk S . M. P h a m o t se h i m s e lf a nd that therefore the 2 nd R e s p o n d e nt w as entitled to dismiss the A p p l i c a nt w i t h o ut the approval of the M i n i s t er as he admittedly d id on the 10th S e p t e m b er 1 9 97 in t e r ms of A n n e x t u re " C ". W h i le it m ay appear, at first blush, as if there m i g ht be a dispute of fact as to w ho actually appointed the A p p l i c a nt a closer e x a m i n a t i on of the m a t t er s h o ws that s u ch dispute is n ot real, g e n u i ne or bona fide b ut artificial. T h is is m a i n ly so b e c a u se a p p o i n t m e nt of officers of the 1st R e s p o n d e nt is the exclusive d o m a in of the M i n i s t er of the Interior a nd Chieftainship Affairs in t e r ms of Section 4 ( 1) of the U r b an G o v e r n m e nt ( A m e n d m e n t) O r d er 1 9 9 2. T h at section p r o v i d es as follows:- " 2 9. (I) T he Minister m a y, on s u ch t e r ms a nd conditions as be thinks fit, appoint, (a) a T o wn Clerk; (b) a D e p u ty Clerk; (c) A Treasurer; a nd (d) s u ch other officers as m ay be d e e m ed n e c e s s a ry for the proper p e r f o r m a n ce of the functions of the C o u n c i l ." As I read this section it clearly e m p o w e rs the M i n i s t er of the Interior a nd C h i e f t a i n s h ip Affairs a nd no b o dy else to a p p o i nt officers of t he 1st R e s p o n d e n t. A dv M o s i s i li for t he R e s p o n d e n ts h as tried to o v e r c o me this patently i n s u r m o u n t a b le hurdle by s u g g e s t i ng that the M i n s t er h ad d e l e g a t ed t he p o w er of a p p o i n t m e nt to the T o wn Clerk. I c a n n ot a c c e pt this a r g u m e nt principally for t wo r e a s o n s: Firstly the M i n i s t er h as n ot b e en g i v en e x p r e ss or i m p l i ed p o w er to delegate as s u g g e s t ed a n y w h e re in t he U r b an G o v e r n m e nt A ct 1 9 83 as far as a p p o i n t m e nt of officers to 1st R e s p o n d e nt is c o n c e r n e d. In this r e g a rd I a c c e pt L a w r e n ce B a x t e r 's s t a t e m e nt in his i n v a l u a b le b o ok A d m i n i s t r a t i ve L aw at p a ge 4 32 that the p o w er to d e l e g a te d o es n ot a u t o m a t i c a l ly exist: it m u st be p r o v i d ed for, either expressly or impliedly. In a ny e v e nt I o b s e r ve that e v en if the M i n i s t er h ad in fact d e l e g a t ed t he p o w er of a p p o i n t m e nt to the T o wn C l e rk notice of s u ch delegation w o u ld h a ve h ad to be p u b l i s h ed in the G a z e t te in t e r ms of S e c t i on 36 ( 1) ( d) of t he Interpretation A ct 1 9 77 w h i ch is to the f o l l o w i ng effect: " 36 (1) W h e re a Minister h as delegated p o w e rs a nd duties u n d er section 35(2), or w h e re an A ct confers p o w er u p on a ny p e r s on to delegate the exercise on his behalf of a ny of the p o w e rs or the performance of a ny of the duties conferred or i m p o s ed u p on h im u n d er a ny A ct - (a) (b) (c) (d) .. notice of s u ch delegation shall be published in the Gazette." It is c o m m on c a u se that no s u ch notice h as e v er b e en p u b l i s h ed in the G a z e t t e. S e c o n d ly the v e ry a u t h or of t he letter of a p p o i n t m e nt A n n e x t u re " A" S . M. P h a m o t se h as d e p o s ed an affidavit to the effect that t he A p p l i c a n t 's a p p o i n t m e nt w as in fact d o ne by the M i n i s t er himself. A ll that the d e p o n e nt did w as m e r e ly to i n f o rm the A p p l i c a n t. Significantly, as s h o wn a b o v e, the d e p o n e nt w as the T o wn C l e rk at the t i me he s i g n ed this letter. I think the choice of w o r ds e m p l o y ed by the d e p o n e nt in this letter is decisive in s h o w i ng that the a p p o i n t m e nt w as n ot m a de by h im as the T o wn C l e r k. T he letter o p e ns w i th the f o l l o w i ng w o r d s: "I am to inform y ou that y ou h a ve b e en appointed to the post of M a n p o w er M a n a g er in the service of M a s e ru City Council....." ( E m p h a s is a d d e d ). Quite clearly the author d o es not pretend to h a ve m a de the a p p o i n t m e nt himself. On the contrary an impression is created that the a p p o i n t m e nt w as m a de by s o m e o ne else. N or do I think that S . M. P h a m o t s e 's a v e r m e nt as s h o wn a b o ve c a n, on probabilities, reasonably be controverted on the p a p e rs as t h ey stand. T h is is m a i n ly so b e c a u se neither the present T o wn C l e rk n a m e ly the 2 nd R e s p o n d e nt n or P a ul Q o bo w ho h as filed a s u p p o r t i ng affidavit on b e h a lf of the R e s p o n d e n ts w as the t o wn clerk at the t i me of A p p l i c a n t 's a p p o i n t m e nt in A p r il 1 9 9 2. M o r e o v e r, as earlier stated, S . M. P h a m o t se h ad no statutory p o w er as the T o wn C l e rk to a p p o i nt the A p p l i c a nt as an officer of 1st R e s p o n d e n t. I attach d ue w e i g ht to the fact that the R e s p o n d e n ts h a ve n ot availed t h e m s e l v es of their right to a p p ly for cross e x a m i n a t i on of the d e p o n e nt S . M. P h a m o t s e. F or my part I am satisfied as to the inherent credibility of t he factual a v e r m e n ts of the A p p l i c a nt a nd S . M. P h a m o t se a nd h e r e by p r o c e ed on t he basis of the correctness thereof. I do so on the authority of P l a s c on - E v a ns P a i n ts v van R i e b e e c k. P a i n ts 1 9 8 4 ( 3) S . A. 6 23 A . D. at 6 3 5. A c c o r d i n g ly I find that the A p p l i c a nt w as in fact a p p o i n t ed by the M i n i s t er of Interior a nd Chieftainship Affairs a nd n ot by the T o wn C l e rk as a l l e g ed by the R e s p o n d e n t s. T h at b e i ng the c a se I find that the 2 nd R e s p o n d e nt acted ultra vires his p o w e rs in p u r p o r t e d ly d i s m i s s i ng the A p p l i c a nt w i t h o ut t he a p p r o v al of t he M i n i s t er as he d id on t he 10th S e p t e m b er 1 9 9 7. It is i n d e ed a w e ll k n o wn c a n on of interpretation of statutes that p o w er to a p p o i nt i n c l u d es p o w er to d i s m i s s. In this r e g a rd it is n e c e s s a ry to refer to S e c t i on 34 of t he Interpretation A ct 1 9 77 w h i ch p r o v i d es as f o l l o w s :- " 34 ( I) W h e re an A ct confers a p o w er or i m p o s es a d u ty u p on a p e r s on to m a ke an a p p o i n t m e nt or to constitute or establish a board, tribunal, c o m m i s s i o n, c o m m i t t e e, council or similar b o dy the p e r s on h a v i ng s u ch p o w er or d u ty shall also h a ve the p o w er (a) ( b) to r e m o v e, s u s p e n d, d i s m i ss or r e v o ke the a p p o i n t m e nt of, a nd to re-appoint or reinstate, a ny p e r s on a p p o i n t ed in exercise of s u ch p o w er or duty; to r e v o ke the a p p o i n t m e n t; constitution or establishment of, or to dissolve, a ny b o a r d, tribunal c o m m i s s i o n, c o m m i t t e e, council or similar b o dy appointed, constituted or established, in exercise of s u ch p o w er or duty, a nd to re-appoint, re-constitute or re-establish the s a m e; a nd (c). To specify the period for w h i ch a ny p e r s on a p p o i n t ed in exercise of s u ch p o w er or d u ty shall h o ld s u ch a p p o i n t m e n t. ( 2) W h e re the p o w er or duty conferred u n d er sub-section (1) is o n ly exercisable u p on the r e c o m m e n d a t i o n, or subject to the a p p r o v al or c o n s e nt of s o me other p e r s o n, t h en s u ch r e c o m m e n d a t i o n, a p p r o v al or c o n s e nt is also required for the exercise of the additional p o w er referred to in p a r a g r a p hs (a), (b) a nd (c) of the subsection (1)." S ee also L e s o t ho T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o ns C o r p o r a t i on v T h a m a h a ne R a s e k i la C of A ( C I V) N o. 24 of 1 9 91 ( u n r e p o r t e d) R e g a r d i ng A p p l i c a n t 's salary there is no s u g g e s t i on that the A p p l i c a nt h as e a r n ed alternative salary e l s e w h e r e. I n d e ed there is no e v i d e n ce that s he w o r k ed a n y w h e re d u r i ng the period of her u n l a w f ul "dismissal". A c c o r d i n g ly I c o n s i d er that this is a fit case w h e re m o n t h ly salary s h o u ld be o r d e r ed in f a v o ur of the Applicant. In the result therefore the application is g r a n t ed as p r a y e d. F or the a v o i d a n ce of d o u bt 1 m a ke the f o l l o w i ng order: ( 1) T he p u r p o r t ed dismissal of A p p l i c a nt as the e m p l o y ee of 1st R e s p o n d e nt dated 10th S e p t e m b er 1 9 97 is h e r e by declared null a nd v o id a nd of no force a nd effect. ( 2) T he Applicant is h e r e by reinstated to h er position as Social a nd E c o n o m ic P l a n n er of M a s e ru City C o u n c i l. ( 3) T he R e s p o n d e n ts are o r d e r ed to p ay the A p p l i c a nt h er m o n t h ly salary w i th effect f r om S e p t e m b er 1 9 97 to date. ( 4) T he R e s p o n d e n ts shall p ay the costs of suit. M . M. R a m o d i b e di J U D GE 2 nd O c t o b er 1 9 98 F or A p p l i c a nt : A dv R a k u o a ne F or R e s p o n d e n ts : A dv Mosisili 8