South Africa has seen a groundswell of protests in the past few years. The number of arrests during protest action has likewise increased. In June 2017 the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) challenged the constitutionality of the Regulation of Gatherings Act 205 of 1993 in the Western Cape High Court. This was an appeal from the magistrates’ court in which 21 members of the SJC were convicted of contravening the Regulation of Gatherings Act for failing to provide notice. This is the first court challenge to the constitutionality of the Regulation of Gatherings Act. Although the challenge was brought on restricted grounds, it highlights the Regulation of Gatherings Act as a sharp point of controversy. This article will consider the regulatory provisions and the extent to which they restrict the constitutional right to protest, particularly in light of the important role played by protest in South Africa’s constitutional democracy.

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有关上下文的法律分析：《聚会规则》 –抗议权的障碍？

过去几年中，南非发生了抗议活动。抗议行动期间的逮捕人数也有所增加。2017年6月，社会正义联盟（SJC）在西开普高等法院对《 1993年聚会规则》第205号的合宪性提出质疑。这是地方法院的一项上诉，在该法院中，SJC的21名成员因未提供通知而违反了《聚会规则》。这是法院对《聚会规则》的合宪性的第一个挑战。尽管挑战是出于有限的理由提出的，但它突出了《聚会规则》，这是有争议的重点。本文将考虑监管规定及其在多大程度上限制了宪法规定的抗议权，