The Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday ruled that the governing body of a public school - not the provincial education authorities - has the authority to determine the number of children the school may admit as part of its admission policy.
The court also unanimously held that a provincial government had no authority to override the school's policy.
The SCA upheld an appeal by the school governing body of the Rivonia Primary School against a judgment of the South Gauteng High Court on December 7, 2011.
Principal Carol Drysdale faced a Gauteng Department of Education disciplinary hearing for resisting the admission of a pupil, after a parent had complained.
The SCA ordered the respondents Ä the Gauteng MEC for education, the head of the Gauteng education department, and the district director of Johannesburg East Ä to pay the costs of the appeal. - Sapa