Issue 3, 2015 Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe - Volume 12,
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Die nugtere mistiek van Andrew Murray : godsdienswetenskappe
Pieter G.R. De Villiers
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 639 –664 (2015)
Teologiese en sosio-politieke ontwikkelinge het in Suid-Afrika daartoe bygedra dat &apos;n bevindelike tradisie van veral die 19de-eeuse Afrikaanse kerklike lewe op die agtergrond verdwyn het. Hierdie ireniese en transformatiewe tradisie is toenemend in die 20ste eeu verdring deur &apos;n kille intellektualisme en &apos;n dorre leersuiwerheid. In die apartheidsera is dit gepaar met &apos;n nasionalistiese tendens wat &apos;n hoë premie op ortodoksie en lojaliteit aan kerklike gesag en uitsprake geplaas het. Baie energie is in daardie tyd bestee aan die bestryding van gewaande ketterye en afwykende menings - veral ook van bevindelikheid en mistiek. In die proses is die kerkgeskiedenis herskryf om die plek van die mistiek in teologie en kerk te verswyg of as &apos;n ongelukkige afwyking af te maak.
&apos;n Nuwe blik op die geskiedenis van Andrew Murray, waarskynlik een van die invloedrykste kerkleiers in die Afrikaanse Protestantisme en in wêreldwye opwekkingsbewegings, toon hoe deurslaggewend hy deur die bekendste en selfs mees omstrede mistici in die geskiedenis beïnvloed is. Sy blootstelling aan Skotse spiritualiteit, Duitse Piëtisme en Nederlandse Réveil belig en bevestig hierdie mistieke ingesteldheid van hom. Murray skryf meer as 200 bevindelike boeke, maar hy het ook drie mistieke boeke van die veelgelese Engelse mistikus William Law uitgegee. In &apos;n uitgebreide inleiding tot een van hulle, met die titel Wholly for God, het Murray rekenskap gegee van sy siening en toe-eiening van die mistiek. Tot dusver is min aandag aan die inleiding gegee, nie net vanweë die verdagmaking van die mistiek nie, maar ook weens &apos;n beperkte kennis daarvan. Dit het meegebring dat die komplekse en diepgaande mistieke aard van Murray se werk en die impak van sy opmerkings in die inleiding nie gepeil word nie.
Murray se hoë lof op die mistiek in die inleiding word nog meer verstaanbaar in die lig van sy lewe en werk. &apos;n Vergelyking met kontemporêre ondersoek van spiritualiteit en van die mistiek, soos nagevors in Spiritualiteitkunde, bevestig voorts die mistieke aard van Murray se werk en verklaar die ireniese, ekumeniese en oop karakter van sy bevindelikheid. Die artikel ondersoek hoe Murray die mistiek verstaan en toegeëien het. Dit sal verder toon dat Murray se mistiek &apos;n nugterheid het wat herinner aan die mistiek van ander belangrike Protestantse bewegings (soos die invloedryke Moderne Toewyding in Nederland en die werk van Thomas à Kempis).
Hierdie revisionêre herbesinning oor Murray se mistiek onderstreep dat die mistiek, soos Murray geskryf het, &apos;n wesenlike, selfs natuurlike, kenmerk van godsdienstige ervaring is en daarom &apos;n noodsaaklike plek in die godsdienstige diskoers het.
The sober mysticism of Andrew Murray
Recent theological research reveals a global involvement in spirituality studies, with mysticism as its key focus. The importance of this development has been illustrated by the often quoted remark of Karl Rahner (1971:15) that the Christianity of the future will be mystical or cease to exist. Ignorance and prejudice, especially in Protestantism, played a significant role in opposing mysticism. This was the result of the Reformation&apos;s opposition to the monastic life, but it became even stronger after the 19th century as a result of Barthian orthodoxy. The situation in South Africa shows the same trend. In the past mysticism was regarded with suspicion by some Afrikaans theologians. This opposition reached a peak during the apartheid years as theology became increasingly rationalistic, with an emphasis on the intellectual and a criticism of mysticism as being about arbitrary, emotional and individualistic experiences. The irenic, ecumenical and open religious discourse that existed in the nineteenth century was replaced from the first half of the 20th century by a cold, intellectualist theology that engaged in a defence of orthodox doctrine and polemics against dissenting views.
This change, in turn, determined the way in which nineteenth century Protestantism has been portrayed in historiography: important devotional and spiritual traditions that developed during the awakenings of the 19th century under the influence of the Dutch Réveil, German Piëtism and Scottish piety, were sidelined or suppressed. This is especially true of research on the towering figure of Andrew Murray, who was known for his mystical thought and life. Murray was arguably the most influential church leader in the history of the church, especially because of his piety and spirituality. His involvement in the spiritual awakenings of the 1860s with their mystical and ecstatic experiences, but also his theological training in evangelical Scottish traditions, contributed to his stature as perhaps the most respected spiritual leader in the church. His competence and leadership were respected to such an extent that he was elected to the moderatorship of the church five times. He served as pastor of key congregations in the church, and was also actively involved in protracted struggles against liberal clergy in the church.
&apos;n Kwantifisering van kleinwêreldsheid in Afrikaanse kultuurnetwerke in vergelyking met ander komplekse netwerke : natuurwetenskappe
Burgert A. Senekal
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 665 –688 (2015)
Kleinwêreldsheid is een van die belangrikste konsepte in die teorie van komplekse netwerke, soos deur Watts en Strogatz (1998) geïdentifiseer en deur Humphries en Gurney (2008) gekwantifiseer. Hierdie artikel stel ondersoek in na die kleinwêreldverskynsel in Afrikaanse kultuurnetwerke met spesifieke verwysing na die Afrikaanse filmbedryf en die Afrikaanse literêre sisteem. Netwerke van verskillende tydperke en behorende tot verskillende genres word ondersoek, en kleinwêreldsheid (SΔ) word in navolging van Humphries en Gurney (2008) vir hierdie netwerke bereken en ook vergelyk met ander komplekse netwerke wat reeds in die buiteland bestudeer is. Daar word aangedui dat alle Afrikaanse kultuurnetwerke wel kleinwêreldnetwerke is met SΔ > 12, maar ook dat daar beduidende verskille bestaan tussen die verskillende filmnetwerke aan die een kant en literêre netwerke aan die ander kant, veral ten opsigte van oorganklikheidskoëffisiënte (CΔ) en die verhouding tussen die gemiddelde pad (L) van hierdie netwerke en hul Erdös-Rényi-ekwivalente (onderskeidelik CΔrand en Lrand). Voorstelle word ook vir verdere navorsing gemaak.
A quantification of small-worldedness in Afrikaans cultural networks in comparison with other complex networks
Since the late nineties of the last century the theory of complex networks has become an indispensable approach to complex systems and has found applications in almost every field of science. One of the main findings of the study of complex networks that has emerged since the nineties is that the majority of networks are characterised by the so-called small world phenomenon. Watts and Strogatz&apos;s seminal study (1998) was inspired by Stanley Milgram&apos;s famous "six degrees of separation" study (1967), where Milgram suggested that anyone can reach almost anyone else in an average of just six steps. Watts and Strogatz established a model that postulates that nodes can reach other nodes in a network in a short path, on average, even if it is not a social network as in Milgram&apos;s case, and that a high degree of clustering or transitivity occurs between nodes. In order to determine small-worldedness the average path length (L) and transitivity (C?) within the network has to be compared with a network of the same size (in terms of both the number of nodes and the number of edges), as constructed using the Erdös and Rényi (1960) network model, in other words where link formation occurs at random.
Leerspraak in mentorinteraksies - &apos;n ondersoek na die interaksionele aard van leer : opvoedkunde
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 689 –705 (2015)
Hierdie artikel is &apos;n ondersoek na die interaksionele aard van leer en fokus op die wyses waarop deelnemers in mentorsituasies hulle spraak vir leer gebruik. Die doel is om voorbeelde van interaksies met behulp van gespreksontledingsmetodes te beskryf en die implikasies daarvan vir mentorskap uit te werk. Die eenheid van ontleding is leerspraak, dit is spraak-in-interaksie, in episodes van leer, die wyses waarop deelnemers hulleself daarmee posisioneer en hulle beurte in die gesprek aanwend om die leerdoel te bereik. Die studie is van twee mentorpare se interaksies waartydens leerbehoeftes geïdentifiseer en leer bewerkstellig word. Met behulp van gespreksontledingsmetodes is vasgestel dat leerspraak gebruik word vir die manifestering van rolle sowel as die kennisposisies wat die mentor en die leerder inneem. Daar is ook bevind dat die interaksionele totstandkoming van leer bepaal word deur sowel die aanvanklike instemming oor wat die leerbehoefte is as die organisasie van die betrokke beurtsekwense. Voorts is daar ook aanduidings in die data dat die leer wat gespreksmatig en interaksioneel tot stand kom, op mentorspraak berus, wat studentespraak assesseer, uitbrei en aanvaarbaar verklaar. Bevindinge word bespreek met betrekking tot interaksieteorie en tendense in die literatuur oor die ontwikkeling van gespreksontledingsbeginsels. Aanbevelings word gedoen vir verdere ondersoeke oor die interaksionele aard van leer, asook moontlike implikasies vir mentorpraktyke.
Learning talk in mentoring interactions - a study of the interactional nature of learning
This article is an inquiry into the interactional nature of learning, and focuses on the ways in which participants in mentor settings use their talk for purposes of learning. The purpose is to analyse and describe examples of interactions by means of Conversation Analysis (CA) methods in order to consider the implications for mentoring practices.
Mentoring interactions are essentially forms of talk-in-interaction (as described by Schegloff (1997), and characterised by conversational practices of turn-taking, sequencing of utterances as social actions, and the full spectrum of social and conversational norms observed (Van der Westhuizen 2015). They are forms of learning conversations, as per the definitions of Magano et al. (2010), consisting of institutional-specific discursive activities (Drew and Heritage 2006) where participant contribution is a function of the setting, the institutional norms, and the status and stance of the other (Tillema et al. 2015).
Learning conversations are defined here as learning talk, i.e. interactions aimed at the achievement of learning (Van der Westhuizen 2011). Such talk is not seen as windows into the mind (Edwards 1997), but rather as displays of participant status and orientation (Melander 2012), and epistemic primacy, i.e. how participants use what they know in the interaction (Stivers, Mondada and Steensig 2011; Heritage 2012).
Wanneer jou kantoorgebou herbou word terwyl jy werk : &apos;n studie oor die invloed van epistemologiese, politieke en nasionale veranderinge op onderwysersopleiding in afstandsonderrig : opvoedkunde
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 706 –727 (2015)
Hierdie artikel is &apos;n interpreterende studie oor die ervaring van &apos;n dosent wat vir 26 jaar onderwysers aan &apos;n afstandsonderriguniversiteit opgelei het. Die artikel kan beskou word as &apos;n vermenging van &apos;n etnografie en &apos;n outo-etnografie. Die doel van die artikel is om van die kennis en ervaring wat oor die jare opgedoen is, beskikbaar te stel vir nuwelinge in die veld van onderwysersopleiding. &apos;n Kwalitatiewe benadering word in die artikel gevolg en &apos;n literatuurstudie en waarneming is ook as metodes van inligtinginsameling gebruik. Die artikel strek oor drie periodes in die geskiedenis van onderwys in Suid-Afrika: die laaste ses jaar van die apartheidsera; die eerste ses jaar van die postapartheid era; en die eerste 12 jaar van die 21ste eeu. In die artikel word sowel die internasionale as die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks beskryf. In die drie tydvakke word die invloed van epistemologie op opvoedkunde bespreek, asook die uitdagings wat dit aan diegene wat onderwysers oplei, bied. Politieke en nasionale veranderinge in &apos;n land beïnvloed onder andere ook die onderwysstelsel. Diegene wat onderwysers oplei, moet dus tred hou met die veranderinge en onderwysstudente ooreenkomstig die veranderinge oplei. Terselfdertyd moet akademiese denke behou word en akademiese besprekings aangemoedig word.
When your office building is rebuilt while you are still working : a study about the influence of epistemological, political and national changes on teacher training in distance education
This article is an interpretative study about the experience of a lecturer who trained teachers at a distance education university for 26 years. The aim of the article is to make knowledge and experience gained over years available to novices in the field of teacher training.
A qualitative approach is used in the article and a literature study and observation are used as methodology. The article can be regarded as a mixture of ethnography and autoethnography. The strategy used in ethnography and auto-ethnography is observation and a description of a number of events. The data analysis is interpretative and consists of a description of a number of phenomena that were examined (De Vos, Strydom, Fouché and Delport 2005:271).
Doksa en verwerkliking van leeridentiteitspraktyke van hoërskoolleerders in &apos;n landelike werkersklasdorp : opvoedkunde
Henry Fillies and
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 728 –755 (2015)
Hierdie artikel fokus op die aanpassings wat werkersklasleerders maak om hul leerpraktyke te bou. Die kernfokus is op aspekte van hoe die werkersklasleerders hul leeridentiteite in &apos;n spesifieke landelike werkersklasdorpskonteks konstrueer. Die navorsingsmateriaal vir hierdie artikel spruit uit &apos;n uitgebreide navorsingstudie oor die gekose leerders se leerpraktyke in &apos;n landelike werkersklasdorp in die Wes-Kaap. Gefokuste semigestruktureerde onderhoude was die belangrikste data-insamelingsinstrument vir die studie. Die artikel is gegrond op die stories van die leerders oor hul eie lewens. Ons bied insig in wat dit verg om &apos;n leerder in &apos;n landelike werkersklasdorp te wees. Die artikel bied veral begrip van hul produktiewe leeridentiteitspraktyke te midde van diepgewortelde armoede. Pierre Bourdieu se konsep doksa ("doxa") dien as teoretiese lens vir die ontleding van hierdie praktyke. Wat ons aanvoer, is dat hul landelike geleefde konteks sentraal is tot die aard van hul leerpraktykvorming, meer spesifiek die manier waarop hulle hul doksa genereer en gebruik om dit aan die vorming van hul leerpraktyke te koppel.
Doxa and learning identity practice realisation of high school learners in a rural working-class town
This article concentrates on the adaptations that working-class learners make in order to develop and establish their learning practices. The key focus is on aspects of how these learners construct their learning identities in a specific rural town context in the Western Cape. The research material for the article is drawn from an extensive study of the learning practices and life stories of selected learners, focused semi-structured interviews, and ethnographic work in this rural working-class town. We were interested in how learners&apos; social-spatial dynamics influenced their doxa in their daily interaction with their social networks, popular discourses, peers, family, and other people in their immediate surroundings. The article specifically provides understanding about their productive learning practices amid deep-seated poverty. We argue that their "lived" rural context is central to their learning practice formation, especially in how they generate and use their doxa to produce these practices.
Wat die drome nie genees nie : kan toestemming tot benadeling steeds aanspreeklikheid weens sportbeserings uitsluit? : regte
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 756 –788 (2015)
Sport is sedert die vroegste tye deel van die menslike samelewing en sportbeserings is dan waarskynlik ook vanaf die vroegste tye deel van die mens se bestaan. Die wedywering in antieke sport het dikwels tot ernstige beserings of die dood gelei en atlete was verbruikbare hulpbronne wat in die soeke na glorie opgeoffer kon word. Die ou Romeinse beginsel van volenti non fit iniuria het deur die Middeleeue behoue gebly en vandag ken ons dit as toestemming tot benadeling of aanvaarding van die risiko van benadeling. Atlete beskou pyn as &apos;n noodsaaklike neweproduk van sport en sportbestuurders maak staat op die selfgedrewenheid van spelers om hulself in die strewe na sukses verby normale menslike vermoëns te dryf. Die howe was aanvanklik, op grond van toestemming tot benadeling of die aanvaarding van die risiko van benadeling, meestal huiwerig om sportfederasies, klubs of spelers vir sportbeserings aanspreeklik te hou. Daarbenewens het sport- en staatsowerhede skynbaar aanvaar dat beserings en sterftes onvermydelik in sport is. &apos;n Ontleding van die toepaslike beginsels toon egter dat die posisie ten opsigte van aanspreeklikheid weens sportbeserings nie so eenvoudig is nie. Die verweer van toestemming tot benadeling of die risiko van benadeling is problematies in die milieu van sport. Eerstens hou &apos;n besering, buiten vir die beseerde speler, ook nadelige gevolge in vir ander belanghebbendes, soos afhanklikes, die speler se klub en hulppersoneel wat in die speler se diens is. Toestemming tot benadeling bind slegs die speler en nie ook sulke derde partye nie. Tweedens is toestemming tot benadeling problematies waar kinders aan sport deelneem. Dit is nie duidelik dat deelname aan sport en die meegaande toestemming tot benadeling noodwendig altyd in die beste belang van die betrokke kind is nie. Gevolglik mag &apos;n hof weier om aanspreeklikheid op hierdie grond uit te sluit waar kinders betrokke is. Derdens word beroepspelers deur hul diensverhouding genoodsaak om die risiko&apos;s van sportbeserings te loop en daar kan dus nie gesê word dat toestemming vrylik verleen word nie. Vierdens is dit nie duidelik dat partye wat bloot aan sosiale sport deelneem, asook beginners, noodwendig kan waardeer in welke mate hulle die risiko van besering loop nie. Dit wil voorkom of selfs beroepspelers hierdie aspek van toestemming problematies vind en dit plaas twyfel op die geldigheid van enige toestemming wat inderdaad verleen word. Die toestemming moet vervolgens regtens geoorloof wees. Ten spyte van aanduidings dat die howe selfs opsetlike oortredings van die reëls sal verskoon indien dit tot beserings sou lei, is daar verskeie beleidsgronde wat vereis dat toestemming &apos;n geldige verweer kan wees slegs indien die dader streng volgens die reëls gespeel het. Een van hierdie gronde is die hoë beseringskoers in sport. Statistiek toon dat die risiko van besering by beroepspelers tot 5 000 maal hoër as by mynwerkers is. Sportfederasies behoort meer te doen om die veiligheid van spelers te bevorder, sodat hulle latere eise van oudspelers kan vermy.
That which cannot be cured by dreams : can consent to injury still exclude liability for sports injuries?
Sport has been an aspect of human society since the earliest times and sports injuries have probably also been part of human existence from the outset. The contests in ancient sports often led to serious injury or death and athletes were viewed as expendable resources that could be sacrificed in the quest for glory. It would seem that this notion of expendable athletes has remained with us throughout the ages.
The old Roman principle of volenti non fit injuria endured through the Middle Ages and today we know it as consent to injury or assumption of the risk of injury. Athletes believe in "no pain, no gain" and regard pain as a necessary by-product of sport. Sports managers rely on the self-motivation of players to push themselves beyond the bounds of normal human endeavour in pursuit of success. Athletes who push on and continue to compete despite excruciating pain are hailed as heroes who put their team or country above their own interests.
In addition, sport and state authorities seem to accept that injuries and deaths are inevitable in sport. Almost every sport can erect its own "war memorial" for fallen athletes who have met their fate while training for or participating in sport. The number of serious injuries are even higher and there are innumerable short-term injuries that result in athletes&apos; sitting out on training sessions. Even in cases where team managers or team crews have pushed athletes to the point of death or compelled racing drivers to compete in unsafe cars, authorities have not taken action against such managers or crews. It would seem that sports federations and clubs can do no wrong. The general message to athletes everywhere seems to be: if you play and get hurt, that is your problem.
Vonnisbespreking : die toepassing van die gemeenregtelike in duplum-reël tydens gedingvoering, grondwetlike proporsionaliteit en die skeiding van magte
Paulsen v Slip Knot Investments 777 (Pty) Ltd 2015 5 BCLR 509 (KH) : regte
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 789 –809 (2015)
The application of the common-law in duplum rule during litigation, constitutional proportionality and the separation of powers
In Paulsen v Slip Knot Investments 777 (Pty) Ltd 2015 5 BCLR 509 (CC) the constitutional court held that the common-law in duplum rule that arrears interest stops accruing when the sum of unpaid interest equals the amount of the outstanding capital, applies during litigation between creditors and debtors. The court overruled the decision in Standard Bank of SA Ltd v Oneanate Investments (Pty) Ltd (in liquidation) 1998 1 SA 811 (SCA) that the in duplum rule does not apply during litigation. In the Paulsen case both the majority and minority judgments contended that their respective conclusions were "in accordance with constitutional values". The right affected by the suspension of the rule during litigation was the right of debtors to raise defences freely. The majority held that there are alternative ways in which delaying tactics of creditors who raise fictitious defences could be dealt with. The court should also have considered the alternative proposed by Willis JA in Paulsen v Slip Knot Investments 2014 4 SA 253 (SCA) parr. 5-70, namely that a court must retain a discretion either to apply or not to apply the in duplum rule during litigation. The contention of Madlanga J that the court was merely rectifying a mistaken reading of the common law in the Oneanate case and was not changing the common law was justly rejected by a majority in a separate concurring judgment of Moseneke J. However, the idea of Madlanga J that proponents either of developing the common law or of sustaining the Oneanate position are expressing "personal" opinions, can possibly be linked to the fact that strong opinions expressed in the judgments of what the practical effect of the application or non-application of the in duplum rule would be in practice, were not substantiated by arguments based on facts.
Vonnisbespreking : aanspreeklikheid weens &apos;n late : versoening tussen die tradisionele en nuwe toets vir deliktuele onregmatigheid, of nie?
South African Hang and Paragliding Association v Bewick 2015 3 SA 449 (HHA) : regte
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 810 –822 (2015)
Liability for an omission : reconciliation between the traditional and new test for delictual wrongfulness, or not?
In contradistinction to previous judgments of Brand JA, in this case he was willing to reconcile the traditional boni mores test for wrongfulness with the new test for wrongfulness as the reasonableness of holding the defendant liable. Both tests place the emphasis on considerations of policy which, closely examined, would ultimately produce the same result. But this does not mean that the objections against the new test would also disappear; especially the statement that the reasonableness of the defendant&apos;s conduct has nothing to do with wrongfulness, cannot be justified.
The policy considerations or factors which were considered in casu to determine whether the respondents&apos; (SSs&apos;) omission was wrongful, that is, whether there was a legal duty on SS to prevent the appellant&apos;s (B&apos;s) injuries when she was flying tandem paragliding for reward, were the following: On the positive side there was a statutory duty to act which made SS accountable - notwithstanding that compliance with this duty would not have prevented the accident in which B was injured. On the negative side it would have been very difficult for SS to take adequate steps to prevent tandem paragliding for reward; there was a danger of boundless liability; and the plaintiff was not vulnerable to the risk of damage, since she could reasonably have prevented damage by other means. Since our courts follow a conservative approach to the extension of Aquilian liability and there were not sufficient positive policy considerations to justify liability, the conclusion that the omission was not wrongful deserves support. Then the basic premise of our law is that damage lies where it falls (res perit domino).
The court&apos;s obiter remarks on factual and legal causation can also be supported. The former was absent because even if B flew without reward it would not have prevented the accident, and the latter because the "wrongful" omission would not have increased the risk of an accident.
Menseregte, die omgewing en omgewingskonstitusionalisme : regte
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 823 –856 (2015)
As een van die primêre versinnebeeldings van konstitusionalisme is menseregte kragtige en blywende grondwetlike komponente van &apos;n regsisteem. Tans is daar &apos;n beduidend hernude belangstelling in die rol van menseregte in die omgewingsparadigma, veral in die mate waartoe menseregte beskou word as verhewe metawaardes wat &apos;n buitengewone bemiddelingsrol in die mens-omgewing-koppelvlak kan vervul. Deurdat omgewingsbewaring toenemend verskans word in grondwette, vernaamlik by wyse van omgewingsmenseregte, word die moontlikheid geskep om omgewingsbelange in &apos;n juridiese sin te verhef en om geleidelik aan die omgewing groter status te verleen binne die grondwetlik-beskermende domein van regstelsels oor die wêreld heen.
Hierdie konstitusionaliseringsproses geskied binne die konseptuele kader van omgewingskonstitusionalisme, wat tot op hede nog &apos;n splinternuwe en ontwikkelende begrip is. Omgewingskonstitusionalisme tree in verskillende vorme na vore. Dit sluit in formele konstitusionele eienskappe wat voorsiening maak vir die argitektuur en inwerkingstelling van omgewingsbestuur, asook substantiewe konstitusionele eienskappe wat konstitusioneel verskanste bepalings soos grondliggende waardes, "hoërorde"-beginsels, en belangriker vir hierdie artikel se fokus, omgewingsmenseregte insluit.
Die geleidelike ontwikkeling van omgewingskonstitusionalisme in vakkundige debat gee blyke van &apos;n doelbewuste, hoewel (nog) huiwerige poging om die menseregte-omgewingdebat opnuut deur &apos;n konstitusionele lens te bekyk. Hoewel hierdie hernude belangstelling skynbaar gesetel is in &apos;n meer omgewingsgerigte en pasgemaakte konstitusionele benadering, moet &apos;n mens jou afvra of omgewingskonstitusionalisme bloot &apos;n nuwe etiket vir &apos;n ou verskynsel is en of dit inderdaad iets nuuts daarstel. Ook belangrik vir doeleindes hiervan is die vraag of hierdie nuwe term van waarde vir die menseregte-omgewing-debat is.
In &apos;n poging om tot die jong maar ontwikkelende diskoers oor omgewingskonstitusionalisme by te dra, wil hierdie artikel &apos;n normatief-konseptuele ondersoek begin wat daarop fokus om sommige van hierdie vrae te beantwoord, wel wetende dat so &apos;n ondersoek (énige ondersoek, trouens) te beperk is om die vrae afdoende te beantwoord. Die artikel het spesifiek ten doel om die verskynsel van omgewingsmenseregte binne die kader van omgewingskonstitusionalisme te oorweeg; om &apos;n meer samehangende en gesistematiseerde beskrywing van omgewingskonstitusionalisme en hierdie paradigma se formele en substantiewe aspekte aan te bied; en, ten slotte, om krities te besin oor die potensiaal van omgewingsmenseregte as belangrike elemente van substantiewe omgewingskonstitusionalisme en hul rol in die bemiddeling van die mens-omgewing-koppelvlak in die Antroposeen. Omdat die debat oor omgewingskonstitusionalisme tans byna uitsluitlik in die Engelse literatuur gevoer word, is dit ook die doel van hierdie artikel om die debat in breë terme bekend te stel aan &apos;n Afrikaanse gehoor, wat op sy beurt sou kon bydra tot die groeiende Afrikaanse omgewingsregdiskoers.
Human rights, the environment and environmental constitutionalism
As one of the primary expressions of substantive constitutionalism, human rights are considered ethical demands that operate at an elevated juridical level. The appeal of human rights to social movement energies and energetic global solidarities evinces their increasing popularity as legal constructs that supplement the traditional instrumentalist functions of law. Despite their many limitations and the legitimate criticism often levelled against rights generally, they remain enduringly valuable juridical constructs in a normative and an analytical sense. Currently there seems to be renewed and burgeoning scholarly interest in the role of human rights in the broader environmental paradigm. As legal mechanisms possessing unique characteristics, human rights are elevated within the juridical order as meta-values and able to perform a singular mediating role in the human-environment interface. The worldwide acceptance of people&apos;s rights to a healthy environment, environmentally related procedural rights and other substantive political and socio-economic human rights bearing on environmental interests (collectively understood as environmental human rights), is testimony to their increasing popularity.
The move towards constitutional environmental care, and more specifically, the emergence of environmental human rights, occur conceptually within the newly emerging paradigm of "environmental constitutionalism". Environmental constitutionalism, unlike human rights in the environmental context, is an entirely new concept for which, to date, there does not exist a universally endorsed definition, and of which there has been no cogent theoretical-normative treatment. As has been stated, and as this article argues, environmental constitutionalism manifests in formal and substantive guise. Its formal aspects provide for the architecture and implementation of environmental governance, whereas its substantive aspects include constitutionally entrenched higher-order values and principles, and importantly for present purposes, environmental human rights. The latter proliferation occurs predominantly at a domestic constitutional level, suggesting that constitutions are almost always the legal avenue of choice to entrench environmental human rights.
Ontslag van &apos;n beskuldigde na die sluiting van die vervolgingsaak : openbare mening en die reg op &apos;n billike verhoor ingevolge die akkusatoriese strafprosesregstelsel : regte
Litnet Akademies : &apos;n Joernaal vir die Geesteswetenskappe, Natuurwetenskappe, Regte en Godsdienswetenskappe 12, pp 857 –886 (2015)
Artikel 174 van die Strafproseswet 51 van 1977 bepaal dat indien die hof by die afsluiting van die saak vir die vervolging van oordeel is dat daar geen getuienis is dat die beskuldigde die misdryf waarvan hy aangekla is, of &apos;n misdryf waaraan hy op die aanklag skuldig bevind kan word, gepleeg het nie, die hof &apos;n uitspraak van onskuldig mag lewer.
Adjunkregterpresident Traverso het op 8 Desember 2014 die aansoek om ontslag, na sluiting van die vervolgingsaak teen Shrien Dewani, wat aangekla was van sameswering tot ontvoering, roof en moord van sy vrou, Anni, toegestaan. Hierdie beslissing was vir die oorledene se familie en lede van die publiek in die algemeen &apos;n skok en daar is klagtes teen die adjunkregterpresident by die regterlike gedragskomitee van die Regterlike Dienskommissie aanhangig gemaak.
Die toepassing van artikel 174 van die Strafproseswet, asook die toepassing daarvan in die Dewani-uitspraak, word bespreek. Daar word verwys na die beginsels wat artikel 174 in &apos;n demokratiese bestel onderlê, naamlik die swygreg van &apos;n beskuldigde en die verbod teen selfinkriminasie. Die toepassing van die akkusatoriese stelsel van die strafprosesreg in Suid-Afrika word behandel en daar word besin of die openbare mening heers dat sekere reëls daarvan die persepsie by die gemeenskap kan skep dat dit nie die waarheid openbaar nie en gevolglik onregverdig is. Die klagtes wat teen die adjunkregterpresident ingedien is, word geëvalueer. Daar word argumenteer dat die hof in Dewani die toepaslike regsbeginsels suiwer toegepas het en nie voor die openbare mening, naamlik dat die beskuldigde op sy verdediging geplaas moes word, geswig het nie.
Daar word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat alhoewel die openbare mening &apos;n rol tydens die uitleg en toepassing van die Grondwet en die strafprosesreg speel, dit ondergeskik is aan die langtermynwaardes wat die Grondwet poog om te verwesenlik.
Discharge of the accused at the close of the case for the prosecution : public opinion and the right to a fair trial in terms of the accusatorial system of criminal procedure
According to section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 a court may, at the close of the case for the prosecution, if it is of the opinion that there is no evidence that the accused committed the offence referred to in the charge sheet or any other offence of which the accused may be convicted of, return a verdict of not guilty. This procedure is referred to as a discharge at the end of the case for the prosecution.
On 8 December 2014 the deputy judge president of the Western Cape high court, Traverso DJP, granted an application for the discharge of the accused in the case of Shrien Dewani, who was accused of conspiring to kidnap, rob and murder his wife Anni. The decision of the court to discharge the accused came as a shock to the deceased&apos;s family and the public in general. Two public interest groups, the Higher Education Transformation Network and the Justice4ANNI Campaign, subsequently lodged complaints against the decision of the deputy judge president with the judicial conduct committee of the Judicial Services Commission.
In this contribution the application of section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act, as well as the application thereof in the Dewani case, are set out and discussed. It is trite law that the term no evidence does not mean no evidence at all, but that it means no evidence upon which a reasonable court acting carefully might convict the accused. The test was originally interpreted as a two-stage inquiry: first, it should be asked whether there is evidence upon which a reasonable man acting carefully might convict the accused; if not, it should secondly be determined whether there is a reasonable possibility that the defence evidence might supplement the state&apos;s case. If the answer to either question is yes, there should be no discharge and the accused should be placed on his defence.