Issue 2, 2008 Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg - Volume 2008,
Freedom of contract : mandatory and non-mandatory rules in European contract law
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 179 –195 (2008)
The purpose of this article is to reflect on the position and function of common European rules in respect of limitations to freedom of contract, and more specifically on the role of mandatory and non-mandatory rules in general. After dealing with this more generally in the first part, the article addresses in its second part the different techniques restricting freedom of contract that we find in the Principles of European Contract Law, the acquis communautaire of the law of the European Union, or the Draft Common Frame of Reference. It is especially critical of anti-discrimination laws.
Kontraksvrijheid - dwingende aard al dan niet van Europese norme
Deze bijdrage ontstond in het debat dat in de Europese rechtswetenschap wordt gevoerd betreffende de noodzaak, de omvang en de inhoud van een uniform of minstens geharmoniseerd contractenrecht in Europa. Ze behandelt één enkel thema, namelijk de diverse vormen van regels die de contractsvrijheid beperken. In een eerste deel wordt ingegaan op de vragen naar het nut of de noodzaak van een harmonisatie van dergelijke regels. Daarin wordt gepleit voor een uniforme modelwet die als uitgangspunt zou fungeren voor het nationale recht, maar de nationale wetgever de mogelijkheid laat daarvan af te wijken door middel van een uitdrukkelijke bepaling. In een tweede deel wordt een overzicht gegeven van regels van die aard in het op 1 Jan 2008 gepubliceerde ontwerp van Gemeenschappelijk Referentiekader voor een Europees contractenrecht en kritisch ingegaan op sommige van die regels. In het bijzonder wordt ingegaan op de voorgestelde regel die de nietigheid uitspreekt van contracten voor zover dit vereist zou zijn ter bescherming van fundamentele rechtsbeginselen en vervolgens op de invoering van discriminatieverboden in het contractenrecht.
The jury trial : English and French connections
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 196 –202 (2008)
Die jurieverhoor : Engelse en Franse verbintenis
Die reg van die onderhoudsbehoeftige kind kragtens artikel 29 van die grondwet teenoor die reg van skuldeisers van die insolvente boedel van die ouer
L. Stander and
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 203 –221 (2008)
The duty of the insolvent estate and the trustee with regards to maintenance of the insolvent and his family
Specific focus is placed on the right of the insolvent&apos;s children to education and further education versus the right of the creditors of the insolvent estate to payment out of its proceeds. Must a reasonable amount for the further education of the insolvent&apos;s children be paid out of the insolvent estate before the creditors of the insolvent estate&apos;s claims are paid out? The law of insolvency is currently based on the important principle of "advantage of the creditors". The rule is that everything that takes place during the sequestration process must be to the advantage of the concursus creditorum. On the other hand, children enjoy protection in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996. What is the position in the event of the sequestration of the estate of the parents? The authors are of the opinion that the Insolvency Act should contain a provision that a fair and reasonable amount of maintenance, which must be determined with due consideration of all circumstances, must be paid out of the estate by the trustee. If circumstances allow, such maintenance must include an amount for the tertiary education of the child. It is further understood that in cases in which it is, with consideration of the circumstances of the insolvent, not possible to provide an amount for the tertiary education of the insolvent&apos;s child(ren), the state has a constitutional duty to provide for the child(ren). It is submitted that this duty must include the duty of the provision of further education. It is undeniable that the state does not currently have the ability or the means to provide tertiary education to every child in the country who is in need thereof. The authors are of the opinion that there are circumstances in which such a duty must be put into operation as soon as possible, inter alia in the case of sequestration.
C.L. Van Schalkwyk and
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 222 –237 (2008)
Spying - an international law perspective
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 238 –254 (2008)
Spioenasie - &apos;n perspektief vanuit die internasionale reg
Weinig word in die internasionale reg oor spioenasie in vredestyd weerspieël. Wat betref spioenasie in oorlogstyd is daar &apos;n magdom verdrae, geskrifte en gemeenregtelike reëls. Om die reëls van die internasionale reg rakende spioenasie in vredestyd vas te stel, verg &apos;n studie van staatspraktyk tydens vredestyd. Ook hier is daar weinig bronne en aangesien state se praktyke so verskillend is, heers onsekerheid. Die gesaghebbendste bron van staatspraktyk in vredestyd is die Rainbow Warrior-saak, &apos;n geskil tussen Nieu-Seeland en Frankryk. Hierdie geding het &apos;n draai gemaak in die hoogste hof in Nieu-Seeland, die VVO, die internasionale geregshof en het met internasionale arbitrasie geëindig. Daar word betoog dat die Rainbow Warrior-saak en al die gebeurlikhede om die saak die internasionaalregtelike posisie rakende spioenasie in vredestyd weerspieël.
The German criminal charges against Donald Rumsfeld - the long road to implement international criminal justice at the domestic level
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 255 –266 (2008)
Die kriminele aanklag teen Donald Rumsfeld - die vervolging voor duitse howe van verantwoordelikes vir die beweerde mishandeling van gevangenes deur die VSA
Die hantering van die Rumsfeld-saak en die weiering deur Duitsland om die beskuldigdes te vervolg, is belangrik omdat dit demonstreer dat die uitoefening van universele jurisdiksie oor internasionale misdade deur nasionale howe in &apos;n bepaalde staat beperk word deur die internasionaal erkende beginsels van subsidiariteit en die nie-inmenging in die belange en sake van ander state. Die struikelblokke wat hierdie twee beginsels meebring moet dus eers oorkom word alvorens sodanige strafregtelike vervolging suksesvol voor &apos;n vreemde gereg gevoer kan word. Dit laat die vraag onbeantwoord tot watter mate diplomatieke oorwegings en Realpolitik &apos;n rol speel in die uitkoms van sodanige sake. Die verloop van die tersake proses laat die indruk dat sodanige mooi klinkende internasionale beleidsdokumente nie sonder meer &apos;n waarborg bevat dat &apos;n vermeende oortreder van die daarin vervatte internasionale norme daadwerklik tot rekenskap gebring sal word voor iedere vreemde gereg nie.
The constitutional dimension of the best interests of the child as applied in education
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 267 –285 (2008)
Die grondwetlike dimensie van die beste belange van die kind soos toegepas in die onderwys
In hierdie artikel word die grondwetlike aard en betekenis van die gemeenregtelike beginsel van die beste belange van die kind, wat nou as fundamentele reg in artikel 28(2) van die grondwet verskans word, kortliks uiteengesit. Daar word aangetoon dat as grondwetlike reg, die beginsel nie &apos;n onaantasbare status geniet nie, maar aan beperking ingevolge artikel 36 van die grondwet onderworpe is en in &apos;n gegewe situasie ondergeskik gestel kan word aan &apos;n ander kompeterende reg of belang. Weliswaar word die toepassing van die beginsel beïnvloed deur die waardestelsel van elke uitlegger of toepasser. Vervolgens word &apos;n geselekteerde aantal regte, soos die reg op gelykheid, die reg op privaatheid, die reg op vryheid van uitdrukking, die reg op godsdiensvryheid en die reg op onderwys bespreek ten einde aan te toon watter impak die beginsel op die toepassing van elk van hierdie regte in onderwysverband mag hê. Daar word spesifiek ook na die vraagstuk van dissipline in skole verwys. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die beginsel dikwels ondersteunend tot die toepassing van bepaalde ander regte staan, en dat ten spyte daarvan dat die beginsel as grondwetlike reg beperk kan word, dit die nuttige doel dien om amptelike optrede in onderwys te kontroleer.
Pensioendeling by egskeiding steeds onbevredigend en verwarrend gereël
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 286 –308 (2008)
Division of pension benefits on divorce still unsatisfactory
Although the South African Law Commission recommended in 1999 in it&apos;s Final Report on the Sharing of Pension Benefits that the sharing of retirement fund benefits by erstwhile spouses should be governed by a dedicated act separate from the Divorce Act, the legislature has not been convinced of the urgency of this matter and ignored the report. This has left South African subjects involved in divorce proceedings in an unfavourable position compared to that of their brothers and sisters in other jurisdictions where divorce is governed by modern legislation that makes provision for pension splitting. Experience gained after the 1989 amendment of the Divorce Act has reconfirmed what was predicted more than two decades ago: the inclusion of retirement fund benefits as ordinary assets forming part of the matrimonial property of spouses is not to the benefit of the weaker party. At the dissolution of a marriage only the division of ordinary assets should be governed by principles of matrimonial property law - retirement fund benefits should be excluded from those calculations. The non-member spouse is entitled to share in the retirement fund benefits which accumulated during the marriage. The legislature should prescribe clear formulae to be used in the determination of the extent of this right taking cognisance of the various types of retirement schemes. The social destination of retirement benefits should preclude any form of utilisation of these benefits by the person entitled to it prior to him reaching retirement age. For this reason a person&apos;s entitlements to retirement benefits should be excluded from the determination of his creditworthiness and should be ring fenced against any attachment orders. By amending the Pension Funds Act in September 2007 the legislature opened up the possibility that the non-member spouse may claim her share of the value of the accumulated pension benefit on divorce and the fund would be compelled, if so desired, to pay out the claimant&apos;s share of the accumulated benefit in cash. The pension fund adjudicator went even further and interpreted the amendment to the act as if it was intended to have unlimited retrospective effect. In this article it is argued that this latest legislative amendment runs counter to the premises underlying provisions for retirement benefits and will probably in the not so distant future result in an additional burden being placed on taxpayers to contribute to payments as alimentation grants to erstwhile divorced spouses who misappropriated the capitalized share of their funds after their divorce. It is submitted that it would have been more appropriate if the legislature provided for pension splitting - where the non-member becomes entitled on a locked-in basis, to a share in the accumulated pension fund benefit by way of a deferred pension benefit and not to a cash benefit. It is submitted that the current formulation of the new sections in the Pension Funds Act and the Income Tax legislation are not synchronized with the result that the poor member spouse will inevitably end up paying all applicable tax due on the total value of the retirement benefits and will then be left to struggle to reclaim the amount of these taxes that should have been deducted from the share of the benefit received by his erstwhile spouse on their divorce.
Setting aside of the payment of the debt of another as a disposition without value in terms of section 26 of the Insolvency Act 24 of 1936 : aantekeninge
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 309 –324 (2008)
It is a common occurrence that someone pays the debt of another. (In this context, the expression "debt" refers to an obligation to pay money.) In most instances, there is a special relationship between the person effecting payment of the debt and the person whose debt is paid, although that is not always the case. A father may pay the university tuition fees of a non-dependant child. An employer may pay the bond instalment, medical aid contribution, insurance premium or other recurring monthly expense of an employee. Someone may pay the telephone or electricity account of a retired relative who finds it difficult to cover his or her living expenses on a monthly pension. Someone may borrow money from Peter to pay Paul and ask Peter to pay Paul direct.
Arbeidsregtelike perspektief op die lotgevalle van fluitjieblasers : aantekeninge
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 324 –329 (2008)
Die wel en wee van Mike Tshishonga in die departement van justisie oor &apos;n tydperk van tien jaar is arbeidsregtelik insiggewend maar neerdrukkend - veral die kulminasie daarvan in sy ontslag as adjunk-direkteur-generaal en hoof van die meesterskantoor, gedurende 2004. Die hof moes uitsluitsel gee oor pertinente vraagstukke in verband met die betekenis en toepassing van beskermde openbaarmakings in die staatsdiens - in &apos;n situasie waar die staatsadministratiewe wiele totaal afgeval het en toepaslike administratiewe- en regsprosedures verontagsaam en verkrag is asof dit die kontemporêre metodiek van dinge doen is. Die verontagsaming van hofbevele deur senior amptenare van die departement van justisie (sic!) en die feit dat van die hoofrolspelers in die aangeleentheid ondanks die uitsprake van die hof steeds nuusmakers in invloedryke poste binne die vervolgingsgesag gebly het, laat waarnemers met &apos;n gevoel van totale ongeloof en &apos;n sielsontwrigtende neerslagtigheid.
Overview of constitutional court decisions on the Bill of Rights - 2007 : regspraak
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 330 –348 (2008)
Overview of constitutional court decisions on the Bill of Rights - 2007
Eensydige terugskryf van kliënt se krediet deur bank onregmatig : regspraak
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 348 –354 (2008)
Eensydige terugskryf van kliënt se krediet deur bank onregmatig
Mededaders en bydraende nalatigheid aan die kant van die eiser : regspraak
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 354 –358 (2008)
In hierdie saak het die interessante vraag ter sprake gekom oor die wyse waarop skadevergoeding verdeel moet word tussen &apos;n bydraend nalatige eiser en mededaders.
Die vasstelling van nalatigheid tydens optrede in &apos;n situasie van skielike gevaar : regspraak
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 358 –367 (2008)
Ofskoon mens met &apos;n groot mate van stelligheid kan konstateer dat die beginsels rakende die vasstelling van nalatigheid van &apos;n dader wat onregmatig nadeel aan &apos;n ander veroorsaak het in die Suid-Afrikaanse deliktereg uitdrukking vind in vaste reëls wat oor die jare heen uitgekristalliseer het, blyk dit male sonder tal dat die praktiese toepassing van hierdie reëls hoofbrekens kan besorg. Veral waar die betrokke reël een van die sogenaamde "soepele" ("open ended") deliksbeginsels bevat (vgl Neethling, Potgieter en Visser Deliktereg (2006) 21) soos die diligens paterfamilias-toets vir nalatigheid, blyk hierdie tendens besonder duidelik.
Kulturele en religieuse diversiteit moet gevier en nie gevrees word nie : regspraak
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 367 –375 (2008)
Die Pillay-saak sal waarskynlik vorentoe as die toonaangewende beslissing oor diversiteit in Suid-Afrika beskou word en dit nie net in onderwysverband nie en moontlik ook nie net ten opsigte van kulturele en religieuse diversiteit nie. In skerp teenstelling met die tendens in talle Wes-Europese state, het die grondwetlike hof by monde van hoofregter Langa uit sy pad gegaan om &apos;n soepel, verdraagsame, selfs inspirerende benadering tot die uitlewing van kulturele en godsdienstige diversiteit uiteen te sit. Die hof stuur met hierdie uitspraak &apos;n ondubbelsinnige boodskap uit dat dit nie onverdraagsaamheid jeens die uitlewing van kulturele en godsdienstige gebruike en tradisies sal sanksioneer nie en trouens moeite sal doen om diversiteit soos dit in die grondwet erken word, te beskerm en te bevorder.
Exploring the law of succession : studies national, historical and comparative, K.G.C. Reid, M.J. de Waal en R. Zimmermann : book review
Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg 2008, pp 376 –377 (2008)
This book is a welcome addition to literature in a field which hadn&apos;t received much attention from jurists in the past few years and according to the editors by comparison to other areas of private law, the law of succession has been neglected by modern scholars (vii). With the Reform of Customary Law of Succession and Regulation of Related Matters Bill 10 - 2008 - which particularly deals with deceased estates involving those who die intestate but subject to customary law - currently before the South African parliament, any enlightening contribution to research in this field of law, such as this volume, will be a relevant and valuable contribution.