LL.M. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

LL.M. (Banking Law) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

LL.M. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

LL.M. (Banking Law) / The charging of interest and the variation thereof throughout the term of a credit agreement has, in a modern South Africa, become the rule rather than the exception. This is so because in a constant evolving economy it will not be viable for large financial institutions to commit themselves to fixed interest rates especially where a credit agreement such as a mortgage agreement may extend over many years. With this comes the question as to the extent of a credit provider’s discretion to vary interest rates and the manner in which it purports to do so. Naturally where the National Credit Act finds application in respect of a credit agreement the provisions thereof relating to interest and the variation thereof will determine whether a clause allowing a credit provider to vary the interest rate unilaterally is valid and enforceable. However in instances where the National Credit Act is not applicable to a certain credit agreement, especially in the case where the consumer is a juristic person, the interest rate levied and the variation thereof will fall to be decided in terms of the common law. The application of the common law in this regard is not without difficulty and there have been many conflicting decisions of our courts in this regard. Whilst the supreme court of appeal has finally decided on the matter of discretionary interest rate clauses it is no doubt that this issue will surface for many years to come. This dissertation explains the comparative positions of interest rate and variable interest rate clauses in terms of the National Credit Act and the common law.

Suretyships given in favour of banks are being challenged in the courts on the basis of equitable doctrines of unconscionable conduct, undue influence, or statutory provisions dealing with unfair conduct or unfair contract terms. This thesis is an enquiry into a bank's duties of disclosure or advice to an intending surety. Such an investigation also necessitates a study of the relationship between banker and customer, as the surety is quite often a customer of the bank as well, and, as a surety's obligation to the bank is an accessory obligation, the obligation is dependent on a valid principal obligation between the bank and the principal debtor - the customer. The face of modern banking has, however, changed dramatically and most major banks have become multi-functional. As a result, the banker-customer relationship may often be seen as a fiduciary relationship. A major problem brought about my multi-functioning banks is that of conflicts of interest between the bank and its customer. Furthermore, the banker-customer relationship is providing much more scope for lender liability than in the past. Various factors are currently having an impact on the law of contract, and this is expected to affect the legal policy makers in their assessments of whether a duty of disclosure of material facts exits or not. A surety has long been a favoured debtor in the eyes of the law, and the courts have developed a plethora of technical principles on which a surety can be relieved of his obligation. The escape routes of the surety, especially if he is a consumer as well, on the new grounds of public policy, unconscionability, good faith or unreasonableness, are growing. The results of these trends is the expected demise of suretyship as an acceptable, cheap form of debt security in the banking sector. / Jurisprudence / LL.D.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The banking industry is one of the most regulated industries in the world. The majority of these regulations are drafted to provide protection to consumers and investors and to ensure the systemic stability of the economy. South African banks, like many of their international counterparts, face a plethora of financial regulation aimed at ensuring stability and protection. In addition to these regulations, South Africa's prior exclusionary policies have resulted in the post-democratic government prescribing additional regulation, in part to address the economic duality that exists within the South African economy and in part to offer adequate protection to the most vulnerable in the society. The National Credit Act (NCA) is one such piece of legislation that has introduced a new era of consumer credit regulation and practice, bringing about wholesale changes to the consumer credit industry. The NCA and more than 260 other financial regulations in South Africa have a significant impact on banks, with each piece of legislation resulting in banks having to adapt to the changing environment (Nyamakanga, 2007). Using the four big banks' implementation of the NCA as a case study, the present study aims to establish if an integrative change management strategy could assist banks in effectively implementing financial regulation. The following aspects of the banks' implementation of the NCA were researched: • Effectiveness of financial regulation. • Current barriers and challenges to the implementation process. • Effect of these challenges on banks. • Impact on staff and customers. • Methods used to overcome the challenges. • Future challenges of the NCA. • Support structures used during implementation. • Use of change management principles. • Recommended strategies for future regulatory changes. • Recommended changes to the NCA. Detailed interviews were conducted with the overall NCA project leaders of each of the four big banks, namely, Absa, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank. The method of content analyses was used to analyse the qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews and the outcomes thereof formed the basis of the conclusions drawn. The study found that there were numerous challenges that the banks faced during the implementation of the NCA, the most common and significant as recognised by the population include, the magnitude of the Act, difficulty in interpreting the Act, the process of debt counselling and the associated costs of implementation. The study further found that using the principles of change management enhanced the banks' ability to implement the NCA. Conclusions drawn on the present study are confined to desktop research and semi-structured interviews conducted with the participating banks. It might be useful for future studies on the subject to include a broader population base which focuses on additional pieces of financial legislation in order to further enhance the findings of the present study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bankwese is tans een van die mees gereguleerde industriee ter wereld. Die meerderheid van hierdie regulasies is ontwerp vir die beskerming van verbruikers en beleggers asook om die sistemiese stabiliteit van die ekonomie te handhaaf. Suid-Afrikaanse banke, soos talle van hul oorsese teenstukke, verduur talle finansiele wetgewing gemik op beskerming en stabiliteit. Die gewese uitsluitende Suid-Afrikaanse wette het veroorsaak dat die huidige demokratiese regering addisionele wetgewing voorskryf, gedeeltelik om die tweesydige Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie aan te spreek en gedeeltelik om genoegsame beskerming aan die kwesbaarste van die gemeenskap te bied. Die Nasionale Krediet Wet (NKW) bied 'n nuwe era van verbruikerswetgewing en -praktyk aan wat terselfdertyd grootskaalse veranderinge op die verbruikers krediet bedryf teweegbring. Die NKW tesame met meer as 260 ander Suid-Afrikaanse finansiele wetgewing het 'n groot uitwerking op banke, met elke wet wat veroorsaak dat banke moet aanpas by die veranderlike omgewing (Nyamakanga, 2007). Deur om die vier groot banke se uitvoer van die NKW as 'n gevallestudie te gebruik, is die doel van hierdie studie om vas te stel of 'n geintegreerde veranderingsbestuurstrategie banke kan help met die doeltreffende uitvoering van finansiele wetgewing. Die volgende aspekte van die banke se uitvoering van die NKW is ondersoek: • Doeltreffendheid van finansiele regulasie. • Huidige versperrings en uitdagings tot die uitvoeringsproses. • Uitwerk van uitdagings op banke. • Uitwerking op personeel en verbruikers. • Metodiek gebruik om uitdagings te bowe te kom. • Toekomstige uitdagings van die NKW. • Ondersteunende strukture gebruik tydens uitvoering. • Gebruik van veranderingsbestuurbeginsels. • Aanbeveling van strategiee vir toekomende wetgewende veranderings. • Aanbeveling van veranderings tot die NKW. 'n Volledige onderhoud is gevoer met die projekleiers van elk van die vier groot banke, naamlik, Absa, FNB, Nedbank en Standard Bank. Inhoudsanalise was gebruik om die kwalitatiewe data te analiseer en die uitkoms daarvan vorm die basis van die gevolgtrekkings. Die studie dui aan dat banke baie uitdagings getrotseer het gedurende die uitvoer van NKW, die gewigtigste en algemeenste SODS herken deur die bevolking sluit in, die grootte van die Wet, moeilikheid in vertolking van die Wet, die skuldberadingsproses en die begeleidende koste van wetstoepassing. Die studie dui verder dat die beginsels van veranderingsbestuur banke se vermoe om die NKW uit te voer verbeter. Gevolgtrekkings aangaande die huidige studie is beperk tot "desktop" navorsing en half-gestruktureerde onderhoude met die deelnemende banke. Dit mag van waarde wees vir toekomstige studies om 'n bree bevolkingsbasis in te sluit met addisionele finansiele wetgewing wat die bevindings van die huidige studie kan bevorder.

M.Comm. / Due to uncertainties experienced while working for the South African Revenue Services and the fact that there are no specific sections in the Income Tax Act no. 58 of 1962 dealing with interest, foreign exchange and bad and doubtful debts of commercial banks there were a need to undertake a study. The study therefore undertakes an examination to determine if the existing sections of the Income Tax Act dealing with interest, foreign exchange and bad and doubtful debts are enough legislation to deal with the interest, foreign exchange and bad and doubtful debts of commercial banks. The study also try to clear all existing uncertainties experienced and mentioned in this study. The study can be divided into the following four parts: A literature study of the definition of "bank" and "banking operations", in terms of history and current legislation. A study of the definition of "interest" and "finance charges", in terms of sections of the Income Tax Act, Act no. 58 of 1962 and applicable court cases. The chapter also concentrates on the application of section 24J of the Income Tax Act on the interest-transactions of commercial banks as well as the identification of any short falls of the section. Before interest can be treated in terms of section 24J of the Income Tax Act, the source of the interest will have to be in South Africa. General sourse principles applicable to commercial banks as well as the deductability of interest expenses when expenced to generate exempt income will therefore also be covered in this chapter. A study of the application of section 241 of the Income Tax Act dealing with the foreign exchange of commercial banks. An examination of the way commercial banks should treat their bad and doubtful debts and the factors taken into account in court decisions relating thereto. The most important activities of a bank are identified in this study as the acceptance of deposits, the provision of credit, rendering of financial services and the trade in exchange and the utilisation of money and interest received. In terms of section 24J of the Income Tax Act, interest include finance charges, premiums or disconto's, all interests and the difference between all amounts payable or receivable in terms of a sale and leaseback agreement. It was found that all the interest of a commercial bank are included in the definition of interest and all the transactions of a commercial bank are treated in terms of section 24J of the Income Tax Act for income tax purposes. Section 241 of the Income Tax Act focuses on foreign exchange transactions and are found to be enough legislation for the foreign exchange transactions of commercial banks. Although bad and doubtful debts are not part of the activities of a commercial bank they are part of the uncertainties experienced while working for the South African Revenue Services. During the study it was found that doubtful debts can not be deducted in terms of section 11(a) of the Income Tax Act but only in terms of section 11(j) of the Income Tax Act. It is practice for the South African Revenue Services to only allows 25% of the full amount of doubtful debts, but as this discretion is subject to objection and appeal, the bank is entitled to claim a higher percentage as a deduction if they can provide proveto justify a higher deduction. It was also found that commercial banks can claim their bad debts in term of section 11(a) of the Income Tax Act.

Suretyships given in favour of banks are being challenged in the courts on the basis of equitable doctrines of unconscionable conduct, undue influence, or statutory provisions dealing with unfair conduct or unfair contract terms. This thesis is an enquiry into a bank's duties of disclosure or advice to an intending surety. Such an investigation also necessitates a study of the relationship between banker and customer, as the surety is quite often a customer of the bank as well, and, as a surety's obligation to the bank is an accessory obligation, the obligation is dependent on a valid principal obligation between the bank and the principal debtor - the customer. The face of modern banking has, however, changed dramatically and most major banks have become multi-functional. As a result, the banker-customer relationship may often be seen as a fiduciary relationship. A major problem brought about my multi-functioning banks is that of conflicts of interest between the bank and its customer. Furthermore, the banker-customer relationship is providing much more scope for lender liability than in the past. Various factors are currently having an impact on the law of contract, and this is expected to affect the legal policy makers in their assessments of whether a duty of disclosure of material facts exits or not. A surety has long been a favoured debtor in the eyes of the law, and the courts have developed a plethora of technical principles on which a surety can be relieved of his obligation. The escape routes of the surety, especially if he is a consumer as well, on the new grounds of public policy, unconscionability, good faith or unreasonableness, are growing. The results of these trends is the expected demise of suretyship as an acceptable, cheap form of debt security in the banking sector. / Jurisprudence / LL.D.

The maturity transformation of deposits is a primary driver of economic growth, as loans enable borrowers to spend funds, thereby growing the economy. However, if borrowers cannot repay their loans, the asset quality of banks deteriorate, resulting in non-performing loans or, worse, an economic crisis. An understanding of how macroeconomic and microeconomic determinants impact bank asset quality in South Africa can contribute to knowledge of the bank asset quality phenomenon in the African context. Due to the 2008/2009 global financial crisis, the introduction of new legislation and the value of gold exports, the South African economy presents an opportunity to make an original contribution to the knowledge of determinants that influence bank asset quality. In addition to studying bank asset quality determinants that are contested in research, this study also aims to determine whether a superior returns determinant of non-performing loans exists when comparing a bank’s profitability determinants, namely return on assets, return on equity and interest income on loans. This study applied panel data regression analysis, making use of a balanced panel approach, to study the determinants of bank asset quality. This approach recontextualises the existing bank asset quality theory for the South African financial sector. The results indicate that South Africa is not resilient against the impact of global financial crises trickling through international trade linkages and that regulatory changes do not instantly improve bank asset quality, and may even reduce the short-term asset quality. Moreover, bank asset quality in South Africa is sensitive to the total value of gold exports. It is evident from the profitability measures that the interest income on loans is the most suitable profitability measure of bank asset quality. This study provides an original contribution to bank asset quality determinants and recommends that regulators should pre-emptively determine the impact of new legislation on bank asset quality. Furthermore, interest income on loans as a profitability measure provides the most accurate results. Lastly, a single-country bank asset quality analysis is important, especially for economies that have commodity exports that significantly weigh in on the bank asset mix. / Die termyntransformasie rakende deposito's is die primêre dryfkrag vir groei in die ekonomie: Lenings maak dit vir leners moontlik om fondse te bestee, wat die ekonomie laat groei. Indien hierdie leners hul lenings egter nie kan terugbetaal nie, gaan die gehalte van bankbates agteruit, wat tot wanpresterende lenings of, nog erger, tot 'n ekonomiese krisis kan lei. As begryp kan word hoe makro-ekonomiese en mikro-ekonomiese bepalende faktore op die gehalte van bankbates in Suid-Afrika inwerk, kan dit bydra tot kennis van die verskynsel van bankbategehalte in die Afrika-konteks. In die lig van die 2008/2009 wêreldwye finansiële krisis, die uitvaardiging van nuwe wetgewing en die waarde van gouduitvoere bied die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie ’n geleentheid om ’n oorspronklike bydrae te lewer tot kennis van die bepalende faktore wat bankbategehalte beïnvloed. Benewens die bestudering van die bepalende faktore van die gehalte van bankbates wat in navorsing redelik omstrede is, het hierdie studie ten doel om, wanneer 'n bank se winsgewendheidsbepalers, naamlik opbrengs op bates, opbrengs op ekwiteit (eiekapitaal) en rente-inkomste op lenings, met mekaar vergelyk word, vas te stel of daar ’n superieure opbrengsbepaler van wanpresterende lenings bestaan. Vir hierdie studie is ’n regressieontleding van paneeldata uitgevoer, en daar is van ’n gebalanseerde paneelbenadering gebruik gemaak om die bepalende faktore van bankbategehalte te bestudeer. Hierdie benadering herkontekstualiseer die bestaande bankbategehalteteorie vir die Suid-Afrikaanse finansiële sektor. Die resultate van die studie dui daarop dat Suid-Afrika nie veerkragtig is om die uitwerking van wêreldwye finansiële krisisse teen te werk wat met internasionale handelskakelings deursyfer nie en dat reguleringsveranderinge nie dadelik die bankbategehalte verbeter nie; dit kan inteendeel die korttermynbategehalte verlaag. Bowendien is die bankbategehalte in Suid-Afrika gevoelig vir die totale waarde van gouduitvoere. Dit blyk uit die winsgewendheidsmaatstawwe dat die rente-inkomste op lenings die mees geskikte winsgewendheidsmaatstaf van bankbategehalte is. Hierdie studie lewer ’n oorspronklike bydrae tot die bepalers van bankbategehalte en beveel aan dat reguleerders vooruit reeds die uitwerking van nuwe wetgewing op bankbategehalte moet bepaal. Daarby voorsien rente-inkomste op lenings as winsgewendheidsmaatstaf die akkuraatste resultate. Laastens is ’n ontleding van ’n enkele land se bankbategehalte van belang, in die besonder vir ekonomieë met kommoditeitsuitvoere wat beduidend tot die samestelling van bankbates bydra. / Kadimo ya nako ye kopana ya ditipositi ke mokgwa wo bohlokwa wa kgolo ya ekonomi, ka ge dikadimo di dumelela baadimi go šomiša matlotlo, go realo e le go godiša ekonomi. Efela, ge baadimi ba sa kgone go lefela dikadimo tša bona, boleng bja thoto ya dipanka bo a phuhlama, go feleletša go e ba le dikadimo tše di sa šomego gabotse goba, go feta fao, phuhlamo ya ekonomi. Kwešišo ya ka fao ditaetšo tša makroekonomi le maekroekonomi di huetšago boleng bja thoto ya panka ka Afrika Borwa e ka ba le seabe go tsebo ya taba ya boleng bja thoto ya panka go ya ka seemo sa Afrika. Ka lebaka la mathata a ditšhelete a lefase a 2008/2009, tsebišo ya molao wo moswa le boleng bja dithomelontle tša gauta, ekonomi ya Afrika Borwa e fa sebaka seabe sa mathomo tsebong ya ditaetšo tšeo di huetšago boleng bja thoto ya panka. Go tlaleletša nyakišišong ya ditaetšo tša boleng bja thoto ya panka tšeo di ganetšwago nyakišišong, maikemišetšo a nyakišišo ye gape ke go laetša ge eba taetšo ya letseno le legolo la dikadimo tše di sa šomego gabotse di gona ge go bapetšwa ditaetšo tša poelo ya panka, e lego letseno la dithoto, letseno la dišere le letseno la dikadimo. Nyakišišo ye e šomišitše tshekatsheko ya poelomorago ya datha ya phanele, ya go šomiša mokgwa wa phanele wo o lekaneditšwego, go nyakišiša ditaetšo tša boleng bja thoto ya panka. Mokgwa wa go tšwetšapele gape teori ya boleng bja thoto ya panka ya lekala la Afrika Borwa la ditšhelete. Dipoelo di laetša gore Afrika Borwa ga e fokole kgahlanong le khuetšo ya mathata a ditšhelete a lefase ao a rothelago ka dikamanong tša kgwebišano ya boditšhabatšhaba le gore diphetogo tša taolo ga di kaonafatše boleng bja thoto ya panka ka lebelo, gomme di ka fokotša le boleng bja thoto bja paka ye kopana. Go feta fao, boleng bja thoto ya panka ka Afrika Borwa bo ela hloko boleng bja palomoka bja dithomelontle tša gauta. Go a bonagala go tšwa go dikgato tša tiro ya poelo gore letseno la tswala godimo ga dikadimo ke kgato ya poelo ye maleba gagolo ya boleng bja thoto ya panka. Nyakišišo ye e fa seabe sa mathomo ditaetšo tša boleng bja thoto ya panka gomme e šišinya gore balaodi ba swanela go laetša e sa le ka pela khuetšo ya molao wo moswa ka ga boleng bja thoto ya panka. Go feta fao, letseno la tswala godimo ga dikadimo bjalo ka kelo ya tiro ya poelo le go fa dipoelo tše di lebanego gabotse. Sa mafelelo, tshekatsheko ya boleng bja thoto ya panka ya naga e tee, kudu diekonomi tšeo di nago le dithomelontle tša ditšweletšwa tšeo gagolo di dumelelago motswako wa thoto ya panka. / Business Management / Ph. D. (Management Studies)

Money laundering involves activities which are aimed at concealing benefits that were acquired through criminal means for the purpose of making them appear legitimately acquired. Money laundering promotes criminal activities in South Africa because it allows criminals to keep the benefits that they acquired through their criminal activities. It takes place through a variety of schemes which include the use of banks. In this sense money laundering control is based on the premise that banks must be protected from providing criminals with the means to launder the benefits of their criminal activities. The Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of 2001 (‘FICA’) in aggregate with the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998 (‘POCA’) form the backbone of South Africa’s anti-money laundering regime. Like its international counterparts FICA imposes onerous duties on banks seeing that they are most often used by criminals as conduits to launder the benefits of crime. In turn, POCA criminalises activities in relation to the benefits of crime and delineates civil proceedings aimed at forfeiting the benefits of crime to the state. This study identifies the idiosyncrasies of the South African anti-money laundering regime and forwards recommendations aimed at improving its structure. To this end nine issues in relation to money laundering control and banks are investigated. The investigation fundamentally reveals that money laundering control holds unforeseen consequences for banks. In particular, a bank that receives the benefits of crimes such as fraud or theft faces prosecution if it fails to heed FICA’s money laundering control duties, for example, the filing of a suspicious transaction report. However, if the bank files a suspicious transaction report, it may be sued in civil court by the customer for breach of contract. In addition, if the bank parted with the benefits of fraud or theft whilst suspecting that the account holder may not be entitled to payment thereof, it may be sued by the victim of fraud or theft who seeks to recover loss suffered at the hand of the fraudster or thief from the bank. Ultimately, this study illustrates that amendment of some of the provisions of South Africa’s anti-money laundering legislation should enable banks to manage the aforementioned and other unforeseen consequences of money laundering control whilst at the same time contribute to the South African anti-money laundering effort. / Criminal and Procedural Law / Mercantile Law / LL.D.