This thesis analyses the compatibility of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) with the South African law of sale. An initial examination of the historical development of the CISG reveals its ambitions of becoming the primary source of law governing international contracts of sale. The goal of this research is to determine whether South Africa should ratify the CISG. The CISG has been ratified by most of the leading trading States in the world. In order to gain a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of ratification, a comparative study has been undertaken. The stance taken toward the CISG by the United Kingdom and Germany has been examined. The United Kingdom has staunchly avoided ratifying the CISG, despite having agreed thereto a number of years ago. Germany however has taken a different approach and has welcomed the CISG. The experiences of these foreign States serve as a useful guide when assessing the specific challenges that exist in South Africa concerning the adoption of the CISG. The most important aspect of this study is the direct comparison between the legal provisions housed in the CISG and their counterparts under South African law. A careful investigation has been conducted into the rights, duties, and remedies under the CISG. This investigation is followed by an examination of the corresponding rights, duties, and remedies under the South African domestic law of sale. It is evident from these explorations that the rights and duties under the CISG strongly resemble those under South African law. The direct comparison revealed however that certain remedies found in the CISG do not have a counterpart under South African law. Despite this discrepancy, there are no legal principles in the CISG that are completely unknown in South African law. While certain remedies housed in the CISG cannot be found in an identical form under South African law, sufficiently similar legal principles can be found, which frequently lead to the same results as those under the CISG. This study is concluded with a recommendation concerning South Africa’s adoption of the CISG.

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This thesis is the first detailed and comprehensive research of the history of the 2001 Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment (the 'Convention' or 'CTC') and its protocols. It is submitted that the quality of response to the various challenges of the treaty-making process can serve as a measure of a convention's success, and that the unique characteristics of the CTC make it a prime target for such research. The author identifies and analyses the most problematic issues in the process of development of the Convention and its protocols, including the latest draft protocol on mining, agricultural and construction equipment. This research focuses on the documentary history of the CTC and its Aircraft Protocol (as the only protocol currently in force), relying primarily on the materials published by UNIDROIT and other international organisations, and shows that not all of the challenges found an adequate response in the Convention. Nonetheless, the shortcomings pale in comparison with the Convention's achievements: the CTC has created a highly effective machinery for regulating international interests in mobile assets. The author does not perform empirical ex post analysis of implementation of the Cape Town Convention, but this thesis will form a solid background for such research in the future. This study, apart from its scholarly importance, has clear practical value: its conclusions (including a number of treaty-making lessons originating from this research) can assist governmental officials, representatives of international organisations and legal advisors (both external and internal) participating in the treaty-making process and, it is hoped, will strengthen he attractiveness of conventions as an instrument of harmonising commercial law in the future.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research report reviews South African and international legislation aimed at preventing insider trading and provides an overview of the successful criminal and civil proceedings taken against insiders. It highlights the possible preventative measures South African companies and legislature can take to reduce insider trading. The United States of America is one of the few countries that had successfully implemented legislation prohibiting insider trading prior to the 1990s. Most countries, including South Africa, only implemented legislation prohibiting insider trading in the late 1990s. Due to apartheid and sanctions against South Africa, the JSE has built up a legacy of being an insider's haven. The Directorate of Market Abuse has the task of transforming this legacy to restore investors' confidence in the market in order to promote economic growth. The success of the legislation is firstly measured by the knowledge the market has gained relating to insider trading since the implementation of the legislation. According to the South African market, insider trading is unethical, but 22% of the participants in the G:cnesis survey still believe that it is an acceptable practice in the South African market. South African companies therefore need to educate their employees and take preventative measures to reduce insider trading in order to erode this culture. Insider trading can only be prevented and reduced if legislation is enforced. Globally, few legal criminal proceedings have been successful, therefore legislation in most countries makes provision for civil remedies. As the burden of proof in a civil legal proceeding is only on "a balance of probabilities", civil proceedings against insiders have been successful. In South Africa, the majority of cases referred for civil legal action have been settled out of court by the alleged insider without admitting guilt to a criminal offence. The South African legislation regulating insider trading in the market is aligned with legislation globally. South Africa's future challenges are to maintain the initial success achieved in reducing insider trading. The establishment of a specific court specialising in financial crime and monitoring specific changes to legislation could increase the possibility of future success. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die projek ondersoek die Suid-Afikaanse en internasionale wetgewing teen binnehandel. Verder word die suksesvolle kriminele en siviele verrigtinge teen diegene wat hulle aan binnehandel skuldig maak onder die soeklig geplaas. Die projek beklemtoon die moontlike voorkomingsmaatreels wat Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye en regslui kan implementeer om moontlike toekomstige binnehandel te bekamp. Die Verenigde State van Amerika is een van die min lande wat reeds voor die 1990s wetgewing teen binnehandel suksesvol geimplementeer bet. Ander lande, insluitend Suid-Afrika, het eers in die laat 1990s wetgewing teen binnehandel geproklameer. Apartheid en sanksies teen Suid-Afrika het 'n nalatenskap van vrye binnehandel op die JSE gelaat. Dit is die taak van die Direktoraat van Markmisbruik om hierdie nalatenskap uit te wis, sodat beleggersvertroue in die mark herstel kan word, wat weer tot ekonomiese groei sal lei. Een van die maatstawwe om die sukses van die wetgewing te meet, is om te bepaal hoeveel kennis die finansiele gemeenskap sedert die implementering van die nuwe wetgewing ingewin het. Volgens die finansiele gemeenskap is binnehandel oneties, maar 22% van die deelnemers aan die G:encsis-opname glo dat binnehandel wel in Suid-Afrika aanvaarbaar is. Daarom moet Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye hulle werknemers se kennis oor binnehandel verbreed en ander voorkomende maatreels in plek stel om die kultuur van binnehandel te elimineer. Binnebandel kan slegs voorkom en verminder word indien wetgewing geimplementeer word. Relatief min kriminele sake teen binnehandel lei tot skuldigbevinding, maar plaaslike en internasionale wetgewing maak voorsiening vir siviele aksies. In 'n siviele hofsaak moet ingediende bewyse slegs na alle waarskynlikheid die skuld van die oortreder bewys, wat suksesvolle siviele vervolging moontlik maak. Die meerderheid siviele sake in Suid-Afrika word buite die bar geskik sonder dat die aangeklaagde skuld aan 'n kriminele daad erken. Die Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing is in lyn met internasionale standaarde. Suid-Afrika staar verskeie uitdagings in die gesig ten opsigte van die handhawing van die huidige suksesvolle bekamping van binnehandel. Die moontlike totstandkoming van 'n spesiale hof, wat slegs finansiele verwante oortredings aanhoor en veranderings aan die wetgewing kontroleer, kan bydra tot die toekomstige sukses van die Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing.

Après l’octroi des premières capitulations au début du XVIe siècle par les sultans turcs, de nombreux négociants provençaux fondent des établissement dans les principales places de commerce de l’Empire ottoman. Depuis l’Époque médiévale, celles-ci sont désignées sous le vocable d’échelles du Levant et de Barbarie. Ces termes renvoient également aux cadres juridiques développés pour organiser ce commerce international de grande ampleur. Dès lors, les marchands des échelles sont soumis à une triple contrainte résultant du droit capitulaire turc, des usages commerciaux et de la législation royale. En s’appuyant sur les capitulations qui garantissent la libre circulation des personnes et des biens sur le territoire ottoman, les négociants français développent des structures juridiques empiriques. À partir de la seconde moitié du XVIIe siècle, les rois de France essayent par ailleurs d’imposer une forme de dirigisme commercial, afin de subordonner l’activité économique à la politique royale et de la faire tendre vers le bien de l’État. / After the Ottoman Empire granted France access to selected markets starting in the 16th century, a large number of merchants of Provence established selling agents in the main trading ports of Levant. Since the Medieval period these ports had been called échelles of Levant, in the Middle East, and échelles of Barbary, in North Africa. These terms are also used to name the legal framework governing the international trade with these regions. Since then, the merchants of this marketplaces had to meet three kinds of regulations : local commercial law, regulations from the Turkish administration and regulations from the French Royal administration. French merchants developed new forms of enterprise based on the capitulations that ensured free movement of people and goods within the Ottoman territory. From the second half of the 17th century, the French royal administration tried to implement an interventionist policy in an attempt to control the trade and benefit from it.

A legislação aplicável às sociedades por ações utiliza conceitos e normas abertas que devem ser interpretadas com base nos princípios que regem as sociedades por ações, considerando, nessa análise, as características específicas da companhia na qual surgiu a controvérsia e as situações que integram e esclarecem a situação controversa levada a conhecimento do Judiciário. A liberdade dos empresários, na condução de suas atividades, tem fundamento no sistema econômico Brasileiro, conforme princípios da Constituição Federal. No entanto, os interesses sociais protegidos pela Constituição Federal exigem que as empresas, especialmente as sociedades por ações, que agregam características institucionais, estabeleçam limites para a condução das atividades das companhias. Da mesma forma, a criação de um ente autônomo e dotado de patrimônio próprio, cria uma separação entre o poder de controle e administração dos bens, direitos e obrigações que integram esse patrimônio e os acionistas que contribuíram inicialmente para sua constituição, motivo pelo qual a condução dos negócios empresariais deve sempre buscar atingir os interesses da companhia e os agentes necessários para realização dessas atividades têm deveres e responsabilidades com os demais acionistas e terceiros afetados pela existência da companhia. Nesse contexto, a atuação do Judiciário se restringe a verificar a ocorrência de atos ilegais de gestão. O Judiciário, no sistema jurídico brasileiro, não podendo interferir no mérito das deliberações, sob pena de infringir o princípio da livre iniciativa e do exercício do poder de controle, que estruturam o sistema legal que regula as sociedades por ações. A responsabilidade dos administradores e controladores que agem de boa-fé nos atos regulares de gestão deve ser preservada em face dos resultados da companhia e os interesses dos demais sócios. / The applicable legislation pertaining to corporations make use of broad rules and concepts which must be interpreted with basis on the prevailing principles ruling corporations and taking into consideration, in such analysis, the specific characteristics of the company in which the controversy has emerged and also taking into consideration the whole scenario of which the litigious point is an integral part and which may clarify the controversy brought before the Judiciary. The shareholders freedom, while performing their activities, is grounded upon the Brazilian economic system, in accordance with the principles set forth by the Federal Constitution. Notwithstanding, the corporate rights protected by the Constitution require that corporations, accumulating institutional characteristics, set forth limitations for conducting their business activities. In this sense, the creation of an autonomous body endowed with its own assets, generates a separation by and between the power of control and asset management, rights and obligations which are an integral part of such a property and the shareholders who initially contributed for its constitution; therefore business should be conducted so as to meet the interests of the corporation; and the agents deemed necessary for the fulfillment of such activities have duties and responsibilities before the existing companys remaining shareholders and affected third parties. In this context, the actions of the Judiciary is restricted to verify the occurrence of illegal acts of management. Under Brazilian legal system, the Judiciary may not interfere on the merit of the proceedings, under penalty of infringing the principle of free initiative and the exercise of power to control, which structure the legal system that governs the corporations. The responsibility of managers and controllers that act in good-faith in the acts regular management must be maintained in view of the results of the company and the interests of other members.

University of Macau / Faculty of Law