This dissertation investigates, in general, the debt enforcement procedures contained in the National Credit Act. It provides information on the purpose of consumer credit legislation and the South African credit industry to indicate the necessity for proper regulation. It further identifies some areas that had been problematic in the debt enforcement process, but which were clarified by recent court decisions. Specific aspects related to current problems experienced in the interpretation of the Act with reference to debt enforcement are identified, and the opinions of various authors, as well as the researcher’s own opinion, are provided in order to find solutions to such problems. It is clear from the provisions of section 3 of the Act and the discussions throughout this dissertation that the legislature regarded the protection of the consumers as its first priority. A delicate balance must, however, be maintained to protect the consumers interests, and those of the credit provider, since it would inevitably influence the South African economy if the balance were to favour a particular party’s interests. Recent decisions by the courts indicate that the Act is not all-inclusive and that the common law will be used to provide guidance or to take precedence where the Act does not make provision for certain circumstances or debt enforcement procedures. This dissertation further illustrates that the legislature needs to refine the provisions of debt enforcement contained in the Act, to clear ambiguities and create legal certainty. For as long as there are ambiguities in the Act, both the consumer and the credit provider will be disadvantaged, since in that case, a balance between the rights and the obligations of the consumer and those of the credit provider does not exist. Despite the fact that these ambiguities will eventually be clarified by interpretations provided by the courts, the Act, currently fails in its purpose to a certain extent, since clear and precise legislation is required. However, expensive and time-consuming interpretations are now required from the courts to resolve practical problems and to clear ambiguities. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Private Law / unrestricted

The home of a debtor has never enjoyed specific statutory protection against forced sale in the individual debt enforcement and insolvency procedures in South Africa. In Jaftha v Schoeman and Others; Van Rooyen v Stoltz and Others (2005 (2) SA 140 (CC)) and Gundwana v Steko Development CC and Others (2011 (3) SA 608 (CC)), the Constitutional Court recognised that in the individual debt enforcement process execution against a debtor's home, even where it has been mortgaged in favour of a creditor, may constitute an unjustifiable infringement of the right to have access to adequate housing, provided by section 26 of the Constitution. The effect of these decisions is that, in every case in which a creditor seeks to execute against a person's home, a court must consider "all the relevant circumstances" to determine whether execution is justifiable, in terms of section 36 of the Constitution. The absence of a properly constructed framework, incorporating clear substantive and procedural requirements, within which these recently established principles must be applied, has led to divergent approaches in the courts and a lack of clarity regarding circumstances in which execution against a debtor's home will be permitted. Further, courts have not considered the impact of section 26 and other rights on the position where a debtor's home is realised by the trustee of an insolvent estate in terms of the Insolvency Act 24 of 1936. This has given rise to a number of unanswered questions as well as to a lack of predictability that potentially hold adverse consequences for bond finance, commerce, and the economy generally. The need to balance the competing interests emphasises the necessity for a coherent contextual framework within which forced sale of a debtor's home may occur. This thesis examines issues surrounding forced sale of a debtor's home in South Africa. It compares the position in other legal systems and suggests mechanisms and an appropriate method, or process, for inclusion in statutory provisions to regulate the forced sale of a debtor's home in both the individual debt enforcement and insolvency procedures in South Africa. / Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Mercantile Law / unrestricted

This dissertation considers the possible impact of certain requirements of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (hereafter “NCA”) on ordinary civil procedural rules relating specifically to debt enforcement procedures. It further identifies problem areas created by some of the provisions of the NCA in this regard, and ultimately proposes potential solutions thereto. However, as indicated in various sections of the dissertation, it is not always clear what the legislature had in mind with certain provisions. This uncertainty calls for interpretation, which gives rise to further confusion in certain instances. In view of the aims of the NCA as stated in section 3 thereof, as well as various procedural provisions discussed in this dissertation, it is clear that the NCA mainly has the protection of the consumer at heart when devising procedures relating to, or ancillary to debt enforcement procedures utilised by credit providers to collect outstanding debt sounding in money. Since the NCA must operate within an existing legal system and procedural regime where certain terms have become entrenched, a broad background on some legal concepts and relevant civil procedures are provided where after the impact of the NCA thereon is considered and analysed. As the NCA will only affect general civil procedure where a credit provider attempts to enforce obligations to which the NCA applies, the exact application of the NCA and the general enforcement procedures contained therein are determined. Against this background the impact of specific procedures prescribed by the NCA on existing rules of civil procedure are critically analysed. This dissertation illustrates that although the NCA improves the position of the consumer in many ways, also with regard to debt enforcement procedures, the legislature should have drafted some provisions more carefully which would have resulted in some vital issues being clearer. Although practice and precedent will eventually even out many of the practical difficulties currently experienced it will take time and money to do so. It is therefore submitted that some areas should be reconsidered for amendment by the legislature in order to allow this significant piece of legislation to operate smoothly. Ultimately, two sets of conclusions are drawn together in this dissertation. Firstly, the general conclusions relating to the impact of the NCA on general civil debt enforcement procedures are stipulated and, secondly, specific areas that should be reconsidered by the legislature in order to allow the NCA to function optimally are identified. Copyright / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Procedural Law / unrestricted

The thesis "Over-Indebtedness in the Czech Republic: Problem Analysis and Policy Alternatives" deals with the issue of over-indebtedness of households with regards to consumer loans, specifically in the Czech Republic. Over-indebtedness is currently a very real and serious issue. The author attempts to tackle what is a relatively complex issue. The objective of the thesis is to demonstrate that over-indebtedness is a significant problem and analyse the myriad factors that contribute to it. Finally, possible solutions to the problem are explored. The author exhibits a variety of data to measure over-indebtedness in addition to determining the various causes, namely individual economic factors, such as sudden unemployment, and financial imprudence, which can be attributed to individual psychology or low financial literacy. Additionally, the unfair and even loan-sharking practices adopted by some loan providers and brokers along with the problematic process of debt enforcement, which contribute to over-indebtedness are described in detail. Based on the identified drivers, the thesis proposes specific tools to address the problem, with particular emphasis on regulating providers, and analyses their advantages and disadvantages. Further to the regulatory instruments, the thesis also stresses the need to...

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie verhandeling ontleed ek die oproeping van ʼn verband op ʼn onroerende saak in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg. Indien ʼn verbandskuldenaar wanpresteer, kan die verbandskuldeiser sy beperkte saaklike reg afdwing deur die verband op te roep ten einde die uitstaande skuld te delg. Om dit te bereik, word die sekerheidsobjek op ʼn eksekusieverkoping te gelde gemaak, nadat die regte prosedure gevolg is. Die oproepingsproses is in die laaste dekade ingrypend verander, grotendeels as gevolg van artikel 26 van die Grondwet, 1996, en artikels 129 en 130 van die National Credit Act 34 van 2005. Die volgende stadiums in die oproepingsproses word onderskei: die voorverhoorprosedure; jurisdiksiebepaling; die hofprosedure; beslaglegging en die eksekusieverkoping. Wetgewing en regspraak het onlangs ingrypende veranderings ten aansien van die voorverhoorprosedure en die hofprosedure teweeggebring. Alhoewel die oproepingsproses tans bevredigend deur wetgewing en in die regspraak gereël word, is daar nog verontrustende aspekte van eksekusieverkopings wat die wetgewer se aandag verdien. / In this dissertation I analyse the calling up of a mortgage bond over immovable property under South-African law. If a mortgagor defaults, the mortgagee can enforce his limited real right by calling up the mortgage bond to satisfy the outstanding debt. To accomplish this, the secured property will be sold at an execution sale, after the correct procedure has been followed. Over the past decade, foreclosure proceedings have undergone significant changes, largely owing to section 26 of the Constitution, 1996, and sections 129 and 130 of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005. The following stages in the foreclosure process are identified: pre-trial debt enforcement procedure; determination of jurisdiction; court procedure; attachment and execution sale. Both the pre-trial debt enforcement procedure and the court procedure have recently been substantially amended by legislation and case law. Although legislation and case law currently regulate the foreclosure process satisfactorily, some disturbing aspects of execution sales remain and these deserve the legislator’s attention. / Private Law / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / In hierdie verhandeling ontleed ek die oproeping van ʼn verband op ʼn onroerende saak in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg. Indien ʼn verbandskuldenaar wanpresteer, kan die verbandskuldeiser sy beperkte saaklike reg afdwing deur die verband op te roep ten einde die uitstaande skuld te delg. Om dit te bereik, word die sekerheidsobjek op ʼn eksekusieverkoping te gelde gemaak, nadat die regte prosedure gevolg is. Die oproepingsproses is in die laaste dekade ingrypend verander, grotendeels as gevolg van artikel 26 van die Grondwet, 1996, en artikels 129 en 130 van die National Credit Act 34 van 2005. Die volgende stadiums in die oproepingsproses word onderskei: die voorverhoorprosedure; jurisdiksiebepaling; die hofprosedure; beslaglegging en die eksekusieverkoping. Wetgewing en regspraak het onlangs ingrypende veranderings ten aansien van die voorverhoorprosedure en die hofprosedure teweeggebring. Alhoewel die oproepingsproses tans bevredigend deur wetgewing en in die regspraak gereël word, is daar nog verontrustende aspekte van eksekusieverkopings wat die wetgewer se aandag verdien. / In this dissertation I analyse the calling up of a mortgage bond over immovable property under South-African law. If a mortgagor defaults, the mortgagee can enforce his limited real right by calling up the mortgage bond to satisfy the outstanding debt. To accomplish this, the secured property will be sold at an execution sale, after the correct procedure has been followed. Over the past decade, foreclosure proceedings have undergone significant changes, largely owing to section 26 of the Constitution, 1996, and sections 129 and 130 of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005. The following stages in the foreclosure process are identified: pre-trial debt enforcement procedure; determination of jurisdiction; court procedure; attachment and execution sale. Both the pre-trial debt enforcement procedure and the court procedure have recently been substantially amended by legislation and case law. Although legislation and case law currently regulate the foreclosure process satisfactorily, some disturbing aspects of execution sales remain and these deserve the legislator’s attention. / Private Law / LL. M.