Magister Artium - MA / Pniel is 'n landelike nedersetting geleë te Groot Drakenstein en het In besonder interessante geskiedenis. In 1843 het ene Pieter Isaac de Villiers en Paul Retief grond beskikbaar gestel in Groot Drakenstein vir die oprigting van 'n skool en 'n plek van aanbidding vir kleurlinge. Die gebied het gegrens aan die plaas Papiere Molen wat in Desember 1843 op die mark gekom het. Dié plaas is aangekoop deur 'n groep persone wat in die transportakte beskryfword as die "Directors of the Pniel Institution". Aanvanklik is Pniel geplaas onder beskerming van die "Apostolic Union" wat besonder aktiefwas onder vrygestelde slawe. Die Apostoliese Unie was 'n religieuse organisasie met breë godsdienstige beginsels wat dit in In posisie geplaas het om lidmate van protestantse kerke soos die N. G. Kerk, Metodistekerk en veral die Skotse Presbiteriaanse Kerk te akkommodeer. Die Apostoliese Unie het egter nie 'n bepaalde leer gehad nie. Pniel is bestuur deur 'n direktoraat bestaande uit drie plaaslike boere, twee lekepredikers woonagtig te Kaapstad, een predikant van die Apostoliese Unie en een predikant van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk. Pniel was dus in effek 'n sendingstasie wat ten doel gehad het om kleurlinge te voorsien van elementêre onderwys en hulle "landboukundig" op te lei ten einde hulle "bruikbare en maklik beskikbare arbeiders" vir die omliggende plase te maak. Grondbesit in Pniel tydens dié periode is gekenmerk deur die okkupasieregstelsel wat onderskeid getref het tussen grond VIr residensiële- en tuinboudoeleindes. Verder is Pniel tot 1909 bestuur (sekulêr en godsdienstig) deur 'n superintendent, mnr J Stegmann. Inwoners moes bydra tot die salaris van die superintendent en maandelikse huur betaal (drie pond totdat die bedrag van agtien pond klaar betaal was). Die ooreenkoms was dat, sou die bedrag van agtien pond finaal betaal wees, geen verdere maandelikse verpligtinge op die erfhouer sou rus nie. Dit was die oorspronklike verstandhouding, maar na 1856 het die betaling van een sjieling en tien pennies per maand 'n permanente voorwaarde geword. Erfhouers het egter in 1905 'n protesvergadering gehou waar besluit is dat hul voorvaders die bedrag van agtien pond klaar betaal het en dat geen verdere betaling sou geskied nie. Verder het die trustees van Pnielook regulasies ten opsigte van ordeen regering, kompensasie en die nie-nakoming van gestelde regulasies ontwerp. Die idee van die ontwikkeling van In Bestuursraad ("Management Board") is ook tydens die periode gepropageer en het later beslag gekry. Interessant van hierdie periode is die sterk beheer en sensuur deur die kerk van Pniel. Selfs uitsetting uit Pniel deur die Bestuursraad was moontlik indien sekere neergelegde voorwaardes nie nagekom is nie. Grondbesit het egter van vroeg af ontwikkel tot 'n konflikpunt tussen kerk en gemeenskap. Sommige inwoners het daarop gewys dat hulle aanspraak op die grond het omdat hulle dit klaar betaal het, terwyl die direkteure daarop gewys het dat die okkupeerders slegs huurreg gehad het. 'n Ander konflikpunt was die bestuur van die gebied. Op 'n stadium het die inwoners 'n vergadering belê waar direkteure uit die gemeenskap verkies is. Daar is 'n beroep op die Hooggeregshof gedoen om ingevolge Wet Nr. 3 van 1873 die genomineerdes tot wettige direkteure (soos die lede van die "Management Board" genoem is) en trustees van Pniel te verklaar. In 1911 het 'n saak voor die geregshof gedien waarin oor grondbesit beslis moes word aangesien die kleurlinge daarop aangedring het dat die 18 pond vir die grond reeds betaal is. Die uitspraak van regter Hopley het bepaal dat die okkupeerders slegs huurreg het en dat die inwoners onder die Bestuursraad geressorteer het. Die hofaansoeke is geïnisieer deur Stephanus de Wet en Garnaat Cyster, wat die meerderheid erthouers verteenwoordig het.

In the environmental context banks face direct, indirect and reputational risks from their internal operations and their external business activities. The current specific focus on the protection of the environment makes it essential for banks and their directors to be aware and stay on top of potential risks and liabilities. This is especially so because banks’ directors can be criminally prosecuted for environmental crimes. The application and effect of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998 (POCA) on persons convicted of an environmental crime or crimes has been identified as a possible new or added risk for banks and their directors. Banks in addition to their normal environmental risk and liabilities also need to contend with the possibility of lender liability. Existing legislation pertinent to lender liability does not expressly or specifically deal with lender liability. Absence of judgements on lender liability further exacerbates the risks and the uncertainty for banks in South Africa. Therefore, banks remain subject to legal uncertainty and associated risks. The issue of lender liability specifically with regard to the implication of “the person in control” requires clarification. Hence, it is recommended that legislation relevant to lender liability (National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998; National Water Act 36 of 1998 and the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008) be revised to specifically accommodate and protect lenders (lending banks) in certain distinct circumstances. The role of banks is that of an intermediary between borrowers and lenders of money. Therefore, it influences the direction and pace of economic development and by default steers and promotes either sustainable or non-sustainable development. Currently, mainstream banks are in effect financing a brown economy and hence subscribe to a weak form of sustainability. It would seem that mainstream banks are more concerned with managing the impact that environmental risk may have on bank lending than the impact of bank lending on the environment. The evolving nature of sustainability (from weak to strong and from a brown to green economy) demands a fundamental policy change for banks. It is expected that mainstream banks will be put under even greater pressure than before to make the transition from weak to strong sustainability. Hence, banks’ current environmental risk management systems will not be sufficient to cater for new environmental risks and liabilities that the move to stronger sustainability (in the form of the green economy) will present. Banks should adopt the stronger version of sustainability; formulate environmental principles that the bank will adhere to; incorporate these environmental principles into all aspects of its lending cycle, develop an environmental risk management system that should include as a minimum the identification of all the applicable legislation pertaining to the specific financing or lending of capital, risk identification, assessment of the specific risk, implementation of risk control measures, mitigation of the risk, risk monitoring and auditing. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

In the environmental context banks face direct, indirect and reputational risks from their internal operations and their external business activities. The current specific focus on the protection of the environment makes it essential for banks and their directors to be aware and stay on top of potential risks and liabilities. This is especially so because banks’ directors can be criminally prosecuted for environmental crimes. The application and effect of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998 (POCA) on persons convicted of an environmental crime or crimes has been identified as a possible new or added risk for banks and their directors. Banks in addition to their normal environmental risk and liabilities also need to contend with the possibility of lender liability. Existing legislation pertinent to lender liability does not expressly or specifically deal with lender liability. Absence of judgements on lender liability further exacerbates the risks and the uncertainty for banks in South Africa. Therefore, banks remain subject to legal uncertainty and associated risks. The issue of lender liability specifically with regard to the implication of “the person in control” requires clarification. Hence, it is recommended that legislation relevant to lender liability (National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998; National Water Act 36 of 1998 and the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008) be revised to specifically accommodate and protect lenders (lending banks) in certain distinct circumstances. The role of banks is that of an intermediary between borrowers and lenders of money. Therefore, it influences the direction and pace of economic development and by default steers and promotes either sustainable or non-sustainable development. Currently, mainstream banks are in effect financing a brown economy and hence subscribe to a weak form of sustainability. It would seem that mainstream banks are more concerned with managing the impact that environmental risk may have on bank lending than the impact of bank lending on the environment. The evolving nature of sustainability (from weak to strong and from a brown to green economy) demands a fundamental policy change for banks. It is expected that mainstream banks will be put under even greater pressure than before to make the transition from weak to strong sustainability. Hence, banks’ current environmental risk management systems will not be sufficient to cater for new environmental risks and liabilities that the move to stronger sustainability (in the form of the green economy) will present. Banks should adopt the stronger version of sustainability; formulate environmental principles that the bank will adhere to; incorporate these environmental principles into all aspects of its lending cycle, develop an environmental risk management system that should include as a minimum the identification of all the applicable legislation pertaining to the specific financing or lending of capital, risk identification, assessment of the specific risk, implementation of risk control measures, mitigation of the risk, risk monitoring and auditing. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The right to education is entrenched in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. The Constitution, together with various policy documents, provides guiding principles for the transformation of higher education in South Africa. Several universities were placed under administration, before and after the attainment of democracy in South Africa. The independent assessors reports on these institutions have one thing in common, namely that they point out poor administration and ineffective corporate governance practices. Despite many commendable initiatives by Government since 1994 to improve an apparently flawed higher education system, some aspects could be enhanced further, especially concerning corporate governance and governance accountability. Council members and the executive management of higher education institutions are subject to common law fiduciary duties and duties of care and skill. However, their accountability for breaches of these duties is not always clear and is seldom enforced. There is a need to balance effective accountability and the exercise of discretionary powers that are integral to effective governance and management. This thesis considers how corporate governance and compliance in higher education can be improved further, taking into account various legislative changes to the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997, direction provided by the Companies Act 71 of 2008 and the Banks Act 94 of 1990 in respect of the regulation of directors’ duties. An in-depth investigation into the relevant provisions of these Acts was not intended nor undertaken. Rather, the thesis draws from these Acts so that the problems concerning corporate governance in the higher education sector may be dealt with. The regulation of higher education in the foreign jurisdiction of the State of Georgia in the United States of America and in the Canadian province of Ontario was also considered. Based on the research undertaken, specific amendments are proposed to the Higher Education Act of 1997 and the Regulations for Reporting by Public Higher Education Institutions 2014, which are aimed at improvin higher education. / Die reg op onderwys word in die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 1996 verskans. Riglyne vir die transformasie van hoër onderwys in Suid-Afrika word in die Grondwet en verskeie ander beleidsdokumente vervat. Voordat en nadat ‘Suid-Afrika demokraties geword het, is verskeie universiteite onder administrasie geplaas. Luidens die onafhanklike assessore se verslae, het hierdie instellings een ding gemeen gehad: swak administrasie en ondoeltreffende korporatiewe regering. Ondanks talle prysenswaardige stappe van die regering sedert 1994 om die probleme in die hoëronderwysstelsel te ondervang, kan bepaalde aspekte steeds verbeter, in die besonder korporatiewe regering en regeeraanspreeklikheid. Raadslede en lede van die uitvoerende besture van hoëronderwysinstellings is verplig om hulle gemeenregtelike fidusiêre pligte en hulle sorgvuldigheids- en kundigheidsplig na te kom. Hulle verantwoordingspligtigheid in geval van pligsversuim is egter dikwels vaag en word selde afgedwing. Die juiste ewewig moet gevind word tussen doeltreffende verantwoordingspligtigheid en die uitoefening van diskresionêre magte wat onlosmaaklik deel is van doeltreffende korporatiewe regering en bestuur. In hierdie tesis word gekyk hoe korporatiewe regering en nakoming in hoër onderwys verbeter kan word met inagneming van verskeie wysigings van die Wet op Hoër Onderwys 101 van 1997, riglyne in die Maatskappywet 71 van 2008 en in die Bankwet 94 van 1990 aangaande die pligte van direkteure. Geen grondige ondersoek na die toepaslike bepalings in hierdie wette is beoog of gedoen nie. Hulle word eerder gebruik om oplossings vir die probleme met korporatiewe regering in hoër onderwys te vind. Hoe hoër onderwys in die Amerikaanse deelstaat Georgia en die Kanadese provinsie Ontario gereël word, is eweneens in ag geneem. Wysigings van die Wet op Hoër Onderwys van 1997 en die Regulations for Reporting by Public Higher Education Institutions 2014, wat poog om verantwoordingspligtigheid en voldoening in hoër onderwys te verbeter, word voorgestel. / Ilungelo lokufunda liqukethwe uMthethosisekelo woMbuso waseNingizimu Afrika, wangonyaka ka 1996. UMthethosisekelo, kanye neminye imibhalo eyahlukahlukene yemigomo, inikeza umhlahlandlela wemigomo yokuguqulwa kwamaziko emfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika. Amanyuvesi ahlukahlukene amiswa futhi, ngaphambili nangemuva kokuthola idemokhrasi eNingizimu Afrika. Imibiko yabaphenyi bamanyuvesi abazimele inophawu olufanayo, lokuthi iveza ukungahanjiswa kahle kohlelo lokuphatha kanye nokungalandelwa kwezingqubo zokuphatha amabhizinisi. Yize kunemizamo eminingi encomekayo evela uHulumeni kusukela ngonyaka ka 1994, imizamo yokuthuthukisa uhlelo lwemfundo ephakeme olwehlulekayo, ezinye zezimpawu zaqhubeka nokuqiniswa, ikakhulu lezo ezimayelana nokuphathwa kwamaziko kanye nokuziphendulela kwamaziko. Amalungu omkhandlu kanye nesigungu sabaphathi bamaziko emfundo ephakeme bayaphoqeleka ukulandela umthetho ngokuthi benze imisebenzi ngokuthembeka okuyimisebenzi emayelana nokunakekela kanye namakhono okusebenza. Yize-kunjalo, ukuziphendulela kwabo uma bephula imithetho kaningi akucaci kahle kanti le mithetho ayivamisile ukuqiniswa. Kunesidingo sokulinganisa uhlelo olusebenzayo lokuziphendulela kanye nokusebenzisa amandla okuphatha onikezwe wona, okungamandla ayinsika ekuqiniseni uhlelo lokuhanjiswa kahle kwamaziko kanye nokuphathwa. Le thesis iqonde ekutheni ngabe uhlelo lokuphathwa kwamaziko kanye nokulandelwa kwemithetho emazikweni emfundo aphakeme kungathuthukiswa kanjani, uma kubhekwa izinguquko zomthetho ezahlukahlukene, kuMthetho 101 weMfundo Ephakeme ka 1997, uma kubhekwa indlela enikezwa uMthetho 71 weziNkampani ka 2008 kanye noMthetho 94 wamaBhange ka 1990 mayelana nomthetho wemisebenzi yabaqondisi. Akukaze kube nenhloso futhi kwenziwe uphenyo olujulile mayelana nemithetho efanele yale Mithetho. Kunalokho, ithesisi yencike phezu kwaleMithetho ukuze izinkinga ezimayelana nokuphathwa kwamaziko emkhakheni wemfundo ephakeme zidingidwe kahle. Umthetho wemfundo ephakeme esiyingini somthetho sangaphandle se-State of Georgia ngase-United States of America kanye nasesifundazweni saseCanada ngase-Ontario nawo uye wabhekwa. Ngenxa yocwaningo olwenziwe, sekuye kwaphakanyiswa ukuthi kube nezinguquke ezithile eMthethweni weMfundo ePhakeme ka 1997 kanye naseMithethweni yokuBika yamaZiko eMfundo ePhakeme oMphakathi ka 2014, okuyimithetho ehlose ukuthuthukisa izinga lokuphatha okunokuziphendulela kanye nokulandela umthetho wemfundo ephakeme. / Mercantile Law / LL. D.