Thesis (LLD (Mercantile Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: International sales contracts have very specific needs that stem from the multiplicity of legal systems which apply to such contracts. In addition to harmonised law, mercantile custom is able to address many of these needs. Mercantile custom represents usages which are clear, certain and efficient and are expected to be known and applied by merchants in a particular trade or region. To this extent mercantile custom fulfils an automatic harmonisation function. However, where a custom does not enjoy uniform application across all branches of trade, the harmonisation function of mercantile custom is limited, as is the case with trade terms. Trade terms reflect mercantile customs and usages which developed over a long time in order to simplify the trade in goods that are transported from one place to the other. They regulate the delivery obligations of the seller and buyer as well as associated obligations such as the passing of risk. Trade terms negate the need for elaborate contract clauses and appear in abbreviated form in contracts of sale. Although they provide a uniform expression of mercantile custom in a particular location or trade, the understanding of trade terms tend to differ from country to country, region to region or from one branch of trade to the next. The ICC INCOTERMS is an effort to standardise trade term definitions at the hand of the most consistent mercantile customs and practices. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficiency of INCOTERMS as a form of standardisation in international sales law. For purposes of the investigation the focus is limited to the passing of risk. Although national laws usually have a default risk regime in place, merchants still prefer to regulate risk by means of trade terms. This study will investigate the legal position in the case of FOB, CIF and DDU terms. An analysis of the risk regimes of a few selected national systems will show that each has their own understanding of these trade terms. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) does not refer to trade terms, but many commentators have concluded that the CISG risk rule is consistent with INCOTERMS. The study will discuss this in more detail. To determine the efficiency of INCOTERMS as a form of standardisation in international sales law, the study examines their characteristics, legal nature as well as their limited scope of regulation. Specific emphasis is placed on the interplay between the CISG and INCOTERMS and the possibility of some form of interaction and collaboration between the two instruments. It is concluded that collaboration between INCOTERMS and the CISG adds value to the international law of sales by increasing the efficiency of an international business transaction and thereby facilitating international trade. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Internasionale koopkontrakte het spesifieke behoeftes wat voortspruit uit die veelvoudigheid van regstelsels van toepassing op so ‘n kontrak. Baie van hierdie behoeftes kan aangespreek word deur geharmoniseerde regsreëls in samehang met handelsgewoontes en –gebruike. Handelsgewoontes verteenwoordig duidelike, seker en effektiewe gebruike. Daar word dus van handelaars wat in ‘n bepaalde bedryf of streek handel dryf, verwag om van hierdie gebruike kennis te neem en hulle toe te pas. In hierdie konteks vervul handelsgebruike ‘n outomatiese harmoniseringsfunksie. Waar ‘n gebruik nie eenvormig toegepas word oor alle bedrywe heen nie, is die harmoniseringsfunksie van handelsgebruike egter beperk. Handelsterme bied ‘n tipiese voorbeeld hiervan. Handelsterme verteenwoordig bepaalde handelsgewoontes en –gebruike wat oor ‘n geruime tyd ontwikkel het ten einde handel in goedere wat van een plek na die ander vervoer word, te vergemaklik. Hulle reguleer die leweringsverpligtinge van die verkoper en koper asook ander verpligtinge wat met lewering verband hou, soos byvoorbeeld die oorgang van risiko. Handelsterme doen weg met lang en omslagtige kontraksbedinge aangesien hulle in die vorm van afkortings in die kontrak figureer. Alhoewel handelsterme ‘n uniforme uitdrukking van gebruike in ‘n bepaalde gebied of bedryf verteenwoordig, is dit egter so dat die inhoud van handelsterme van land tot land, streek tot streek of van een tipe bedryf tot die ander verskil. INCOTERMS is ‘n poging om die inhoud van handelsterme te standaardiseer aan die hand van die mees eenvormige handelsgewoontes en –gebruike. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die effektiwiteit van INCOTERMS as ‘n vorm van standaardisering in die internasionale koopreg te ondersoek. Vir doeleindes van die ondersoek word die fokus beperk tot die oorgang van risiko. Al het nasionale regstelsels gewoonlik ‘n verstek risiko-reël in plek, verkies handelaars steeds om risiko by wyse van handelsterme te reguleer. Die studie ondersoek die regsposisie in die geval van FOB-, CIF-, en DDU-terme. ‘n Analise van risiko-regulering in ‘n aantal nasionale sisteme toon dat elk hul eie betekenis heg aan die inhoud van hierdie terme. Alhoewel die Weense Koopkonvensie geensins na handelsterme verwys nie, voer verskeie kommentatore aan dat die Konvensie se risiko-bestel verenigbaar is met dié van INCOTERMS en sal hierdie aspek gevolglik in meer besonderhede in die studie aangespreek word. Ten einde die effektiwiteit van INCOTERMS te bepaal, word daar ondersoek ingestel na hulle kenmerke, regsaard en beperkte aanwendingsgebied. Spesiale klem word gelê op die wisselwerking tussen die Weense Koopkonvensie en INCOTERMS asook die moontlikheid van interaksie en samewerking tussen die twee instrumente. Die gevolgtrekking is dat interaksie tussen die Koopkonvensie en INCOTERMS waarde toevoeg tot die internasionale koopreg deur die effektiwiteit van die internasionale besigheidstransaksie te verhoog en gevolglik internasionale handel te bevorder. / Harry Crossley Fund / NRF Thuthuka Fund

Thesis (LLD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The focus of this study is the rights-based normative overlap of labour and administrative law in public employment. As the judiciary appeared to be unable to agree on a unified approach to the application of the rights to fair labour practices and just administrative action to public employment, it was clear that the complexity and multi-dimensional character of the debate required analysis of existing approaches to the regulation of the public employment relationship. The following initial research question was formulated: To what extent does (and should) the constitutionalised rights to fair labour practices (s 23) and just administrative action (s 33) simultaneously find application in the regulation of public employment relationships? In answering this question, certain realities had to be acknowledged, the most important being that the debate in question jurisprudentially revealed itself to be a jurisdictional turf-war between the Labour and High Courts, rather than proper consideration of the relevant substantive arguments and underlying normative considerations. This called for an additional dimension to be added to the research question, namely consideration of the extent to which the ss 23 and 33 rights are informed by variable and possibly different normative principles and whether these rights allow for cooperative regulation of public employment in accordance with the doctrine of interdependent fundamental rights. This became the primary focus of the study. In an attempt to simplify the debate, a deliberate decision was taken to limit the scope of the normative study to South Africa with its own historic influences, structures and constitutional considerations. The study shows that both labour and administrative law (as constitutionally informed) share concern for equity-based principles. This is evident from the flexible contextually informed perspectives of administrative law reasonableness in relation to labour law substantive fairness, as well as a shared concern for and approach to procedural fairness. Once simplified, and in the absence of any undue positive law complexity, the public employment relationship, at both a normative and theoretical level, furthermore shows no substantive status difference with private employment relationships. It is, however, accepted that there are job and sector-specific contextual differences. In the absence of substantive normative conflict between these branches of law and in the absence of a fundamental (as opposed to contextual) difference between public and private employment, there appears to be no reason to ignore the constitutional jurisprudential calls for hybridity, otherwise termed the doctrine of interdependence. The idea of normatively interdependent rights expresses the Constitution’s transformative vision (through the idea of flexible conceptual contextualism) and recognises that human rights may overlap. This also means that where such overlap exists, rights should be interpreted and applied in a mutually supportive and cooperative manner that allows for the full protection and promotion of those rights. In giving expression to the interdependent normative framework of constitutional rights, these norms (absent any substantive rights-based conflict) should then be used by the judiciary as an interpretative tool to align specific labour law and general administrative law in the regulation of public employment relationships. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fokus van hierdie studie is die regsgebaseerde normatiewe oorvleueling van arbeids- en administratiefreg in die openbare diensverhouding. Aangesien dit blyk dat die regsbank nie kon saamstem oor ‘n eenvormige benadering tot die toepassing van die regte op billike arbeidspraktyke en regverdige administratiewe optrede op die openbare diensverhouding nie, het die kompleksiteit en multi-dimensionele karakter van die debat dit genoodsaak om bestaande benaderings tot die regulering van die openbare diensverhouding te analiseer. In die lig hiervan is die volgende aanvanklike navorsingsvraag geformuleer: Tot watter mate vind die grondwetlik neergelegde regte tot billike arbeidspraktyke (a 23) en regmatige administratiewe optrede (a 33) gelykmatig toepassing in die regulering van die openbare diensverhouding en tot watter mate hoort die regte gelykmatig toepassing te vind? In antwoord op die vraag is sekere realiteite geïdentifiseer, waarvan die belangrikste is dat die debat in die regspraak grootliks neergekom het op ‘n jurisdiksionele magstryd tussen die Arbeids- en Hooggeregshowe, eerder as werklike oorweging van die relevante substantiewe argumente en onderliggende normatiewe oorwegings. Dit het die byvoeging van ’n verdere dimensie tot die navorsingsvraag genoodsaak, naamlik oorweging van die mate waartoe die aa 23 en 33 regte deur buigsame en moontlik verskillende normatiewe beginsels beïnvloed word, en ook of hierdie regte ruimte laat vir mederegulering van die openbare diensverhouding in terme van die leerstuk van interafhanklikheid van fundamentele regte? Laasgenoemde het die primêre fokus van die studie geword. In ‘n poging om die debat te vereenvoudig, is doelbewus besluit om die strekking van die normatiewe studie te beperk tot Suid-Afrika, met eiesoortige historiese invloede, strukture en grondwetlike oorwegings. Soos die normatiewe studie ontvou het, wys die studie dat beide arbeids- en administratiefreg (soos grondwetlik beïnvloed) ‘n gemeenskaplike belang in billikheids-gebaseerde beginsels openbaar. Daar is ‘n versoenbaarheid tussen die kontekstueel beïnvloedbare en buigsame redelikheidsperspetief van die administratiefreg, soos gesien in vergelyking met substantiewe billikheid in die arbeidsreg. Voorts heg beide die arbeids- en administratiefreg ‘n gemeenskaplike waarde aan, en volg beide ‘n gemeenskaplike benadering tot, prosedurele billikheid. Terselfdertyd, en in die afwesigheid van onnodige positiefregtelike kompleksiteit, blyk daar op beide ‘n normatiewe en teoretiese vlak geen substantiewe verskil in status tussen die openbare diensverhouding en die privaat diensverhouding te wees nie. Dit word egter aanvaar dat daar wel werk- en sektor-spesifieke kontekstuele verskille bestaan. In die afwesigheid van substantiewe normatiewe konflik tussen die twee vertakkinge van die reg en in die afwesigheid van ‘n fundamentele (in vergelyking met kontekstuele) verskil tussen diensverhoudings in die openbare en privaatsektore, blyk daar geen rede te wees om die grondwetlike jurisprudensiële vereiste van hibriditeit, ook genoem die leerstuk van die interafhanklikheid van grondwetlike regte, te ignoreer nie. Die idee van normatiewe interafhanklike regte gee uitdrukking aan die Grondwet se visie van transformasie (via die idee van buigsame konsepsuele kontekstualisme) en erken dat menseregte soms oorvleuel. Dit beteken ook dat waar so ‘n oorvleueling bestaan, regte ïnterpreteer en toegepas moet word in ‘n wedersyds ondersteunende en samewerkende wyse wat voorsiening maak vir die volle beskerming en bevordering van daardie regte. Erkenning van die interafhanklike normatiewe raamwerk van grondwetlike regte hoort daartoe te lei dat die regsbank daardie norme (in die afwesigheid van regsgebaseerde konflik) as interpretasie-hulpmiddel gebruik om die spesifieke arbeidsreg met die algemene administratiefreg te versoen in die regulering van die openbare diensverhouding.

Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The rationale for the legal protection of copyright works is based on the perceived need to encourage the creation of works which are considered to be socially beneficial. By awarding authors proprietary rights in their creations, copyright law allows authors the ability to earn direct financial returns from their efforts, and, thus, copyright law provides the required incentives for authors to create copyright works. Since the early days of commercial software development, copyright protection has been extended to computer programs; thus, by providing such protection it was assumed that their production should be encouraged, and that without such protection they will not be produced to the extent required by society. Comparatively recently, we have witnessed large-scale production of open-source software, which is licensed on generous terms, giving users the right to freely use, modify and redistribute such software. By adopting such licensing terms, the authors of open-source software are unable to charge licensees a fee for permission to use their software, which is the reward which copyright assumes authors seek to create such software. This development has made it necessary to re-evaluate the rationale for copyright protection of computer programs, and determine whether the continued protection of computer programs is justifiable. This study seeks to first establish a coherent theoretical justification for copyright protection, which it is submitted should be an economic justification, rather than a moral justification. The legal analysis in this work seeks to establish whether the copyright protection of computer programs is consistent with the economic justification for copyright protection. In particular, the analysis focuses on the current scope of copyright protection, and seeks to establish whether such protection is excessive, stifling creativity and innovation, and, thus, imposing too high a social cost. It is contended that copyright doctrine has generally sought to minimise these costs, and that current scope of copyright protection of computer programs leaves enough creative room for the production of new software. Despite the fact that the effect of open-source software licences is that authors are unable to earn the direct financial rewards which copyright enables authors to earn as an incentive to create such software, their authors continue to have financial incentives to create such software. Commercial firms who invest in open-source software do so because they seek to provide financially-rewarding related services in respect of software, or because it serves to promote sales in their complementary products. Similarly, the participation of individual computer programmers is largely consistent with the standard economic theories relating to labour markets and the private provision of public goods. Individuals are principally motivated by economic motives, such as career concerns. Copyright protection gives participants the choice to opt for the direct financial rewards which its proprietary protection enables, or the more indirect financial rewards of open-source software development. It is submitted within this research that rather than undermining the rationale for copyright protection of computer programs, the development of open-source software has illustrated that copyright protection allows for the emergence of alternative business models, which may be more economically advantageous to authors. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die rasionaal agter outeursregbeskerming wat deur die reg verleen word is gebasseer op 'n behoefte om die skepping van werke wat sosiaal voordelig geag word te bevorder. Outeursreg verleen aan outeurs direkte finansiële vergoeding vir hul inspanning deur die vestiging van eiendomsreg oor hul werke. Dus, outeursreg voorsien outeurs van die nodige insentiewe om sulke werke te skep. Sedert die begindae van kommersiële sagteware ontwikkeling, is outeursregbeskerming uitgebrei om aan rekenaarprogramme sulke beskerming te bied. Deur die bied van outeursregbeskerming word daar aangeneem dat die ontwikkeling van rekenaarprogramme aangemoedig word en dat sonder die genoemde beskerming programme nie geproduseer sal word tot in 'n mate benodig deur die samelewing nie. Onlangs egter, is daar 'n grootskaalse ontwikkeling van oopbronsagteware opgemerk. Hierdie sagteware word onder ruime terme gelisensieer en gee aan gebruikers die reg om die genoemde sagteware te gebruik, te wysig en vrylik te versprei. Deur sulke terme van lisensiëring aan te neem word outeurs verhoed om vanaf lisensiehouers 'n fooi te vorder vir die toestemming om die sagteware te gebruik. Outeursreg neem aan dat hierdie vergoeding die basis vorm waarom outeurs sulke sagteware ontwikkel. Hierdie ontwikkeling maak dit nodig om die rasionaal agter outeursregbeskerming van rekenaarprogramme te her-evalueer en ook om vas te stel of die volgehoue beskerming van rekenaarprogramme regverdigbaar is. Hierdie studie poog om, eerstens, 'n samehangende teoretiese regverdiging vir outeursreg te vestig. Daar word aan die hand gedoen dat hierdie beskerming 'n ekonomiese, eerder as 'n morele regverdiging as grondslag moet hê. Die regsontleding vervat in hierdie werk poog om vas te stel of die outeursregbeskerming wat aan rekenaarprogramme verleen word in lyn is met die ekonomiese regverdiging van outeursregbeskerming. Die analise fokus in besonder op die huidige bestek van outeursregbeskerming en poog om vas te stel of sodanige beskerming oormatig is, of dit kreatiwiteit en innovasie onderdruk en derhalwe te hoë sosiale koste tot gevolg het. Daar word geargumenteer dat outeursreg in die algemeen poog om sosiale koste te verlaag en dat die huidige omvang van outeursregbeskerming van rekenaarprogramme voldoende kreatiewe ruimte vir die ontwikkeling van nuwe sagteware laat. Die effek van oopbronsagteware is dat outeurs nie in staat is om direkte finansiële vergoeding te verdien, wat as insentief gesien word vir die ontwikkeling van sagteware, nie. Ten spyte hiervan is daar steeds voldoende finansiële insentiewe om sodanige sagteware te ontwikkel. Kommersiële firmas belê in oopbronsagteware om finansiëel lonende verwante dienste ten opsigte van sagteware te voorsien. Dit kan ook dien om verkope in hul onderskeie aanvullende produkte te bevorder. Eweweens is die deelname van individuele rekenaarprogrameerders oorwegend in lyn met die standaard ekonomiese teoriëe ten opsigte van die arbeidsmark en die privaat voorsiening van openbare goedere. Individue word gemotiveer deur ekonomiese motiewe, soos byvoorbeeld oorwegings wat verband hou met hul loopbane. Outeursregbeskerming bied aan deelnemers die keuse om voordeel te trek uit die direkte finansiële vergoeding wat moontlik gemaak word deur outeursregbeskerming of uit die meer indirekte finansiële vergoeding gebied deur die ontwikkeling van oopbronsagteware. In hierdie navorsing word daar geargumenteer dat die ontwikkeling van oopbronsagteware geillustreer het dat outeursregbeskerming die onstaan van alternatiewe besigheidsmodelle toelaat wat ekonomies meer voordelig is vir outeurs in plaas daarvan dat dit die rasionaal vir die outeursregbeskerming van rekenaarprogramme ondermyn.

Thesis (LLD )--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation considers the housing rights of unlawful occupiers in the post-1994 constitutional dispensation. Section 26 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 affords everyone a right of access to adequate housing. This provision is a decisive break with the apartheid past, where forced eviction banished black people to the periphery of society. The central hypothesis of this dissertation is that the Constitution envisages the creation of a society that is committed to large-scale transformation. This dissertation posits that it is impossible to realise the full transformative potential of section 26 of the Constitution in the absence of an independent and substantive understanding of what it means to have access to adequate housing. This dissertation traverses legal theory as well as the common law of evictions, constitutional law and international law. A consciously interdisciplinary approach is adopted in seeking to develop the content of section 26 of the Constitution, drawing on literature from social and political science. This dissertation develops an organising framework for giving substantive content to section 26(1) of the Constitution with reference to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; the Revised European Social Charter, the American Convention on Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. This dissertation shows that the adjudication of eviction disputes has moved away from a position under the common law where Courts had no discretion to refuse eviction orders based on the personal circumstances of the squatters. The adjudication of the eviction of unlawful occupiers now requires a context-sensitive analysis that seeks to find concrete and case-specific solutions. These solutions are achieved by considering what would be just and equitable for both the land owner and the unlawful occupiers. This dissertation also shows that the government has a markedly different role to fulfil in post-apartheid evictions through the necessary joinder of local authorities to eviction proceedings, meaningful engagement with unlawful occupiers and the provision of alternative accommodation in terms of its constitutional and statutory obligations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die behuisingsregte van onregmatige okkupeerders in die post-1994 grondwetlike bedeling. Artikel 26 van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 gee elke persoon die reg op toegang tot geskikte behuising. Hierdie bepaling is ‘n duidelike breuk met die apartheid-verlede waar gedwonge uitsettings swart mense na die periferie van die samelewing verban het. Die sentrale hipotese van hierdie proefskrif is dat die Grondwet beoog om ‘n samelewing te skep wat verbind is tot grootskaalse transformasie. Hierdie proefskrif voer aan dat dit onmoontlik is om die volle transformerende potensiaal van artikel 26 van die Grondwet te verwesenlik in die afwesigheid van ‘n onafhanklike en substantiewe begrip van wat dit beteken om toegang tot geskikte behuising te hê. Hierdie proefskrif deurkruis regsteorie sowel as die gemenereg ten aansien van uitsettings, staatsreg and internasionale reg. ‘n Doelbewuste interdisiplinêre benadering word gevolg in die soeke na die ontwikkeling van die inhoud van artikel 26 van die Grondwet met verwysing na literatuur uit die sosiale- en politieke wetenskappe. Die proefskrif ontwikkel ‘n organiserende raamwerk waarmee substantiewe inhoud aan artikel 26(1) van die Grondwet verleen kan word met verwysing na die Internasionale Verdrag op Ekonomiese, Sosiale en Kulturele Regte; die Konvensie vir die Beskerming van Menseregte en Fundamentele Vryhede; die Hersiene Europese Sosiale Handves; die Amerikaanse Konvensie op Menseregte en die Afrika Handves op Mense en Persoonsregte. Hierdie proefskrif wys dat die beregting van uitsettingsdispute wegbeweeg het van ’n posisie onder die gemenereg waar howe geen diskresie gehad het om uitsettingsbevele te weier op grond van die persoonlike omstandighede van die plakkers nie. Die beregting van uitsettingsdispute vereis nou ‘n konteks-sensitiewe analise wat strewe daarna om konkrete oplossings te vind. Hierdie oplossings word bereik deur in ag te neem wat reg en billik sal wees vir beide die eienaar en die onregmatige okkupeerders. Die proefskrif wys ook dat die regering ‘n merkbaar nuwe rol vervul in post-apartheid uitsettings deur die noodsaaklike voeging van munisipaliteite tot uitsettings, sinvolle interaksie met onregmatige okkupeerders en die voorsiening van alternatiewe akkommodasie in terme van grondwetlike and statutêre pligte.

Thesis (LLD (Private Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African courts seem to be adopting a new approach to the problem of building encroachments. For pragmatic and policy reasons courts are now inclined to exercise its discretion in favour of leaving building encroachments in place, against compensation, despite the common law right to demand removal. It has been widely accepted that courts indeed have the discretion to award damages instead of removal of the building encroachment. However, the circumstances involved and the consequences of these orders are uncertain and hence these orders result in confusion. It is unclear how this discretion is exercised. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether this discretion includes the power to order transfer of the encroached-upon land to the encroacher. There are doctrinal and constitutional implications that may be triggered by these court orders that leave building encroachments in place. The doctrinal issues centre on what happens when an encroachment is not removed and nothing is said about the rights of the respective parties after the order is made. Possible solutions are investigated to provide a doctrinally sound outcome in encroachment disputes. It is clear that the encroacher is allowed to continue occupying the portion of property on which the encroachment is erected. It seems as though a use right is indirectly created when the encroachment remains in place. The constitutional difficulty lies in the fact that the court orders may result in infringements that conflict with section 25 of the Constitution. The focus is specifically to determine whether these orders result in the compulsory loss of property or property rights. With reference to Germany, the Netherlands and Australia, a comparative perspective is provided in order to support the doctrinal and policy arguments. The comparative law provides a source of guidelines for what may work effectively and informs the ultimate suggestion of this project, namely the need for legislation to regulate building encroachments in South Africa. The legislation envisaged would have to prescribe with at least some sort of certainty how and in which circumstances the discretion should be exercised. It should also provide clarity with regard to the right that is created when the encroachment is not removed and how the compensation that is awarded in exchange for removal, should be determined. The unnecessary confusion and uncertainty that result from court orders made in the context of building encroachments may be cleared up by legislation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid Afrikaanse howe begin al hoe meer om ‘n nuwe benadering te volg ten opsigte van oorskrydende bouwerke. Dit lyk asof howe meer geneig is om hul diskresie uit te oefen ten gunste daarvan om die oorskryding vir pragmatiese en beleidsredes teen vergoeding in stand te hou, ten spyte van die gemeenregtelike reg om verwydering te eis. Daar word algemeen aanvaar dat howe wel die diskresie het om in die konteks van oorskrydende bouwerke skadevergoeding toe te ken in plaas van verwydering. Die omstandighede betrokke by en die nagevolge van hierdie beslissings is egter onseker en daarom lei dit tot verwarring. Dit is nie altyd duidelik hoe hierdie diskresie uitgeoefen word nie. Daarbenewens is daar ook onsekerheid oor of die diskresie die bevoegdheid insluit om oordrag van die grond waarop die oorsrkryding staan, te gelas. Die beslissings kan ook doktrinêre en grondwetlike implikasies hê. In terme van die doktrinêre probleem is daar vrae oor wat gebeur as die oorskryding nie verwyder word nie en niks word gesê oor die regte van beide partye in die dispuut nie. Oplossings word ondersoek om die beste moontlike doktrinêre verduideliking te probeer vasstel. Die eienaar van die oorskrydende bouwerk mag voortgaan om die grond waarop die oorskryding staan te okkupeer. Dit lyk asof ‘n gebruiksreg indirek geskep word ten gunste van die oorskryder wanneer die oorskryding nie verwyder word nie. ‘n Grondwetlike probleem mag veroorsaak word deur die moontlike oortreding van artikel 25 van die Grondwet. Die beslissings mag lei tot die gedwonge verlies van grond of regte, wat aan die vereistes van artikel 25 moet voldoen. ‘n Vergelykende perspektief met verwysing na Duitsland, Nederland en Australië word verskaf om die doktrinêre en beleidsargumente te ondersteun. Die vergelykende reg bied ‘n bron van riglyne vir wat effektief kan werk en het dus die wetgewing wat in hierdie proefskrif voorgestel word geïnspireer. Die wetgewing wat beoog word sal moet voorskryf hoe en onder watter omstanghede die diskresie uitgeoefen moet word. Dit moet ook sekerheid gee ten opsigte van die reg wat geskep word as die oorskryding nie verwyder word nie en hoe die skadevergoeding bepaal moet word. Die onnodige verwaring en onsekerheid wat veroorsaak word deur hierdie hofbeslissings kan opgeklaar word deur die promulgering van wetgewing om oorskrydende bouwerke te reguleer.

Thesis (LLM (Public Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In order to test whether South African public service fulfills democratic aims and objectives, this study establishes the limits to and extent of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act 3 of 2000 (the PAJA) in promoting the right to administrative justice as a human right (the RAJAH) and thereby transforming public service delivery. To achieve above aim the background to the entrenched right to administrative justice is analysed through a study of principles underlying administrative justice. Both South African common law and Constitutional systems are analysed against the principles underlying administrative justice. Batho Pele principles contained in the White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service (WPTPS) are also analysed to find out how the South African Public Administration interprets its constitutional duties and to establish the relevance of these principles to administrative justice principles ensconced in the PAJA. The PAJA is then analysed in order to measure the extent to which it affirms the transformation principles ensconced in the Constitution and coinciding with Batho Pele principles. As the public service is a reflection of democracy in action, the public expects it to be professional, representative and proficient. If it does not fulfil these expectations, this may be interpreted as a fundamental failure of democracy. South African democracy in particular is development oriented because it is based on the Constitution that entrenches among others the right to administrative justice. The right to administrative justice as a development tool urges the public sector to recognise and apply constitutionally recognised procedures and processes in every delivery so that the social status of citizens may be enhanced. Such steps, if effectively followed, signify that the public sector has transformed from bad governance practices of the pre constitutional era where there was no requirement for the observance of individual rights in public service delivery. Failures to the adoption of good governance principles by the public sector show the opposite of the expected standards and signify that the public sector is not yet transformed. In the light of the problems caused by the lack of protection of human rights from abuse by the executive under the common law system of parliamentary supremacy, the constitutional era was expected to have changed the position of South African administrative law drastically through its adoption of the principles underlying administrative justice. To develop insight into the extent of the transformation towards administrative justice that is expected to have occurred in South Africa since the advent of constitutionalism the implementation of the PAJA is evaluated through an examination of a selection of cases that deals with public administration decisions in the area of social assistance as a context in which members of the public are most dependent on effective state administration. As the scope of the study limits the number of cases that can be examined, only the most informative cases on social assistance that relates to the KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces are analysed. The research finds that public service is not yet transformed and identifies the causal factors. It recommends steps to be followed so that the expected culture from the public sector is attained.

Thesis (LLM (Public Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The first part of this thesis deals with the right of lateral and subjacent support and explains how it should be applied in South African law. The thesis illustrates how the neighbour law principles of lateral support were incorrectly extended to govern conflicts pertaining to subjacent support that arose in South African mining law. From 1911 right up to 2007, these two clearly distinguishable concepts were treated as synonymous principles in both academic writing and case law. The thesis plots the historical development of this extension of lateral support principles to subjacent support conflicts. In doing so, it examines the main source of South Africa’s law of support, namely English law. The thesis then shows how the Supreme Court of Appeal in Anglo Operations Ltd v Sandhurst Estates (Pty) Ltd 2007 (2) SA 363 (SCA) illustrated how the English law doctrine of subjacent support, with all its attendant ramifications, could not be useful in resolving disputes that arise between a land surface owner and a mineral rights holder in South African mining law. The second of half of the thesis investigates the constitutional implications of the Supreme Court of Appeal’s decision in Anglo Operations in light of the systemic changes introduced by the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002. In terms of this new Act, all the mineral and petroleum resources of South Africa are the common heritage of the people of South Africa, and the state is the custodian thereof. This means that landowners are no longer involved in the granting of mineral rights to subsequent holders. In light of the Anglo Operations decision, landowners in the new dispensation of mineral exploitation face the danger of losing the use and enjoyment of some/all their land. The thesis therefore examines the implications of the statutory provisions in South African legislation (new and old) that have/had an impact on the relationship between landowners and mineral right holders with regard to the question of subjacent support, as well as the implications of the Anglo Operations decision for cases where mineral rights have been granted under the statutory framework. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die eerste deel van die tesis handel oor die reg op sydelingse en oppervlakstut en hoe dit in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg toegepas behoort te word. Die tesis wys hoe die bureregbeginsels rakende sydelingse stut verkeerdelik uitgebrei is na konflikte rakende oppervlakstut wat in die Suid-Afrikaanse mynreg ontstaan het. Vanaf 1911 en tot in 2007 is hierdie twee duidelik verskillende konsepte in sowel akademiese geskrifte en in die regspraak as sinonieme behandel. Die tesis sit die historiese ontwikkeling van die uitbreiding van laterale stut-beginsels na oppervlakstut-konflikte uiteen. In die proses word die hoofbron van die Suid-Afrikaanse reg ten aansien van steun, naamlik die Engelse reg, ondersoek. Die tesis wys uit hoe die Hoogste Hof van Appèl in Anglo Operations Ltd v Sandhurst Estates (Pty) Ltd 2007 (2) SA 363 (SCA) beslis het dat die Engelse leerstuk van oppervlakstut met al sy meegaande implikasies nie in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg sinvol aangewend kan word om dispute wat tussen die oppervlakeienaar van grond en die mineraalreghouer ontstaan, op te los nie. Die tweede helfte van die tesis ondersoek die grondwetlike implikasies van die Hoogste Hof van Appèl se beslissing in Anglo Operations in die lig van die sistemiese wysigings wat deur die Wet op Ontwikkeling van Minerale en Petroleumhulpbronne 28 van 2002 tot stand gebring is. Ingevolge die nuwe Wet is alle mineraal- en petroleumhulpbronne die gemeenskaplike erfenis van alle mense van Suid-Afrika en die staat is die bewaarder daarvan. Dit beteken dat grondeienaars nie meer betrokke is by die toekenning van mineraalregte aan houers daarvan nie. In die lig van die Anglo Operations-beslissing loop grondeienaars die gevaar om die voordeel en gebruik van al of dele van hulle grond te verloor. Die tesis ondersoek daarom die implikasies van verskillende bepalings in Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing (oud en nuut) wat ‘n impak op die verhouding tussen die grondeienaar en die houer van die mineraalregte het, sowel as die implikasies van Anglo Operations vir gevalle waar mineraalregte onder die nuwe statutêre raamwerk en toegeken is.

Thesis (LLM (Mercantile Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The worldwide increase of corporate failures on the scale of Enron and WorldCom has sparked a renewed international trend of corporate governance review. With the external company auditor blamed at least in part for many corporate failures, corporate governance reform also necessitates a review of the statutory regulation of the company auditor. In particular, the lack of auditor independence when auditing clients has been under the legislator’s spotlight. The problems associated with unregulated or poorly regulated auditors are well illustrated by the activities of auditing giant Arthur Andersen. In the US, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act has been promulgated in reaction to corporate failures, imposing many new legislative restrictions on the auditor. The UK has a more tempered, selfregulatory approach. South Africa, following international trends with its recently promulgated Auditing Profession Act and Corporate Laws Amendment Act, has also greatly increased the regulation of auditor independence. The question is now whether these new restrictions in the wake of corporate failures have been the right approach with which to prevent future failures and to provide adequate protection to shareholders. Although the general legislative increase in auditor awareness is welcomed, the efficacy of several provisions in South African legislation can be questioned. Widespread reform has taken place in the appointment and remuneration of the auditor, which now has to be independently determined by the audit committee. In particular, South Africa’s new regulation of non-audit services, and the lack of refined regulation on compulsory auditor rotation as well as the cross-employment of auditors by clients, needs a critical discussion. It is submitted that the discretion of a well-regulated audit committee, combined with increased disclosure and transparency, should be enough to regulate most of the key aspects of auditor independence. Care should be taken to not overlegislate in haste to reform. South Africa needs a flexible and customised approach in this regard.

Thesis (LLM)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis compares South African and German Competition Law. The focus is the control of mergers between newspaper enterprises. It has to be asked whether special rules should apply to transactions in this field, considering the importance of an unconcentrated, competitive press from an economic and political point of view. It will be shown that South African and German Competition Law are similar in many respects. Both legal systems follow a flexible, primarily economic approach to the consideration of proposed transactions, taking into account a plurality of factors to determine potential detrimental effects of mergers on competition. Moreover, pro-competitive gains and public interest issues are recognised under South African and German law. When it comes to the control of mergers between newspaper enterprises, though, the two legal systems diverge. Only under German Competition Law, are there specific provisions for press mergers. In view of a recently proposed amendment of the German Competition Law, the appropriate form of regulation that is likely to guarantee a free press, will be investigated. It will also be analysed, whether there is a specific need for press regulation in the South African context. Even though there are no special provisions under South African Competition Law, the South African Constitution leaves space for a broader understanding of the freedom of the press. Hence, it will be examined if the South African Constitution obliges the state to enact particular laws to protect press-plurality. Moreover, it will be analysed if the South African Competition Act should be interpreted in a manner that would promote plurality of the press. In the view of the eminent role of the press for a democratic society, it will be argued in this thesis, that there is a particular need for media regulation. Notably the significant levels of concentration in both German and South African press markets raise concerns as regards the protection of a free and pluralistic press. It will be shown that there are different foreign approaches to maintaining and promoting freedom of the press and it will be suggested that South Africa recognises a need for more press-specific regulation in the future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling vergelyk Suid-Afrikaanse en Duitse mededingingsreg. Dit is gefokus op beheer oor persondernemings. Die vraag word gevra of spesiale reëls van toepassing behoort te wees op transaksies in hierdie sektor, indien die politieke en ekonomiese belang van 'n ongekonsentreerde en mededingende pers in ag geneem word. Dit word uitgewys dat Suid-Afrikaanse en Duitse mededingsreg in vele opsigte soortgelyk is, wat die regulering van samesmeltings betref. Beide regsstelsels volg 'n buigsame, hoofsaaklik ekonomiese benadering tot die oorweging van 'n transaksie. Beide neem 'n veelheid van faktore in ag om te bepaal of 'n transaksie moontlik negatiewe gevolge vir mededinging het. Verder word pro-mededingende en publieke belangsaspekte in beide die Suid- Afrikaanse en Duitse reg in ag geneem. In die geval van 'n samesmelting tussen koerantondernemings verskil die twee sisteme egter. Die Duitse reg het spesiale reëls vir samesmelting van sulke ondernemings. In die lig van wysigings wat onlangs aan die Duitse mededingsreg voorgestel is, word geskikte vlakke van regulering van die pers, wat nodig is om 'n vrye pers te waarborg, ondersoek. Aandag word geskenk aan die vraag of daar'n behoefte is aan regulering van die pers in die Suid-Afrikaanse omgewing. Alhoewel die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet nie spesiaal daarvoor voorsiening maak nie, laat die Grondwet plek vir 'n wyer begrip van persvryeid. Dus word vasgestelof daar 'n plig op die staat is om wetgewing in te voer wat die staat dwing om perspluralisme te beskerm. Verder, word bepaal of die Suid-Afrikaanse Mededingingswet op so 'n wyse interpreteer kan word dat dit perspluralisme sal bevorder. In die lig van die sentrale rol vir 'n vrye pers in 'n demokratiese samelewing, word geargumenteer dat, daar 'n spesiale behoefte aan reguleringvan die media is. Die hoë vlakke van konsentrasie in beide die Duitse en Suid- Afrikaanse persmarkte skep besorgheid oor die beskerming van 'n vrye en pluralistiese pers in hierdie lande. Dit word aangetoon dat daar verskillende benaderings tot die beskerming en bevordering van 'n vrye pers in ander lande is en daar word voorgestel dat Suid-Afrika 'n behoefte aan meer spesifieke reëls vir regulering van die pers erken.

Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis analyses current South African copyright law to ascertain the proper interpretation and application of the fair dealing provisions contained in the Copyright Act 98 of 1978. Copyright law ensures that authors’ works are not used without their consent, which they can grant subject to compensation or conditions attached to the use. Fair dealing exceptions allow the general public to use copyright works for certain purposes without the copyright owner’s consent and without paying compensation. These provisions are intended to balance copyright owners’ interests with the interest that members of the public have in using copyright works for socially beneficial purposes. These provisions typically allow the use of a copyright work for the purposes of research or private study, personal or private use, criticism and review, and news reporting. Unfortunately there is no South African case law concerning the fair dealing provisions, and the application of these exceptions remains unclear. This study aims to clarify the extent of application of the fair dealing exceptions to copyright infringement so that courts may be more willing to consider foreign and international law and in doing so develop South African intellectual property law. The social and economic policy considerations underlying the fair dealing exceptions are considered to determine their function. International conventions relating to copyright and neighbouring rights are examined, specifically the provisions allowing exceptions to copyright. The legislation and case law of Australia and the United Kingdom are analysed to determine the proper interpretation and application of these statutory defences. This knowledge is then used to inform South African law. The Copyright Act 98 of 1978 does not contain a fair dealing exception for parody and satire. Australian legislation does contain such an exception, and it is analysed in that context. An exception for parody is proposed for South African law, and the need for and application of this provision is considered. The constitutionality of the proposed exception is evaluated in terms of its impact on the constitutional property rights of copyright owners. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek Suid-Afrikaanse outeursreg om die behoorlike uitleg en toepassing van die “billike gebruik”-bepalings in die Wet op Outeursreg 98 van 1978 te bepaal. Outeursreg beskerm die werk van ʼn outeur teen ongemagtigde gebruik van haar intellektuele eiendom. Gebruik kan deur die outeur gemagtig word, òf teen vergoeding òf onderhewig aan bepaalde voorwaardes. Artikels 12-19B (die billike gebruik-bepalings) van die Wet op Outeursreg laat ander toe om sekere werke te gebruik sonder die toestemming van die eienaar van die werk en sonder om vergoeding te betaal. Die bepalings streef om ʼn balans te tref tussen die belange van die outeur en die belange van die publiek. ʼn Werk mag volgens hierdie bepalings tipies gebruik word vir die doeleindes van navorsing of private studie, persoonlike of private gebruik, beoordeling of resensie, of om nuus te rapporteer. Daar is tans geen Suid-Afrikaanse regspraak rakende hierdie uitsonderings nie, en hul toepassing is dus onseker. Hierdie tesis beoog om die werking van die billike gebruik-bepalings duidelik uiteen te sit om hoër gewilligheid in howe te skep om internasionale en buitelandse reg toe te pas, en sodoende Suid-Afrikaanse immateriële goederereg te ontwikkel. Die sosiale en ekonomiese beleidsoorwegings wat die bepalings ondersteun word geanaliseer om die doel daarvan te bepaal. Internasionale outeursreg-verdragte word bespreek om ʼn raamwerk vir die uitsonderings te skep. Wetgewing en regspraak van Australië en die Verenigde Koninkryk word ondersoek, en die kennis wat daar opgedoen word, word toegepas op die Suid-Afrikaanse bepalings. Die Wet op Outeursreg 98 van 1978 bevat geen uitsondering vir die doeleindes van parodie en satire nie. Die Australiese Wet op Outeursreg 63 van 1968 bevat wel so ʼn uitsondering, en dit word in hierdie verband beoordeel. ʼn Uitsondering vir parodie en satire word voorgestel en oorweeg in die konteks van Suid-Afrikaanse outeursreg. Die grondwetlikheid van die voorgestelde uitsondering word bepaal na aanleiding van die impak wat dit sal hê op outeurs se eiendomsreg.