In South Africa children are required to testify under oath or admonition. The shortcomings of the competency test are of particular relevance to children with developmental disabilities, since courts are not equipped to adequately assess the competency of these children to give evidence. One component of testimonial competency, namely the understanding of the concepts truth and lies, is overemphasised and is examined with questions that are developmentally inappropriate for child witnesses in general. For children with cognitive disabilities, such questions create barriers for participation in the truth-seeking process. Consequently, convictions have been set aside on appeal owing to procedural irregularities found in the implementation of this test. In the literature review on testimonial competency, attention was given to restrictions that specific developmental disabilities impose on the perceptual, cognitive, communication and moral development of children. Two of four components – narrative ability and moral capacity – were studied in a sample of 184 children in middle childhood. Participants’ ability to give coherent and detailed accounts of events, their understanding of the concepts truth, lies, promises and the oath, and the Lyon and Saywitz oath-taking competency test, were investigated. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data analysis. Three groups were identified: those children with very limited, average or full testimonial competency. Their capacities were found to be related to maturation of cognitive functions and level of intellectual functioning. Participants were better able to demonstrate their understanding of truth and falsity by responding to the oathtaking test than giving verbal descriptions of these concepts. Whereas 1 percent of participants had a conceptual understanding of an oath, 15 percent understood the concept of a promise. Syncretism and confabulation compromised the narrative accounts of a substantial number of participants. Syncretism relates to immature narrative ability: correct details are combined in an illogical fashion. Confabulation refers to filling memory gaps with fabricated information. Guidelines on the competency determination of children with developmental disabilities were compiled. It is suggested that the competency examination be replaced by a formal, pre-trial competency assessment. The court should also receive expert evidence on how to facilitate meaningful participation when a child with sufficient testimonial competence is the witness.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Until 1988, hearsay-evidence in our legal system was governed by common law. During this period resistance developed regarding the practice that hearsay which complied with certain exceptions could indeed be allowed. Case law excluded further exceptions being added. Legislation was enacted in 1988 in which hearsay was defined, a total exclusionary rule retained, but the Courts given a wide discretion to allow hearsay. Via this legislation a more accommodating stance towards hearsay was introduced. This dissertation aimed at measuring whether the legislation achieved its objectives and consisted of analysing case law and interviewing Judges and Advocates. The conclusion arrived at is that the legislation has only marginally changed the usage of hearsay in our legal system. The major obstacle lies in the attitude of practitioners who continue to distrust hearsay and do not utilize the mechanism provided by statute. / Tot en met 1988, is hoorse-getuienis in ons regstelsel gemeenregtelik beheer. In die tydperk bet besware egter geleidelik ontwikkel veral oor die gekunstelde wyse waarop hoorsê as aan bepaalde uitsonderings voldoen is wel toegelaat is. Regspraak het voorts ook bepaal dat geen verdere uitsonderings toegevoeg kon word nie. In 1988 is wetgewing uitgevaardig waarin hoorsê-getuienis omskryf word, 'n algehele uitsluitingsreel behou word maar aan die howe 'n wye diskresie verleen word om na oorweging van voorgeskrewe faktore, hoorsê wei toe te laat. Die oogmerk van hierdie wetgewing was om 'n meganisme daar te stel om soos by die civil regstelsels en sekere ander Iande, 'n meer toeskietlike houding jeens hoorsê te bewerkstellig. Hierdie verhandeling se hoofdoel was om te bepaal of die wetgewing in die doel geslaag bet. Om tot 'n bevinding te kom is regspraak ontleed, en is onderhoude gevoer beide met Regters en die Advokatuur. Die slotsom bereik dui daarop dat die wetgewing maar weinig verander bet in die gebruikmaking van hoorse-getuienis in ons regstelsel. Wat die wetgewing self betref, hoewel daar sekere besware te make is oor sekere bepalings, verskaf dit tog 'n bruikbare instrument. Die grootste struikelblok is gelee in die instelling van die praktisyns wat bly vasklou aan 'n gevestigde vrees vir hoarse en nie gebruikmaak van die nuwe geleentheid nou deur die wetgewing daargestel nie. / Law / LL.M.

The aim of this dissertation is to show the shortcomings of the Computer Evidence Act No 57 of 1983 , in so far as the requirements of authentication of computer generated documents before their admissibility as evidence in a court of law. / LL.M.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Until 1988, hearsay-evidence in our legal system was governed by common law. During this period resistance developed regarding the practice that hearsay which complied with certain exceptions could indeed be allowed. Case law excluded further exceptions being added. Legislation was enacted in 1988 in which hearsay was defined, a total exclusionary rule retained, but the Courts given a wide discretion to allow hearsay. Via this legislation a more accommodating stance towards hearsay was introduced. This dissertation aimed at measuring whether the legislation achieved its objectives and consisted of analysing case law and interviewing Judges and Advocates. The conclusion arrived at is that the legislation has only marginally changed the usage of hearsay in our legal system. The major obstacle lies in the attitude of practitioners who continue to distrust hearsay and do not utilize the mechanism provided by statute. / Tot en met 1988, is hoorse-getuienis in ons regstelsel gemeenregtelik beheer. In die tydperk bet besware egter geleidelik ontwikkel veral oor die gekunstelde wyse waarop hoorsê as aan bepaalde uitsonderings voldoen is wel toegelaat is. Regspraak het voorts ook bepaal dat geen verdere uitsonderings toegevoeg kon word nie. In 1988 is wetgewing uitgevaardig waarin hoorsê-getuienis omskryf word, 'n algehele uitsluitingsreel behou word maar aan die howe 'n wye diskresie verleen word om na oorweging van voorgeskrewe faktore, hoorsê wei toe te laat. Die oogmerk van hierdie wetgewing was om 'n meganisme daar te stel om soos by die civil regstelsels en sekere ander Iande, 'n meer toeskietlike houding jeens hoorsê te bewerkstellig. Hierdie verhandeling se hoofdoel was om te bepaal of die wetgewing in die doel geslaag bet. Om tot 'n bevinding te kom is regspraak ontleed, en is onderhoude gevoer beide met Regters en die Advokatuur. Die slotsom bereik dui daarop dat die wetgewing maar weinig verander bet in die gebruikmaking van hoorse-getuienis in ons regstelsel. Wat die wetgewing self betref, hoewel daar sekere besware te make is oor sekere bepalings, verskaf dit tog 'n bruikbare instrument. Die grootste struikelblok is gelee in die instelling van die praktisyns wat bly vasklou aan 'n gevestigde vrees vir hoarse en nie gebruikmaak van die nuwe geleentheid nou deur die wetgewing daargestel nie. / Law / LL.M.

The aim of this dissertation is to show the shortcomings of the Computer Evidence Act No 57 of 1983 , in so far as the requirements of authentication of computer generated documents before their admissibility as evidence in a court of law. / LL.M.

Privilege is an evidential principle which, on the grounds of public policy, excludes evidence relevant and otherwise admissible. This thesis aims to discover whether privilege should be applied to the psychotherapeutic profession in South Africa. At present, the only profession in South Africa afforded privilege is the legal profession. There are two main theoretical justifications for privilege: the utilitarian and the individual/human rights approach. This thesis considers whether the psychotherapeutic profession wan-ants privilege under either theory, and recommends that the law of privilege integrate both theories rather than adopt one or the other. The impact of the Constitution and the right to privacy receive particular attention. Very little literature or case law on the question of psychotherapeutic privilege was found in South Africa. Consequently, extensive comparative research into the common-law systems of England, Canada and United States of America was done. This research yielded some interesting findings. The first is that case-by-case development of the law of privilege is uncel1ain and fragmented. The next is that psychotherapeutic privilege exists in almost absolute form in the United States of America, but is littered with lacunae causing as much uncertainty as the case-by-case approach to privilege law. The most helpful method of dealing with the problem was found in Canada, where a two-stage approach to protecting personal information, including psychotherapeutic records, has been developed. In light of this research, this thesis reassesses the original viability of psychotherapeutic privilege in South Africa. Privilege, it was found, is not the best solution to protecting psychotherapeutic communications. This thesis recommends legislative adoption of an amended two-stage approach based on the Canadian model for sexual offence trials as the best method of protecting psychotherapeutic communications in both civil and criminal proceedings. The thesis ends by suggesting draft legislative provisions.

Die ekstrinsieke getuienis-reël word in die algemeen beskou as een van die mees problematiese areas van die Suid-Afrikaanse bewysreg. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Regskommissie het dan ook redelik onlangs ondersoek ingestel na die wenslikheid van die behoud of afskaffing van die reël. Ondersoek word ingestel na die ware aard van die ekstrinsieke getuienis-reël en of die reël op ’n korrekte wyse in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg ingevoer is. ’n Deeglike kritiese ontleding word verder gedoen van die twee komponente waaruit die ekstrinsieke getuienis-reël bestaan, naamlik die integrasiereël en die interpretasiereël, met behoorlike verwysing na relevante regspraak en die standpunte van akademiese skrywers op hierdie gebied. Kritiese ondersoek word verder ingestel na die verslag en aanbevelings van die Suid-Afrikaanse Regskommissie ten aansien van die ekstrinsieke getuienis-reël. Die impak van die 1996 Grondwet, asook die moderne ontwikkeling van die rekenaar en elektroniese dokumente op die ekstrinsiekegetuienis-reël word ook kortliks ondersoek. Daar word verder grondig ondersoek ingestel na die ekstrinsieke getuienis-reël in ’n regsvergelykende perspektief met spesifieke verwysing na die Engelse, Amerikaanse, Kanadese, Nederlandse, Duitse, Franse en Switserse reg, asook die moontlike waarde wat sodanige benaderings kan toevoeg tot die reël in ’n Suid-afrikaanse konteks. Die gevolgtrekking waartoe gekom word in hierdie proefskrif is dat die ekstrinsieke getuienis-reël aansienlik gemodifiseer moet word in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg deur middel van die promulgering van spesifieke wetgewing op hierdie gebied. Die essensie van hierdie wetgewing moet daaruit bestaan dat alle relevante ekstrinsieke getuienis toegelaat behoort te word ten einde die ware bedoeling van die kontrakspartye vas te stel, behalwe waar dit blyk dat hulle ooreengekom het om hulle algehele ooreenkoms in die skriftelike kontrak te integreer. Daar behoort egter terselftertyd ’n aansienlike bewyswaarde aan die skriftelike dokument, asook die terme daarin vervat, geheg te word ten einde die onskendbaarheid van die skriftelike dokument te preserveer. / Criminal and Procedural Law / LL.D.

Text in Afrikaans / "Free people expect much from their police. In such societies the police stand at the point of balance on the one hand securing human rights on the other exercising their lawful powers given to them by Governments in the name of the people, to protect people and their institutions" (J Alderson Human Rights and Police Rights. Publication of the Council of Europe.) This is no small expectation. It means that the police are expected to maintain and secure the principles of democracy and human rights, the principles upon which our Constitution is based. At the same time it is the duty of a police service to maintain law and order which sometimes require the exercise of power and the use of force which on the face of it may appear to violate human dignity and certain rights and freedoms which a police force is expected to maintain in a democratic society. The manner of exercising that power has an impact on the credibility and effectiveness of the police. Human rights law internationally accepts that a police service needs to be given the power to, at times restrict certain individual freedoms in the interests of the security of the community at large. These restrictions may take place only in a constitutional way. If it takes place in an unconstitutional way the courts must have the right to exclude evidence which is unconstitutionally obtained. At this stage the courts have to formulate such a qualified exclusionary rule, but the ultimate goal must be to include such an exclusionary rule in a future Constitution. / Department of Criminal & Procedural Law / LL.M.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / In the past, witness statements obtained by or on behalf of a party to a criminal case were protected, from disclosure to the opponent, by privilege. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate whether such claims to privilege are justified and whether openness before and during the trial is not perhaps more important to the interests of justice. The disclosure of witness statements to the defence is a commonly recognized practice all over the world. This practice enhances openness before and during the criminal trial. The arguments against and in favor of such a practice are many, but investigation into these has shown that it is in the interests of justice to disclose such statements to the defence, rather than to deny access. Furthermore, the writer investigates whether it would be in the interests of justice to compel the defence to assist the court in determining the truth. / In die verlede is getuieverklarings wat deur of ten behoewe van 'n party tot 'n strafsaak bekom is deur privilegie beskerm, teen openbaarmaking aan die teenstander. Verskeie argumente is aangevoer om die beroep op getuieverklaring privilegie te regverdig. Die doel van hierdie verhandeling is om ondersoek in te stel of sulke aansprake geregverdig is en of openheid voor en gedurende die verhoor nie meer belangrik vir die belang van geregtigheid is nie. Die openbaarmaking van getuieverklarings aan die verdediging is 'n algemeen erkende praktyk regoor die wereld. Hierdie praktyk bevorder openheid voor en tydens die strafverhoor. Die argumente vir en teen so 'n praktyk is baie en 'n ondersoek daarvan dui daarop dat dit in die belang van geregtigheid is om sulke verklarings aan die verdediging te openbaar, eerder as om toegang daartoe te weier. Die vraag is nou of dit nie ook in die belang van geregtigheid is dat die verdediging verplig word om die hof by te staan om die waarheid vas te stel nie. Ten slotte het die skrywer aan die hand gedoen dat partye tot 'n straf saak getuieverklarings gelyktydig voor die verhoor uitruil en ondersoek ingestel of so 'n praktyk in ooreenstemming met die Grondwet van Suid-Afrika 108 van 1996 kan wees. / Law / LL.M.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie proefskrif word daar gekonsentreer op die bewyslas in die nywerheidshof omdat die nywerheidshof se benadering met betrekking tot die bewyslas verskil van geval tot gevaL afhangende van die aard van die regshulp waarvoor die party je die nywerheidshof nader. In die tweede plek volg 'n bespreking van hoe en deur wie die voorlegging van getuienis aan die nywerheidshof mag geskied, hetsy by wyse van dokumente of getuies en daarbenewens oak 'n bespreking van watter soort getuienis aan die nywerheidshof voorgele mag word met spesifieke verwysing na inter alia, klankopnames, videobande en die resultate van leuenverklikkertoetse. / In this thesis there will be concentrated on the burden of proof in the industrial court because the industrial court's approach in regard to the burden of proof differs from case to case, depending on the nature of the legal aid for which the party /ies approaches the industrial court. In the second place a discussion will follow of how and by whom the presenting of evidence can be done, whether by documents or by witnesses, and in addition thereto also a discussion on which sort of evidence can be presented to the industrial court with specific reference to, inter alia, taperecordings, video tapes and the results of lie-detector tests. / Private Law / LL.M. (Handelsreg)