LL.M. (International Commercial Law) / The main exploration of this paper is whether a breach of contract as a ground for jurisdiction is sufficient for a court in England or South Africa to exercise jurisdiction. This question seems straightforward in England, but not so much in South Africa. England enacted their Civil Procedure Rules to make provision for a court to exercise jurisdiction when a plaintiff who is in England wants to sue a foreign defendant in England.1 The breach of contract must occur in the jurisdiction before an English court will permit service out of the jurisdiction. South Africa’s laws on jurisdiction are derived from Roman law.2 A foreign peregrinus may sue in South Africa either where the incola is domiciled or resident or where the cause of action arises. Breach of contract is allowed in this circumstance. It is necessary for an incola plaintiff to attach property of a foreign peregrinus defendant when he wants to sue the foreign peregrinus in a South African court. This may be done where the attachment founds jurisdiction of the court, ie where the incola sues in the area where he is domiciled or resides, or where the attachment confirms the jurisdiction of the court, ie where the cause of action arises. The cause of action in relation to contracts includes the conclusion of the contract or the performance of the contract in the jurisdiction if the plaintiff sues where the cause of action arises and not where the plaintiff is domiciled or resident. The matter of whether a breach of contract can be regarded as a ratio jurisdictionis is seldom approached by South African courts. In Natal, courts allowed attachment of the defendant’s properties where there were no rationes jurisdictionis...

LL.M. (International Commercial Law) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This thesis is an analysis of the law of vicarious liability and its application within the legal framework of delict in South Africa. A brief overview of the historical development of this branch of law is given, with reference to the influences of Roman, Roman-Dutch and English law. That is followed by an exposition of the 'modem' interpretation of vicarious liability as applied in South African courts, highlighting apparent inconsistencies and the need for reform in what has become a persistently controversial area of law. Specific attention is paid to the so-called 'course and scope enquiry' and to the enduring difficulties associated with attributing liability to employers for the deliberate wrongful conduct of their employees. It is argued that the courts have yet to reach consensus on a general principle capable of being applied to the facts of so-called 'deviation cases', and that consequently the legal divergence on these matters gives rise to uncertainty and concern. It is submitted that the way in which the traditional test for vicarious liability is currently applied fails to give true effect to the policy considerations upon which this branch of law is founded. By way of comparison with the South African position, a detailed account of the law of vicarious liability in comparable foreign jurisdictions is given, with emphasis placed on recent developments in England and the British Commonwealth. The study then moves to an analysis of the various policy considerations behind vicarious liability, with particular attention being paid to the role of risk-related liability and the role of risk-assumption in the 'course and scope' enquiry. A comparative analysis follows, highlighting differences between the approaches of the foreign jurisdictions and that taken by the South African courts. The work concludes with a proposal that the South African courts should broaden the scope of vicarious liability and opt for a model similar to that which has recently been adopted in Canada.

LL.M. (International Commercial Law) / Legal judgements against unsuccessful defendants are handed down around the world on a daily basis, but their enforcement can become a complicated matter when the enforcement of the judgement must occur outside the territorial boundaries of the state from which it emanates. The purpose of this paper is to determine the enforceability of judgements of the European courts whereby the jurisdiction of the court was determined in terms of Brussels I. This paper begins with an in-depth discussion of the principles of recognition and enforcement of foreign judgements and the purpose it serves within the context of private international law. The second chapter discusses recognition and enforcement of foreign judgements in South Africa. The requirements and the criteria necessary to fulfil such requirements will be discussed under this heading. The third chapter considers the various grounds of jurisdiction available to the plaintiff in approaching a court of a European Union State. Each ground will be followed by a discussion on the enforceability of a judgement, founded on such a ground of jurisdiction, in terms of the South African principles of recognition and enforcements of foreign judgements and whether the requirements discussed in the preceding chapter have been met. Chapter 4 provides concluding remarks relating to the matters discussed in the body of this paper.

Text in English / The study aims to investigate criminal jurisdiction of the visiting SADC armed forces during peace time focusing only on the Republic of Botswana and the Republic of South Africa. Since the adoption of the Declaration and Treaty of SADC, the armed forces of both Botswana and South Africa at times find themselves on each other’s territory. Once in each other’s territory the question of criminal jurisdiction becomes imperative. The two countries seem not to agree on the content of status of force agreements while cooperating in terms of the SADC Treaty. The contentious point is that the death sentence is still a competent sentence for certain offences under certain circumstances in terms of Botswana laws, whereas in South Africa the death sentence was declared unconstitutional. In the absence of any agreement, South African armed forces may face a death sentence while in Botswana and Botswana authorities might not be able to carry out a death sentence over their members for offences committed while in South Africa. In trying to answer the question of criminal jurisdiction while on each other’s territory during peace time, a study of the evolution of jurisdiction is undertaken. The laws of both countries are considered, especially the application and protection afforded by their respective constitutions. The approach followed by the UN in sending a peace-keeping force to conflict areas is analysed. A micro-comparison of agreements concluded by selected countries, more especially the NATO agreement, is undertaken. Treaties as a source of international law are analysed to show that rights can be extended and be limited by agreement. The study concludes by recommending that concurrent criminal jurisdiction with certain qualification seems to be the accepted norm and compromise amongst the international community, and that the two countries may consider this approach as the basis for such agreement. / Public, Constitutional, & International Law / LL.M

Text in English / The study aims to investigate criminal jurisdiction of the visiting SADC armed forces during peace time focusing only on the Republic of Botswana and the Republic of South Africa. Since the adoption of the Declaration and Treaty of SADC, the armed forces of both Botswana and South Africa at times find themselves on each other’s territory. Once in each other’s territory the question of criminal jurisdiction becomes imperative. The two countries seem not to agree on the content of status of force agreements while cooperating in terms of the SADC Treaty. The contentious point is that the death sentence is still a competent sentence for certain offences under certain circumstances in terms of Botswana laws, whereas in South Africa the death sentence was declared unconstitutional. In the absence of any agreement, South African armed forces may face a death sentence while in Botswana and Botswana authorities might not be able to carry out a death sentence over their members for offences committed while in South Africa. In trying to answer the question of criminal jurisdiction while on each other’s territory during peace time, a study of the evolution of jurisdiction is undertaken. The laws of both countries are considered, especially the application and protection afforded by their respective constitutions. The approach followed by the UN in sending a peace-keeping force to conflict areas is analysed. A micro-comparison of agreements concluded by selected countries, more especially the NATO agreement, is undertaken. Treaties as a source of international law are analysed to show that rights can be extended and be limited by agreement. The study concludes by recommending that concurrent criminal jurisdiction with certain qualification seems to be the accepted norm and compromise amongst the international community, and that the two countries may consider this approach as the basis for such agreement. / Public, Constitutional, and International Law / LL.M

Electronic contracts in the new technological age and electronic commerce have brought about world-wide legal uncertainty. When compared to the traditional paper-based method of writing and signing, the question has arisen whether contracts concluded by electronic means should be recognised as valid and enforceable agreements in terms of the functional equivalence approach. This study will examine the law regulating e-commerce from a South African perspective in contrast to international trends and e-commerce law from the perspective of the United States. The research investigates various aspects of contract formation such as time and place, validity of electronic agreements, electronic signatures, attribution of electronic data messages and signatures, automated transaction as well as select aspects of e-jurisdiction from a South African and United States viewpoint. / Mercantile Law / LLM