This thesis critically assesses the scope and method of criminalisation of the concept of fraud under the Fraud Act 2006 through the discussion of an apparent ‘duality’ between (co-existing) criminal and non-criminal resolution mechanisms. The reader will find social sciences theory and mixed-methods research techniques being used to identify and characterise a dysfunction between legislation and the social function of fraud control and its resolution. The 2006 Act appears to present a categorical and monolithic headline offence of fraud qualified by dishonesty, yet it is not clear that the Act clearly identifies the scope of effective criminalisation with respect to fraud. The dishonesty-based conduct offence provided in the Fraud Act 2006 is examined in the context of contemporary theory and practical considerations that relate to the discipline of law-enforcement. This work investigates pre-industrial modes of fraud resolution and identifies industrial-era points of divergence between the concepts of fraud and theft (a similar headline offence defined and criminalised under the Theft Act 1968). The work also offers an empirical study of survey-based data collection involving one-hundred-and-forty participants (N=140). It measured the practical extent of criminalisation of fraud in terms of participant indications of the (typically) most likely official outcome in response to sixteen hypothetical examples of fraud offences. The survey results appear to support practical, contextual, and theoretical considerations from the literature on the inhibitors to the consistent application of a conduct-based general fraud offence. The data and findings highlight the advantages of detailed actus reus-based criminalisation of types of fraud that require additional control through effective criminalisation.

Commercial arbitration is growing in importance in the modern world. People often use arbitration to ensure adjudication by an expert in the field and although arbitration may not always be quicker, its importance continues to grow especially in international commercial disputes.1 Effective arbitration procedures will have positive consequences for the economical and political relationships between countries.2 The Arbitration Act 42 of 1965 might have sufficed in the past, but as international commercial arbitration is ever increasing and changing, this act has become out–dated. It does not effectively facilitate international commercial arbitration. The Act was primarily designed with domestic commercial arbitration in mind and therefore it is of limited assistance in the international commercial arbitration sphere. The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law3 has developed the Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration.4 This Model Law or variations thereof can be adopted by a country to regulate international commercial arbitration.5 Many countries choose to adopt the Model Law. The reasons vary but some are that the country’s own arbitration laws were out–dated and needed replacement. The Model Law has proved to be effective and it has become a benchmark for good arbitration legislation.6 Some countries have even adopted the Model Law for use in domestic commercial arbitration disputes. The South African Law Commission7 published a report in 1998 dealing with the possible application of the Model Law on international commercial arbitration in South Africa. It drafted a Draft Bill on International Arbitration (not as of yet promulgated) based on the Model Law.9 One of the points of discussion in the report of the Commission was whether the Model Law should also be made applicable to domestic commercial arbitration in South Africa. The conclusion was that domestic and international arbitration should be dealt with separately and that the present Act regulating domestic arbitration should be amended but not replaced by the Model Law. This implies two arbitration regimes: the International Arbitration Act (dealing only with international commercial arbitration); and the Arbitration Act (dealing only with domestic commercial arbitration) After the Commission’s report had been studied and South Africa’s legal position had been compared with Australia’s legal position, it is conlcuded that Australia is a good example to follow in regard to arbitration practices. It is, however, important to keep South Africa’s own background in mind. A good point made by Australia, is the fact that international commercial arbitration legislation and domestic commercial arbitration legislation, should be kept separate. This will bring about effectiveness and clarity for the users of the said legislation. Furthermore, as end conclusion, the Commission’s view is not favoured in regard to the fact that South Africa’s domestic arbitration legislation should not be based on the UNCITRAL Model Law. It would be a good idea to follow suit with Australia and base both South Africa’s international and domestic commercial arbitration legislation on the UNCITRAL Model Law. / Thesis (LL.M. (Import and Export Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Commercial arbitration is growing in importance in the modern world. People often use arbitration to ensure adjudication by an expert in the field and although arbitration may not always be quicker, its importance continues to grow especially in international commercial disputes.1 Effective arbitration procedures will have positive consequences for the economical and political relationships between countries.2 The Arbitration Act 42 of 1965 might have sufficed in the past, but as international commercial arbitration is ever increasing and changing, this act has become out–dated. It does not effectively facilitate international commercial arbitration. The Act was primarily designed with domestic commercial arbitration in mind and therefore it is of limited assistance in the international commercial arbitration sphere. The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law3 has developed the Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration.4 This Model Law or variations thereof can be adopted by a country to regulate international commercial arbitration.5 Many countries choose to adopt the Model Law. The reasons vary but some are that the country’s own arbitration laws were out–dated and needed replacement. The Model Law has proved to be effective and it has become a benchmark for good arbitration legislation.6 Some countries have even adopted the Model Law for use in domestic commercial arbitration disputes. The South African Law Commission7 published a report in 1998 dealing with the possible application of the Model Law on international commercial arbitration in South Africa. It drafted a Draft Bill on International Arbitration (not as of yet promulgated) based on the Model Law.9 One of the points of discussion in the report of the Commission was whether the Model Law should also be made applicable to domestic commercial arbitration in South Africa. The conclusion was that domestic and international arbitration should be dealt with separately and that the present Act regulating domestic arbitration should be amended but not replaced by the Model Law. This implies two arbitration regimes: the International Arbitration Act (dealing only with international commercial arbitration); and the Arbitration Act (dealing only with domestic commercial arbitration) After the Commission’s report had been studied and South Africa’s legal position had been compared with Australia’s legal position, it is conlcuded that Australia is a good example to follow in regard to arbitration practices. It is, however, important to keep South Africa’s own background in mind. A good point made by Australia, is the fact that international commercial arbitration legislation and domestic commercial arbitration legislation, should be kept separate. This will bring about effectiveness and clarity for the users of the said legislation. Furthermore, as end conclusion, the Commission’s view is not favoured in regard to the fact that South Africa’s domestic arbitration legislation should not be based on the UNCITRAL Model Law. It would be a good idea to follow suit with Australia and base both South Africa’s international and domestic commercial arbitration legislation on the UNCITRAL Model Law. / Thesis (LL.M. (Import and Export Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

LL.M. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Doctorat en sciences sociales, politiques et économiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Malgré ce que l’on a pu croire, le régime commun pourrait présenter un grand intérêt pour le droit international de l’environnement sous réserve de la prise en compte de certaines considérations environnementales. Il s’agit d’une part, du déclenchement de la responsabilité et, d’autre part, de la réparation. Si, en raison de certaines insuffisances normatives environnementales, l’engagement de la responsabilité pourrait soulever des difficultés, le fondement du régime commun, à savoir le fait illicite, facilite la prévention des dommages environnementaux. Quant à l’invocation de la responsabilité, une évolution concernant les droits des États agissant pour un intérêt collectif pourrait empêcher que de nombreux espaces et espèces échappent à la sphère de la responsabilité des États. Concernant les modalités de la réparation, l’importance d’une réparation en nature ou par équivalent en nature impose une adaptation à l’appréciation ou à la mise en œuvre de la restitution et de l’indemnisation. En revanche, la présente thèse propose une nouvelle forme de satisfaction : la compensation écologique. / Despite some authors’ scepticism, the international environmental law can find certain solutions in the law of state responsibility. However, the success of finding such solutions depends on the introduction of a number of environmental considerations to as conditions of state responsibility, its invocation and reparation. Regarding the first, although the state responsibility, which is based on breach of obligations, may lack normative environmental aspect, its preventive role vis-a-vis the environmental harm should not be underestimated. As to the invocation, the positive law has to acknowledge the right of an injured state acting for the collective interest in order to include spaces and species beyond the state’s sovereignty to the law of state responsibility. Regarding the forms of reparation, restitution and compensation must be adapted taking into consideration the importance of environmental restoration towards baseline conditions. However, satisfaction needs to transform into a multiform and flexible form of reparation. For this purpose the present study suggests the biodiversity offset mechanism as a form of satisfaction.

Univ., Diss.--Mainz, 1991.

The abolition of corporal punishment in S v Williams and Others 1995 (3) SA 632 (CC) provided the state with the impetus to consider alternative sentencing options. Unsystematic efforts by the government to reform the juvenile justice system have failed abysmally. The government was forced to review its policies on juvenile sentencing. An examination of international trends reveals the imposition of stricter measures of punishment for serious and violent juvenile offenders. Community-based sentencing options are used mainly for first-time offenders. The focus has also shifted from punishment and retribution to prevention and treatment. It is advocated that serious and violent juvenile offenders be incarcerated in secure-care facilities and/or juvenile prisons and that community-based sentencing options be utilised for first-time offenders. The government should also design programmes that deal with situations that lead to crime and delinquency / Criminal & Procedural Law / LL.M. (Law)

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Title page in Afrikaans and English / Die verhandeling handel oor die howe se hantering van testamentere geskrifte wat nie aan die testamentsformaliteite voldoen nie. Die posisie voor die inwerkingtreding van artikel 2(3) word eerste bespreek. Daarna bespreek ek die wysigings wat aanbeveel is deur die regskommissie. Vervolgens bespreek ek die inwerkingtreding van artikel 2(3) wat aan die howe die bevoegdheid gee om 'n testamentere geskrif wat nie aan die formaliteite voldoen nie tot geldige testament te verhef. Die spesifieke probleemareas met die interpretasie van artikel 2(3) word uitgelig en in detail bespreek. Daarna maak ek 'n aanbeveling dat 'n handtekening of merk op 'n testamentere geskrif 'n drempelvereiste moet wees alvorens 'n hof dit kan kondoneer. Ek sluit af met 'n opinie oor hoe die artikel in die toekoms geinterpreteer behoort te word. / The dissertation is about the way in which the courts handle testamentary writings which do not comply with the formalities of a will. Firstly I discuss the position before the implementation of section 2(3). Thereafter I discuss the recommendations of the law commission. Then I discuss the implementation of section 2(3) which empowers the court to legalise a document which does not comply with the formal requirements of a will. The specific problem areas with regard to the interpretation of section 2(3) are highlighted and discussed in detail. Thereafter a recommendation is made that a signature or a mark on a testamentary writing must be a prerequisite before a court can consider condoning it. I conclude my dissertation with an opinion on how this section should be interpreted in the future. / Jurisprudence / LL. M. (Legum)

L’adoption définitive en 2001 du Projet d’articles sur la responsabilité des organisations internationales par la Commission du Droit International constitue incontestablement un pas important dans l’élaboration d’un régime général de responsabilité, applicable à des entités fondamentalement hétérogènes du fait de leur capacité fonctionnelle. À l’heure de l’externalisation du maintien de la paix, les principes d’attribution de la responsabilité sont plus que jamais sollicités pour répondre à des situations nouvelles et inédites. Dans ce contexte, la question se pose de savoir dans quelle mesure ils permettent de répondre aux attentes d’un domaine en constante évolution, et dans lequel les organisations internationales sont de plus en plus nombreuses à intervenir. Il sera alors possible de montrer qu’un certain nombre de solutions peuvent en être dégagées. Néanmoins, ces principes mériteraient d’être précisés à certains égards, afin de pouvoir répondre à l’ensemble des nouvelles problématiques relatives à l’attribution de responsabilité qui sont susceptibles de se poser dans le cadre d’un maintien de la paix externalisé. / The final adoption in 2001 of the Draft articles on the responsibility of international organizations by the International Law Commission is indisputably a major step in the drafting of a general regime of responsibility, applicable to fundamentally heterogeneous entities owing to their functional capacity. In these times of peacekeeping externalization, the attribution of responsibility principles are more than ever called upon to provide an answer to new and unprecedented situations. In this framework, the question arises of whether these principles are able to give an answer to the expectations of an evolving area, in which the number of international organizations involved is increasing. It will then be possible to demonstrate that some solutions can be found. Nevertheless, these principles need to be clarified, in order to provide with a solution for all the new sets of problems that may arise regarding the attribution of responsibility, in an externalized peacekeeping framework.