Magister Legum - LLM

The authority of parents within the parent child relationship has developed from the rigid potestas which the pater in Roman Law could legally exercise to the authority of both parents in Roman-Dutch Law. The relationship had always been based in the biological sphere while the guardianship of the fathers had always been stronger than that of the mother. The position had been altered statutoraly in the Guardianship Act to provide for guardianship for the mother to be equal to that of the father.Under pressure of Constutional norms and prescripts on the one hand and also because of dramatically changed circumstances on the other it has become imperative that the foundation of the relatiopship would be reconcidered to determine its appropriateness for modern circumstances. Parental responsibilities and rights agreements as well as parenting plans to establish such responsibilities and rights in situations where it does not pertain to a perticular parent or a person concerned consequently reflect new and progressive thinking with regard to the nature and content of the relationship. In addition it may be noted that these agreements and plans reflect an inclination on the side of the legislature to move away from expensive, cumbersome and aggresive litigation bt providing the opportunity to persons concerned to come to mutaully acceptable results. It is futher argued that these agreements and plans may be viewed as a first step for the establishment of Family Relationshiop Centres it has developed in Australian Law / LLM (Private Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The authority of parents within the parent child relationship has developed from the rigid potestas which the pater in Roman Law could legally exercise to the authority of both parents in Roman-Dutch Law. The relationship had always been based in the biological sphere while the guardianship of the fathers had always been stronger than that of the mother. The position had been altered statutoraly in the Guardianship Act to provide for guardianship for the mother to be equal to that of the father.Under pressure of Constutional norms and prescripts on the one hand and also because of dramatically changed circumstances on the other it has become imperative that the foundation of the relatiopship would be reconcidered to determine its appropriateness for modern circumstances. Parental responsibilities and rights agreements as well as parenting plans to establish such responsibilities and rights in situations where it does not pertain to a perticular parent or a person concerned consequently reflect new and progressive thinking with regard to the nature and content of the relationship. In addition it may be noted that these agreements and plans reflect an inclination on the side of the legislature to move away from expensive, cumbersome and aggresive litigation bt providing the opportunity to persons concerned to come to mutaully acceptable results. It is futher argued that these agreements and plans may be viewed as a first step for the establishment of Family Relationshiop Centres it has developed in Australian Law / LLM (Private Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This dissertation looks at the position of the unmarried father in South Africa with regard to obtaining access to his illegitimate child. The writer has focused on three distinct eras in South African family law: the position of unmarried fathers in terms of: the common law; Natural Fathers of Children Born out of Wedlock Act; and the Children's Act. The writer has further focused on a case study. This is to emphasis the difficulty which unmarried fathers have when attempting to go through the courts to have access to his child. In terms of South African common law, fathers of illegitimate children did not have any form of parental authority over the child. The mothers of illegitimate children have full parental authority over such children. Access in terms of South African common-law is seen as an incident of parental authority. Unmarried fathers nevertheless had the right to approach the high court to obtain access to their children, if the mother of the child refuses to allow the father to have such access. In the late 1980's and early 1990's, there was an overwhelming amount of applications brought by unmarried fathers in the high courts so as to obtain access to their illegitimate children. The case of Van Erk v Holmer 1992 (2) SA 636 (W) sparked victory for unmarried fathers when the learned judge held that all unmarried fathers of children have an inherent right of access to their children. This victory was short-lived. Subsequent case law and in particular the case of B v S 1995 (3) SA 571 (A) enforced the common law and held that unmarried fathers do not have an automatic right to their illegitimate children and that such fathers will have to apply to the high court for such access. Due to the increase in litigation in the late 1980's and early 1990's regarding a father's access to his child born out of wedlock the Natural Fathers of Children Born out of Wedlock Act commenced on 4 September 1998. The South African legislature adopted the approach taken in the case of B v S 1995 (3) SA 571 (A) and rejected the approach taken in the case of Van Erk v Holmer 1992 (2) SA 636 (W) ie the common law continued to remain the approach taken in South Africa. Legislators recognised that the approach taken in the Natural Fathers of Children Born out of Wedlock Act does not conform to the provisions of the African Charter of the Rights and the Welfare of the Child, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and equality and dignity provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. On 19 June 2006, the Children's Act was effected and will commence once promulgated in the Government Gazette. The writer then determines whether the Children's Act has in practice changed the position of the unmarried father. / JURISPRUDENCE / LLM

This dissertation looks at the position of the unmarried father in South Africa with regard to obtaining access to his illegitimate child. The writer has focused on three distinct eras in South African family law: the position of unmarried fathers in terms of: the common law; Natural Fathers of Children Born out of Wedlock Act; and the Children's Act. The writer has further focused on a case study. This is to emphasis the difficulty which unmarried fathers have when attempting to go through the courts to have access to his child. In terms of South African common law, fathers of illegitimate children did not have any form of parental authority over the child. The mothers of illegitimate children have full parental authority over such children. Access in terms of South African common-law is seen as an incident of parental authority. Unmarried fathers nevertheless had the right to approach the high court to obtain access to their children, if the mother of the child refuses to allow the father to have such access. In the late 1980's and early 1990's, there was an overwhelming amount of applications brought by unmarried fathers in the high courts so as to obtain access to their illegitimate children. The case of Van Erk v Holmer 1992 (2) SA 636 (W) sparked victory for unmarried fathers when the learned judge held that all unmarried fathers of children have an inherent right of access to their children. This victory was short-lived. Subsequent case law and in particular the case of B v S 1995 (3) SA 571 (A) enforced the common law and held that unmarried fathers do not have an automatic right to their illegitimate children and that such fathers will have to apply to the high court for such access. Due to the increase in litigation in the late 1980's and early 1990's regarding a father's access to his child born out of wedlock the Natural Fathers of Children Born out of Wedlock Act commenced on 4 September 1998. The South African legislature adopted the approach taken in the case of B v S 1995 (3) SA 571 (A) and rejected the approach taken in the case of Van Erk v Holmer 1992 (2) SA 636 (W) ie the common law continued to remain the approach taken in South Africa. Legislators recognised that the approach taken in the Natural Fathers of Children Born out of Wedlock Act does not conform to the provisions of the African Charter of the Rights and the Welfare of the Child, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and equality and dignity provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. On 19 June 2006, the Children's Act was effected and will commence once promulgated in the Government Gazette. The writer then determines whether the Children's Act has in practice changed the position of the unmarried father. / JURISPRUDENCE / LLM