Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African history of colonialism and apartheid created a massive housing crisis, and a basic service delivery deficit for the majority of people. Since the dawn of democracy, the current government has been trying to address this housing crisis and basic service delivery deficit. At the heart of the challenge created by this housing crisis, is the transformative vision of the Constitution and the proper role of courts, especially the Constitutional Court as the final arbiter of the rights protected and guaranteed in the Constitution. The central objective of this thesis is to investigate the extent to which the Constitutional Court has given substantive content to the right of access to adequate housing, particularly in the context of the positive duties arising out of this right as entrenched in section 26(1) and (2) of the Constitution. To this end, the history and present state of housing for residents of informal settlements, and those in inadequate housing, including the challenges presented by housing delivery, are explored. This thesis seeks to explore the concept of transformative constitutionalism, particularly its significance in relation to the right of access to adequate housing. The thesis goes on to trace the origins, strong and weak points of the reasonableness review model used by the Court to adjudicate the positive aspects of socio-economic rights, in the context of the right of access to adequate housing. This is followed by an examination of how housing as a human right has been interpreted and enforced in international, and comparative law. I then analyse the major housing jurisprudence of the Court, and suggest tentantive solutions towards redressing some of the impediments standing in the way of a substantive interpretation of the right of access to adequate housing. It is found that the Court has developed the substantive content of section 26(3) through the development of various procedural, and substantive protections of this right, including an expansive meaning of the requirement of justice and equity, requiring judicial oversight in all sales in execution against peoples’ homes, creative remedies such as mediation, joinder of a relevant municipality in eviction cases, meaningful engagement, and alternative accommodation as components of the requirement of justice and equity that would have to be met for an eviction to be lawful. In contrast, in the context of the positive duties imposed by section 26, the Court has adopted the reasonableness model of review without elaborating on the nature and scope of the right of access to adequate housing, and the values and purposes protected by this right in international law, and comparative law. Therefore, a relatively weak standard of judicial review is adopted by the Court when it adjudicates the negative duties of the right, as opposed to when it adjudicates the positive duties imposed by the right.This thesis proceeds to explore how the substantive interpretation of the right could be enhanced through following the methodology for interpretation of rights in the Bill of Rights prescribed in section 39(1) of the Constitution. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis van kolonialisme en apartheid het 'n massiewe behuisingskrisis, en 'n tekort aan basiese dienslewering vir die meerderheid van mense geskep. Sedert die aanvang van demokrasie, poog die huidige regering om die behuisingskrisis en tekort aan basiese dienslewering aan te spreek. Aan die hart van die uitdaging wat deur hierdie behuisingskrisis geskep is, is die transformerende visie van die Grondwet en die behoorlike rol van die howe, veral die Konstitusionele Hof as die finale arbiter van die regte wat in die Grondwet beskerm en gewaarborg word. Die hoofdoel van hierdie tesis is om ondersoek in te stel na die mate waartoe die Konstitusionele Hof substantiewe inhoud gegee het aan die reg op toegang tot geskikte behuising, veral in die konteks van die positiewe verpligtinge wat voortspruit uit hierdie reg soos verskans in artikels 26(1) en (2) van die Grondwet. Om dit te bereik, word die geskiedenis en huidige stand van behuising vir inwoners van informele nedersettings, asook dié in ontoereikende behuising, ondersoek met inbegrip van die uitdagings wat deur die lewering van behuising gestel word. Hierdie tesis poog om die begrip van transformerende konstitusionalisme te ondersoek, vernaam die belang daarvan met betrekking tot die reg van toegang tot geskikte behuising. Daarbenewens, ondersoek hierdie tesis die oorsprong, asook die sterk en swak punte van die Hof se model vir redelikheidshersiening om die positiewe aspekte van sosio-ekonomiese regte te beoordeel, in die konteks van die reg op toegang tot geskikte behuising . Hierop volg 'n ondersoek na hoe behuising as 'n menslike reg in internasionale en vergelykende regskontekste geïnterpreteer en afgedwing kan word. Ek analiseer ook die hoof behuisingsregspraak van die Hof ten einde voorlopige oplossings voor te stel met betrekking tot die regstelling van sommige van die hindernisse tot 'n substantiewe interpretasie van die reg op toegang tot geskikte behuising. Ten slotte, word daar gevind dat die Hof substantiewe inhoud aan artikel 26(3) gegee het deur die ontwikkeling van die prosedurele en substantiewe beskerming van hierdie reg, insluitend 'n uitgebreide begrip van die vereistes van geregtigheid en billikheid wat geregtelike oorsig in sekere omstandighede vereis: alle verkope in eksekusie teen mense se huise, kreatiewe remedies soos bemiddeling, die noodsaaklike voeging van munisipaliteite tot uitsettings , sinvolle betrokkenheid, en die voorsiening van alternatiewe akkommodasie as ‘n komponentvan die vereiste van geregtigheid en billikheid wat nagekom moet word vir 'n uitsettingsbevel om regmatig te wees. In teenstelling, met betrekking tot die positiewe verpligtinge wat deur artikel 26 opgelê word, het die Hof die model vir redelikheidshersiening aangeneem sonder om uit te brei op die aard en omvang van die reg op toegang tot geskikte behuising, en die waardes en doelwitte wat deur hierdie reg beskerm word in internasionale en vergelykbare regskontekste. Gevolglik is 'n relatiewe swak standaard van geregtelike hersiening deur die Hof vasgestel wanneer dit die negatiewe verpligtinge van die reg beoordeel, in teenstelling met wanneer die positiewe verpligtinge van die reg beoordeel word. Hierdie tesis poog om vas te stel hoe die substantiewe interpretasie van die reg bevorder kan word ingevolge die metodologie vir die interpretasie van die regte in die Handves van Regte soos voorgeskryf in artikel 39(1) van die Grondwet.

Shelter is a basic human right that was recognised by the South African constitution and this led to the government's partnership with the private sector together with NGO's in responding to the huge housing demand for the poor. Due to the RDP's failure in delivering houses to the poor masses, the government introduced a social housing programme in Walmer, Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. The Walmer Link social housing programme has been able to give poor people an alternative than being backyard shack dwellers. The rental complex offers good quality housing with secured features at very low prices based on individual income. This initiative has been able to ease the pressure of providing houses to the poor from government and has also been able to lower poverty levels in the Port Elizabeth area.

Section 26 of the Constitution of South Africa Act 108 of 1996 provides that housing is a basic human right and that the government must take reasonable legislative and other measures to achieve the realisation of this right. A number of measures were taken to try to resolve this socio-economic issue. A number of housing institutions were established , various pieces of legislation were passed and housing subsidies were provided. However, housing backlogs remain a challenge. In March 1994 the housing backlog was estimated between 1,3 and 1,8 million units. When more than a million houses were provided by 2001 , the housing backlog had increased to between 2 and 3 million houses. To date subsidies in excess of R29 billion have been spent on housing provision. A study by the Department of Housing concluded that, at the current rate of increase of housing funding vis-a-vis the growing backlog and rapid urbanisation, the household backlog will not be changed in ten years' time. The United States of America (USA) had a similar low cost housing problem, but securitisation alleviated it with the participation of government agencies Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae and Freddie Mac. In South Africa, the NHFC tried to emulate the USA model by establishing Gateway Home Loans (Pty) Limited (Gateway) in 1999. Gateway, however, was not a success. This research investigates whether securitisation can be applied in South Africa to alleviate the low cost housing issue. The study finds that there is a credit availability gap for the low income sector earning less than R8 000 per month because of the perceived risk of default and unwillingness by banks to lend to this sector. The increase in housing backlog that continues unabated, inadequate housing finance system to low income earners, the lessons learnt from the failure of Gateway, the success factors of the USA securitisation model and the sound and sophisticated South African financial system are the rationale for applying securitisation. A proposal of how to effectively apply securitisation to low cost housing in South Africa is provided with recommendations to revive the primary market.

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 (Public Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ABSTRACT ENGLISH: The dissertation considers the tenure rights of urban residential tenants in the post-1994 constitutional dispensation. The 1996 Constitution mandates tenure reform in two instances. Firstly, section 25(6) (read with section 25(9)) mandates the legislature to enact legislation that would provide legally secure tenure rights for a person or community whose tenure of land is insecure as a result of past racially discriminatory laws or practices. This form of tenure reform is race-based. Secondly, section 26(3) mandates the courts to consider all relevant circumstances during eviction proceedings. In terms of this provision the court can refuse to grant the eviction order on the basis of the occupier's socio-economic weakness, which is a more general form of class-related tenure reform. The Constitution also ensures the right to have access to adequate housing, while the legislature must introduce measures that would give effect to this right (sections 26(1) and 26(2)). To determine whether the current landlord-tenant regime in South Africa is able to provide tenants with secure occupation rights and access to rental housing, it is compared to landlord-tenant regimes in pre-1994 South Africa, the United Kingdom, New York State and Germany. The landlord-tenant regimes are considered in light of changing socio-economic circumstances where the state had to assist households during housing shortages. The dissertation assesses the efficiency of landlord-tenant law, combined with regulatory measures that ensure substantive tenure rights and rent restrictions, as a form of tenure that could help alleviate housing shortages and initiate a new landlord-tenant regime for South Africa that would give effect to the Constitution. The dissertation concludes that the current substantive tenure rights of urban residential tenants are largely based on the common law, which is associated with weak tenure security. The landlord-tenant laws, namely the Rental Housing Act 50 of 1999 and the Social Housing Act 16 of 2008, fail to provide urban residential tenants with substantive tenure rights. The legislature has failed to enact a law that gives effect to section 25(6) in the landlord-tenant framework. The legislature did enact the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998 (PIE) in order to give effect to section 26(3). Recently the courts interpreted PIE to provide marginalized tenants with substantive tenure protection during eviction proceedings. However, to give effect to section 25(6) legislation should grant residential tenants substantive tenure rights that are legally secure prior to eviction. The legislature enacted the Rental Housing Act and the Social Housing Act to give effect to the right to housing (section 26 of the Constitution) in the landlord-tenant framework. These laws fail to promote access to rental housing as a form of tenure that could help alleviate housing shortages. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die proefskrif oorweeg die okkupasieregte van stedelike residensiële huurders in die post-1994 konstitusionele bedeling. Die 1996 Grondwet bepaal dat okkupasieregte in twee gevalle hervorm moet word. Eerstens gee artikel 25(6) (gelees met artikel 25(9)) opdrag aan die wetgewer om wetgewing te verorden wat okkupasieregte met verblyfsekerheid aan 'n person of gemeenskap sal verleen indien so 'n person of gemeenskap tans grond okkupeer met okkupasieregte wat onseker is as gevolg van vorige rasgebaseerde wetgewing. Hierdie tipe hervorming is rasgebaseer. Tweedens gee artikel 26(3) opdrag aan die howe om alle relevante faktore te oorweeg as deel van enige uitsettingsprosedure. In terme van hierdie bepaling is die howe gemagtig om 'n uitsettingsbevel te weier op die basis van die okkupeerder se sosio-ekonomiese kwesbaarheid. Hierdie tipe hervorming is 'n meer algemene klasgebaseerde hervorming. Artikel 26(1) (gelees met artikel 26(2)) van die Grondwet bepaal dat elkeen die reg op toegang tot geskikte behuising het, terwyl die staat redelike wetgewende en ander maatreëls moet tref om hierdie reg te verwesenlik. Ten einde te bepaal of die huidige huurbehuisingstelsel in Suid-Afrika voldoende is, met inagneming van die stelsel se vermoë om huurders te voorsien van okkupasieregte met verblyfsekerheid en van toegang tot huurbehuising, word dit vergelyk met die huurbehuisingstelsels in Suid Afrika voor 1994, die Verenigde Koninkryk, New York Staat en Duitsland. Hierdie huurbehuisingstelsels word bespreek met inagneming van veranderinge in die sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede waartydens die staat gedurende behuisingstekorte huishoudings moes ondersteun. Die doeltreffendheid van huurbehuising word beoordeel met verwysing na regulasies wat substantiewe okkupasieregte verseker en beperkings plaas op huurpryse om 'n vorm van verblyfreg daar te stel wat die behuisingstekort kan verminder ten einde 'n nuwe huurbehuisingstelsel vir Suid-Afrika te inisieër wat gevolg aan die Grondwet sal gee. Die proefskrif lei tot die gevolgtrekking dat die huidige substantiewe okkupasieregte van stedelike residensiële huurders grotendeels op die gemenereg gebaseer is. Die gemenereg maak nie voorsiening vir sterk substantiewe okkupasieregte nie. Die huidige huurbehuisingswetgewing, naamlik die Wet op Huurbehuising 50 van 1999 en die Wet op Maatskaplike Behuising 16 van 2008, slaag nie daarin om substantiewe okkupasieregte vir stedelike residensiële huurders te voorsien nie. Die wetgewer het nie daarin geslaag om 'n wet te promulgeer wat in die huurbehuisingsraamwerk aan artikel 25(6) effek gee nie. Die wetgewer het wel die Wet op die Voorkoming van Onwettige Uitsetting en Onregmatige Besetting van Grond 19 van 1998 verorden om effek te gee aan artikel 26(3) van die Grondwet. Hierdie Wet is onlangs so deur die howe geïnterpreteer dat dit kwesbare huurders tydens uitsettingsprosedures met substantiewe okkupasieregte beskerm. Om aan artikel 25(6) te voldoen moet wetgewing egter substantiewe okkupasieregte met verblyfsekerheid aan residensiële huurders verskaf voordat hulle uitgesit word. Die wetgewer het die Wet op Huurbehuising en die Wet op Maatskaplike Behuising verorden ten einde effek aan die reg op behuising (artikel 26 van die Grondwet) in die gebied van huurbehuising te gee. Geeneen van hierdie wette slaag daarin om toegang tot behuising, en veral huurbehuising as 'n vorm van okkupasie, te bevorder ten einde die behuisingtekort te verminder nie.

Thesis (LLM (Public Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The protection of human rights is one of the main aims of international law. Since the Second World War, the United Nations and various other international organs have recognised the protection of human rights in various treaties. These treaties protect citizen.s rights against possible infringement on the side of the state. South Africa was isolated from the development that occurred in international human rights law due to the system of apartheid. When South Africa became a democracy in 1994, international law had to be made part of South African law so that South Africa could once again take its place in the international community. Therefore, the Constitution of 1996 contains various sections that deal with international law and its place within the South African legal system. In particular, section 39(1)(b) of the Constitution places an obligation on courts, tribunals and forums to consider international law in interpreting the bill of rights. With regard to section 39(1)(b), this thesis questions whether the Constitutional Court fulfils its obligation when interpreting the right to property and housing in sections 25 and 26 of the Constitution respectively. Through a discussion of Constitutional Court cases on the right to property, it is discovered that the Court does not optimally use the international law sources that are available. The Court does not reflect on the status of international law sources and confuses international law with foreign law. Therefore, the sources relating to the right to property in international and regional international law are outlined. On the basis of the available sources in international law that relate to the right to property, it is argued that there is no justification for the Court not considering the relevant international law sources. With regard to the right of access to adequate housing in section 26 of the Constitution and the case law relating to the right, the Constitutional Court is more willing to consult international law to aid its interpretation of the right. This is partly attributable to fact that the right to adequate housing is a well developed right in international law. As a result, the Court refers to a wide range of international law sources when interpreting the right of access to adequate housing. However, the Court does not indicate the status of the various international law sources it uses to interpret the right to adequate housing. Therefore, it is argued that in the instances where there are relevant international law sources available to aid the interpretation of the rights to property and adequate housing, they should be considered. In the event that the Constitutional Court uses international law sources, their status within South African law and their relevance to the rights in question should be made clear. As a result, a method for the use of international law as a guide to interpretation is proposed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die beskerming van menseregte is van groot belang in internasionale reg. Na afloop van die Tweede Wêreldoorlog het verskeie internasionale agente, met die Verenigde Nasies in die voorgrond, menseregte begin erken in verskeie internasionale konvensies. Omdat Suid-Afrika die apartheidstelsel toegepas het, was die Suid-Afrikaanse reg geïsoleerd van die ontwikkeling rakende die beskerming van menseregte in internasionale reg. Met die koms van demokrasie was Suid-Afrika genoodsaak om internasionale reg deel te maak van Suid-Afrikaanse reg om te verseker dat Suid-Afrika weer die internasionale gemeenskap kon betree. Gevolglik bevat die Grondwet van 1996 verskeie artikels wat met internasionale reg handel. In besonder plaas artikel 39(1)(b) 'n verpligting op howe, tribunale en ander forums om internasionale reg te gebruik wanneer enige reg in die handves van menseregte geïnterpreteer moet word. In hierdie tesis word daar besin oor die vraag of die Grondwetlike Hof die verpligting in terme van artikel 39(1)(b) nakom wanneer die regte tot eiendom en toegang tot geskikte behuising in artikels 25 en 26 onderskeidelik geïnterpreteer word. Na 'n bespreking van die grondwetlike sake wat verband hou met die reg tot eiendom, word die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat die Grondwetlike Hof nie die verpligting in terme van artikel 39(1)(b) konsekwent nakom nie. Die Hof verwys nie na relevante internasionale of streeks- internasionale reg nie. Verder verwar die Hof internasionale reg met buitelandse reg. In die gevalle waar die Hof wel gebruik maak van internasionale reg, word die status van dié reg in die Suid-Afrikaanse regstelsel nie duidelik uiteengesit nie. Na aanleiding van die grondwetlike sake wat verband hou met die reg van toegang tot geskikte behuising, is dit duidelik dat die Grondwetlike Hof meer gewillig is om internasionale reg in ag te neem. 'n Moontlike rede hiervoor is die feit dat die reg tot behuising goed ontwikkel is in internasionale reg. Gevolglik maak die Grondwetlike Hof geredelik van internasionale reg gebruik om artikel 26 van die Grondwet te interpreteer. Nietemin, die status van die internasionale reg bronne wat die Hof wel gebruik word nie uiteengesit nie. Daarom word daar aangevoer dat indien daar internasionale reg beskikbaar is wat relevant is tot die geskil, behoort die Grondwetlike Hof sulke reg in ag te neem. Indien die Hof wel internasionale reg gebruik om die regte tot eiendom en toegang tot geskikte behuising te interpreteer, moet die status van die bronne uiteengesit word. Daarom word daar ook in die tesis 'n voorstel voorgelê hoe howe te werk moet gaan indien internasionale reg bronne geraadpleeg word.

The central hypothesis of this thesis is that the universal fundamental right to adequate housing must be equally enforced by all states irrespective of its non-entrenchment as a constitutional, legislative and/or policy entitlement. Despite being a minority, poor Canadians still face the same sordid living conditions that the majority are experiencing in South Africa and India. If a developed country such as Canada, despite its available resources and housing policies, and, similar to South Africa and India as third world countries, fails to improve the poor’s standard of living, the right to adequate housing will remain a distant dream for many. Any housing implementation strategy must be able to reduce housing backlogs, eradicate homelessness and slums and in general improve the poor’s standard of living. The thesis considers the diverse implementation strategies of the right to adequate housing as adopted by South Africa, Canada and India and reveals how each country has experienced systemic challenges. Against the background of international and regional human rights obligations, key issues are investigated to determine how to properly implement, enforce and monitor the right, include the role of a constitutionally entrenched right, the adoption of a housing legislative and/or policy measures, the role of the judiciary, (in)action on the part of government and the part played by national human rights commissions. While each of these three countries approaches the issue in their own unique way, and each country makes its own contribution, what is required is a coordinated and multi-faceted housing implementation system. Although the point of departure was to determine what South Africa could learn from Canada and India, the conclusion is that both Canada and India can draw inspiration from South Africa. Nevertheless, the main conclusions are that South Africa must urgently conduct a comprehensive review of its regressive 20 year housing implementation strategy and India’s 61 years five year plans. The Canadian judiciary should be looking at ways to enforce the right within the Canadian Charter as well as its domestic legislation to include ‘social condition’ as a discrimination ground. While both Canada and India must review their housing policies their judiciaries should be evaluating the history of homelessness and the reasonableness of their adopted housing policies. / Private Law / LLD

The central hypothesis of this thesis is that the universal fundamental right to adequate housing must be equally enforced by all states irrespective of its non-entrenchment as a constitutional, legislative and/or policy entitlement. Despite being a minority, poor Canadians still face the same sordid living conditions that the majority are experiencing in South Africa and India. If a developed country such as Canada, despite its available resources and housing policies, and, similar to South Africa and India as third world countries, fails to improve the poor’s standard of living, the right to adequate housing will remain a distant dream for many. Any housing implementation strategy must be able to reduce housing backlogs, eradicate homelessness and slums and in general improve the poor’s standard of living. The thesis considers the diverse implementation strategies of the right to adequate housing as adopted by South Africa, Canada and India and reveals how each country has experienced systemic challenges. Against the background of international and regional human rights obligations, key issues are investigated to determine how to properly implement, enforce and monitor the right, include the role of a constitutionally entrenched right, the adoption of a housing legislative and/or policy measures, the role of the judiciary, (in)action on the part of government and the part played by national human rights commissions. While each of these three countries approaches the issue in their own unique way, and each country makes its own contribution, what is required is a coordinated and multi-faceted housing implementation system. Although the point of departure was to determine what South Africa could learn from Canada and India, the conclusion is that both Canada and India can draw inspiration from South Africa. Nevertheless, the main conclusions are that South Africa must urgently conduct a comprehensive review of its regressive 20 year housing implementation strategy and India’s 61 years five year plans. The Canadian judiciary should be looking at ways to enforce the right within the Canadian Charter as well as its domestic legislation to include ‘social condition’ as a discrimination ground. While both Canada and India must review their housing policies their judiciaries should be evaluating the history of homelessness and the reasonableness of their adopted housing policies. / Private Law / LLD

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie verhandeling ontleed ek die oproeping van ʼn verband op ʼn onroerende saak in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg. Indien ʼn verbandskuldenaar wanpresteer, kan die verbandskuldeiser sy beperkte saaklike reg afdwing deur die verband op te roep ten einde die uitstaande skuld te delg. Om dit te bereik, word die sekerheidsobjek op ʼn eksekusieverkoping te gelde gemaak, nadat die regte prosedure gevolg is. Die oproepingsproses is in die laaste dekade ingrypend verander, grotendeels as gevolg van artikel 26 van die Grondwet, 1996, en artikels 129 en 130 van die National Credit Act 34 van 2005. Die volgende stadiums in die oproepingsproses word onderskei: die voorverhoorprosedure; jurisdiksiebepaling; die hofprosedure; beslaglegging en die eksekusieverkoping. Wetgewing en regspraak het onlangs ingrypende veranderings ten aansien van die voorverhoorprosedure en die hofprosedure teweeggebring. Alhoewel die oproepingsproses tans bevredigend deur wetgewing en in die regspraak gereël word, is daar nog verontrustende aspekte van eksekusieverkopings wat die wetgewer se aandag verdien. / In this dissertation I analyse the calling up of a mortgage bond over immovable property under South-African law. If a mortgagor defaults, the mortgagee can enforce his limited real right by calling up the mortgage bond to satisfy the outstanding debt. To accomplish this, the secured property will be sold at an execution sale, after the correct procedure has been followed. Over the past decade, foreclosure proceedings have undergone significant changes, largely owing to section 26 of the Constitution, 1996, and sections 129 and 130 of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005. The following stages in the foreclosure process are identified: pre-trial debt enforcement procedure; determination of jurisdiction; court procedure; attachment and execution sale. Both the pre-trial debt enforcement procedure and the court procedure have recently been substantially amended by legislation and case law. Although legislation and case law currently regulate the foreclosure process satisfactorily, some disturbing aspects of execution sales remain and these deserve the legislator’s attention. / Private Law / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / In hierdie verhandeling ontleed ek die oproeping van ʼn verband op ʼn onroerende saak in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg. Indien ʼn verbandskuldenaar wanpresteer, kan die verbandskuldeiser sy beperkte saaklike reg afdwing deur die verband op te roep ten einde die uitstaande skuld te delg. Om dit te bereik, word die sekerheidsobjek op ʼn eksekusieverkoping te gelde gemaak, nadat die regte prosedure gevolg is. Die oproepingsproses is in die laaste dekade ingrypend verander, grotendeels as gevolg van artikel 26 van die Grondwet, 1996, en artikels 129 en 130 van die National Credit Act 34 van 2005. Die volgende stadiums in die oproepingsproses word onderskei: die voorverhoorprosedure; jurisdiksiebepaling; die hofprosedure; beslaglegging en die eksekusieverkoping. Wetgewing en regspraak het onlangs ingrypende veranderings ten aansien van die voorverhoorprosedure en die hofprosedure teweeggebring. Alhoewel die oproepingsproses tans bevredigend deur wetgewing en in die regspraak gereël word, is daar nog verontrustende aspekte van eksekusieverkopings wat die wetgewer se aandag verdien. / In this dissertation I analyse the calling up of a mortgage bond over immovable property under South-African law. If a mortgagor defaults, the mortgagee can enforce his limited real right by calling up the mortgage bond to satisfy the outstanding debt. To accomplish this, the secured property will be sold at an execution sale, after the correct procedure has been followed. Over the past decade, foreclosure proceedings have undergone significant changes, largely owing to section 26 of the Constitution, 1996, and sections 129 and 130 of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005. The following stages in the foreclosure process are identified: pre-trial debt enforcement procedure; determination of jurisdiction; court procedure; attachment and execution sale. Both the pre-trial debt enforcement procedure and the court procedure have recently been substantially amended by legislation and case law. Although legislation and case law currently regulate the foreclosure process satisfactorily, some disturbing aspects of execution sales remain and these deserve the legislator’s attention. / Private Law / LL. M.