Section 29 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 states that everyone has the right to basic education. This provision must be interpreted in order to determine whether it refers to a period of education, or a certain standard or quality of education that also includes infrastructure. In this dissertation, the scope of the right to basic education and the state’s obligation with regard to infrastructure, are discussed. The dissertation will point out that the right to basic education should also consider the best interests of the child-standard as well as the right to equality. The Constitution provides that everyone has the right to basic education, which implies that there should be no discrimination against any child. In order to determine the scope of section 29 and the duty of the state accordingly, the provisions of international instruments must also be consider. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Children Charter and specifically the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights refer to the obligations of the state in respect to the provision of basic education and infrastructure. The Schools Act provides for the Minister of Basic Education to prescribe minimum norms and standards relating to school infrastructure. The importance of minimum norms and standards for quality education has been investigated with specific reference to libraries, learning material and water and sanitation facilities. Lastly, the lack of an internal limitation clause and the effect of section 36, the general limitation clause, were considered to evaluate the state’s obligation to provide quality education. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Section 29(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 states that everyone has the right to basic education. ―Everyone‖ includes disabled learners. The purpose of this study is to determine to what extent the state complies with its constitutional and international obligations to realise disabled learners‘ right to basic education. To reach the purpose firstly it has to be ascertained which legislation apply to disabled learners (whether direct or indirect) and how this legislation define disability (Chapter 2). Secondly the relevant constitutional sections have to be investigated. Sections 9, 28, 29 and 36 of the Constitution will be examined in particular. The purpose of the investigation of the constitutional sections is to determine what basic education entails and if there is a uniform definition thereof. Paired with the right to education, the meaning of inclusive education has to be determined and to what extent the state realises this (Chapter 3). A further purpose with the investigation of the constitutional provisions is to determine whether there is an infringement of disabled learners‘ right to equality and whether the possible infringements of the right to education and equality can be justified by the state (Chapter 4). Thirdly, the state‘s international obligations with regard to disabled learners‘ right to education and equality has to be investigated (Chapter 5) before reaching a conclusion as to what extent the state complies with its constitutional and international obligations to realize disabled children‘s right to basic education (Chapter 6). Disabled children‘s need for basic education has led to the research question. quality, process quality, manufacturing process flow, principles of quality, factor analysis, multiple regression. / Thesis (LLM)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The concept of inter-country adoptions was reintroduced into the South African legal sphere in The Minister of Social Welfare and Population Development v Fitzpatrick 2000 3 SA 422 (CC), where the constitutionality of section 18(4)(f) of the Child Care Act 74 of 1983, which prohibited inter-country adoptions, was successfully challenged. The decision evoked criticism from all around the world, some in favour of inter-country adoptions and others not. In considering this decision, one also has to keep in mind section 28(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 which affords every child the right to family care or parental care, or to appropriate alternative care when removed from the family environment. The aim of this paper is to investigate the inner workings of inter-country adoptions, which are regulated by the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption of 1993 and, nationally, the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. These findings will then be relayed back to the ‘best interests of the child’ principle to determine whether inter-country adoption is in the best interests of the child, or not. / Thesis (LLM (Comparative Child Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Section 29(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 states that everyone has the right to basic education. ―Everyone‖ includes disabled learners. The purpose of this study is to determine to what extent the state complies with its constitutional and international obligations to realise disabled learners‘ right to basic education. To reach the purpose firstly it has to be ascertained which legislation apply to disabled learners (whether direct or indirect) and how this legislation define disability (Chapter 2). Secondly the relevant constitutional sections have to be investigated. Sections 9, 28, 29 and 36 of the Constitution will be examined in particular. The purpose of the investigation of the constitutional sections is to determine what basic education entails and if there is a uniform definition thereof. Paired with the right to education, the meaning of inclusive education has to be determined and to what extent the state realises this (Chapter 3). A further purpose with the investigation of the constitutional provisions is to determine whether there is an infringement of disabled learners‘ right to equality and whether the possible infringements of the right to education and equality can be justified by the state (Chapter 4). Thirdly, the state‘s international obligations with regard to disabled learners‘ right to education and equality has to be investigated (Chapter 5) before reaching a conclusion as to what extent the state complies with its constitutional and international obligations to realize disabled children‘s right to basic education (Chapter 6). Disabled children‘s need for basic education has led to the research question. quality, process quality, manufacturing process flow, principles of quality, factor analysis, multiple regression. / Thesis (LLM)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The concept of inter-country adoptions was reintroduced into the South African legal sphere in The Minister of Social Welfare and Population Development v Fitzpatrick 2000 3 SA 422 (CC), where the constitutionality of section 18(4)(f) of the Child Care Act 74 of 1983, which prohibited inter-country adoptions, was successfully challenged. The decision evoked criticism from all around the world, some in favour of inter-country adoptions and others not. In considering this decision, one also has to keep in mind section 28(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 which affords every child the right to family care or parental care, or to appropriate alternative care when removed from the family environment. The aim of this paper is to investigate the inner workings of inter-country adoptions, which are regulated by the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption of 1993 and, nationally, the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. These findings will then be relayed back to the ‘best interests of the child’ principle to determine whether inter-country adoption is in the best interests of the child, or not. / Thesis (LLM (Comparative Child Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

In hierdie ondersoek is daar gepoog om die belange van die minderjarige kind in egskeiding te bevorder deur die egskeidingsevalueringsproses waarvolgens die belange van die kind bepaal word, te ondersoek en te beskryf. Die sisteemteoretiese benadering, wat op holisme as uitgangspunt gebaseer is, is gedefinieer en beskryf ten einde die sistemiese perspektief op die gesin-in-egskeiding uit te klaar. Voorts is egskeiding as internasionale fenomeen en die implikasies van egskeidingsdispute vir die minderjarige kind ondersoek en in terme van die juridiese en maatskaplike implikasies asook die beginsel van die “beste belang” van die kind beskryf en verduidelik. Navorser het `n selfontwikkelde praktykmodel vir egskeidingsevaluering ontwikkel en geëvalueer met die doel om die vasstel van die belange van die minderjarige kind in egskeiding te bevorder. Dit is gevolg deur die empiriese resultate, `n algemene opsomming, gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings. Die volgende navorsingsvraag is geformuleer om die ondersoekende en beskrywende gedeelte van die empiriese navorsing te rig: Wat is die aard en inhoud van die egskeidingsevalueringsproses wat in die praktyk deur die Kantoor van die Gesinsadvokaat toegepas word ten einde die belange van die minderjarige kind te bevorder? Gelei deur die navorsingsvraag is die volgende hipotese geformuleer: Indien die sisteemteoretiese praktykmodel tydens egskeidingsdispute toegepas word, sal die beste belang van die minderjarige kind bevorder word. Vir hierdie ondersoek, waar twee evalueringsprosesse met mekaar vergelyk is, was die kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering die aangewese keuse. Intervensienavorsing as tipe navorsing is volgens die Ontwerp- en Ontwikkelingsmodel toegepas. Die kwantitatief-beskrywende opname navorsingsontwerp is benut ten einde die doel van die studie te bereik, naamlik: <ul>Om `n praktykmodel vir egskeidingsevaluering te ontwikkel en empiries te evalueer ten einde die beste belang van die minderjarige kind te bevorder.</li></ul> Voortspruitend uit die doel is die volgende doelwitte geformuleer: <ul> <li>Om vanuit `n sisteemteoretiese perspektief egskeiding as maatskaplike verskynsel, die gesin as maatskaplike sisteem en die belange van die minderjarige kind, teoreties te konseptualiseer.</li> <li>Om die huidige egskeidingsevalueringsproses, soos deur die Kantoor van die Gesinsadvokaat toegepas, te ondersoek en te beskryf.</li> <li>Om `n praktykmodel vir egskeidingsevaluering vanuit `n sisteemteoretiese perspektief, wat die belange van die minderjarige kind bevorder, te ontwikkel.</li> <li>Om die effektiwiteit van die nuut ontwikkelde praktykmodel vir egskeidingsevaluering empiries te evalueer.</li> <li>Om aanbevelings te maak ten opsigte van die praktykbenutting van die nuut ontwikkelde praktykmodel om die belange van die minderjarige kind in egskeidingsevaluering te bevorder.</li></ul> Ten einde die heersende evalueringsproses wat deur die Kantoor van die Gesinsadvokaat in egskeidingsdispute toegepas word met die evalueringsproses soos deur die nuut ontwikkelde praktykmodel toegepas is, te kon vergelyk, het navorser `n vraelys ontwerp vir evaluering van beide prosesse. Die vraelys het uit die volgende drie afdeling bestaan: (1) die professionele profiel van die deskundige (gesinsraadgewer/navorser); (2) profiel van die gesinsisteem in egskeiding wat geëvalueer is; en (3) die aard en inhoud van die evalueringsproses vir egskeidingsdispute. Voltooiing van die vraelys deur die deskundiges wat die twee egskeidingsevalueringsprosesse toegepas het, het meegebring dat die data vergelykbaar was. Daarvolgens kon die twee evalueringsprosesse dus vergelyk word en die effektiwiteit van die nuut ontwikkelde praktykmodel empiries geëvalueer word. Die empiriese resultate ten opsigte van die toepassing van die twee egskeidingsevalueringsprosesse in die praktyk, het `n wesenlike onderskeid in die aard en inhoud van die twee prosesse met betrekking tot die beste belang van die minderjarige kind aangetoon. Dit het geblyk dat in die toepassing van die egskeidingsevalueringsproses deur die Kantoor van die Gesinsadvokaat die assessering van die behoeftes, wense, ontwikkelingsvlak, verhoudings asook sistemiese verbintenisse van die minderjarige kind nie prioriteit geniet nie. Tydsbesteding aan konsultasies met die minderjarige kind is baie beperk en is slegs op `n ad hoc basis uitgevoer. Kollaterale bronne is ook op `n ad hoc basis betrek sodat dit nie moontlik was om die sistemiese verbintenisse van die minderjarige kind te eksploreer nie. Die evalueringsproses soos deur die nuut ontwikkelde praktykmodel toegepas is, bepaal as `n standaard prosedure individuele konsultasies vir assesseringsdoeleindes met die minderjarige kind ten einde die wense, behoeftes, ontwikkelingsvlak, verhoudings en sistemiese verbintenisse te kan bepaal met die oog op die vasstelling van die beste belang van die minderjarige kind vir die post-egskeidingsfase. Voldoende tydsbesteding aan die assessering van die minderjarige kind het hoë prioriteit volgens die praktykmodel geniet. Die evalueringsproses volgens die nuut ontwikkelde praktykmodel het kollaterale bronne as `n standaard prosedure betrek sodat die sistemiese verbintenisse van die minderjarige kind volledig geëksploreer kon word. Dit het dus uit die empiriese resultate geblyk dat die hipotese wat vir die studie gestel was, bevestig is. ENGLISH The aim of this study was to promote the interests of the minor child in a divorce situation, through an investigation into the process of assessment and evaluation whereby the best interests of the minor child in divorce disputes are determined. The systems theory approach, which sees holism as basic principle, was defined and described to explain the systems perspective of the family system in a divorce situation. Divorce as an international phenomenon and the implications of divorce disputes on the minor child were investigated, described and explained according to the legal and social implications as well as the principle of “the best interests” of the child. The researcher presented a self-developed practice model for divorce evaluation with the aim to promote the best interests of the minor child in divorce disputes. The study was concluded with the empirical results, a general summation, conclusions and recommendations. One research question was formulated to guide the investigative and descriptive part of the study, namely: What is the nature and content of the process of evaluation in divorce disputes to determine the best interests of the minor child which is administered by the Office of the Family Advocate? The following hypothesis was formulated according to the research question: If the practice model in divorce evaluation, based on systems theory, is administered in divorce disputes, the best interests of the minor child will be promoted. The quantitative research approach was selected in this investigation where two processes of evaluation were to be compared and the type of research was identified as Intervention Design and Development. The quantitative-descriptive survey design was selected to achieve the following goal of the study, namely: <ul> <li> To develop a practice model for evaluation in divorce and to evaluate the practice model empirical to promote the best interests of the minor child</li></ul> In order to obtain the goal of the study the following objectives were formulated: <ul> <li>To conceptualise theoretically divorce as social phenomenon, the family as social system and the interests of the minor child from a systems perspective.</li> <li>To investigate and describe the current process of evaluation in divorce disputes as it is administered by the Office of the Family Advocate.</li> <li>To develop a practice model for evaluation in divorce disputes from a systems perspective to promote the interests of the minor child.</li> <li>To evaluate empirically the effectiveness of the newly developed practice model for evaluation in divorce disputes.</li> <li>To make recommendations regarding the implementation of the newly developed practice model to promote the interests of the minor child in divorce disputes.</li></ul> A questionnaire was developed by the researcher to enable the comparison of the two processes of evaluation in divorce disputes. The questionnaire had three sections, namely: (1) the professional profile of the expert investigator (family counsellor/researcher); (2) profile of the family system who was evaluated; and (3) the nature and content of the process of evaluation. Data from the questionnaires completed by the expert investigators was compared to enable researcher to evaluate the effectiveness of the newly developed practice model to promote the interests of the minor child. The empirical results from the two evaluation processes confirmed a distinct difference in the nature and content of the two processes. The evaluation process in divorce as done by the Office of the Family Advocate did not put emphasis on the assessment of the needs, wishes, developmental status, relationships or systemic bonds of the minor child in a divorce situation. The time allocated to assessment of the minor child is extremely limited and consultations with the minor child was only done on an ad hoc basis. Consultations with collateral sources were also done on an ad hoc basis. It was thus not possible for family counsellors to explore in-depth the systemic relationships of the minor child in a divorce situation. The evaluation process according to the new practice model recognised the importance of individual consultations with the minor child. Individual assessment of the minor child was done as a regular procedure to establish the needs, wishes, developmental status, relationships as well as the systemic associations of the minor child in a divorce situation. The practice model recognised the need for adequate time allocation for assessment of the minor child. Exploring collateral sources was done as a standard procedure according to the practice model to allow opportunity for assessment of the systemic bonds of the minor child. The empirical results confirmed the hypothesis which was developed for this study. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

The present thesis contributes to the theory of generalized Minkowski spaces as a continuation of Minkowski geometry, i.e., the geometry of finite-dimensional normed spaces over the field of real numbers. In a generalized Minkowski space, distance and length measurement is provided by a gauge, whose definition mimics the definition of a norm but lacks the symmetry requirement. This seemingly minor change in the definition is deliberately chosen. On the one hand, many techniques from Minkowski spaces can be adapted to generalized Minkowski spaces because several phenomena in Minkowski geometry simply do not depend on the symmetry of distance measurement. On the other hand, the possible asymmetry of the distance measurement set up by gauges is nonetheless meaningful and interesting for applications, e.g., in location science. In this spirit, the presentation of this thesis is led mainly by minimization problems from convex optimization and location science which are appealing to convex geometers, too. In addition, we study metrically defined objects, which may receive a new interpretation when we measure distances asymmetrically. To this end, we use a combination of methods from convex analysis and convex geometry to relate the properties of these objects to the shape of the unit ball of the generalized Minkowski space under consideration.

Sections 15 and 16 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amended Act 32 of 2007 regulate consensual sexual acts between children. Both these sections criminalised children engaging in consensual sexual acts. The constitutionality of sections 15 and 16 of the Act where tested before the Constitutional Court by the Teddy Bear Clinic and RAPCAM. The Constitutional Court held that both articles are unconstitutional and ruled that these articles violate children's right to human dignity, privacy and the best interest of the child. The objective of this dissertation is to investigate whether children’s best interests are protected by law when they are involved in consensual sexual conduct. In order to answer this question, the historical background of legislation that regulated consensual sexual acts between children is analysed. Legislation that gives and protects children’s right to self-determination is examined. International instruments are also analysed. The High Court and the Constitutional Court judgements relating to children involved in consensual sexual conducts are discussed. The negative consequences of both these articles are discussed. The best interest principle is discussed according to case law. Ultimately a conclusion is reached. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Sections 15 and 16 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amended Act 32 of 2007 regulate consensual sexual acts between children. Both these sections criminalised children engaging in consensual sexual acts. The constitutionality of sections 15 and 16 of the Act where tested before the Constitutional Court by the Teddy Bear Clinic and RAPCAM. The Constitutional Court held that both articles are unconstitutional and ruled that these articles violate children's right to human dignity, privacy and the best interest of the child. The objective of this dissertation is to investigate whether children’s best interests are protected by law when they are involved in consensual sexual conduct. In order to answer this question, the historical background of legislation that regulated consensual sexual acts between children is analysed. Legislation that gives and protects children’s right to self-determination is examined. International instruments are also analysed. The High Court and the Constitutional Court judgements relating to children involved in consensual sexual conducts are discussed. The negative consequences of both these articles are discussed. The best interest principle is discussed according to case law. Ultimately a conclusion is reached. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Das vorliegende Buch stellt eine überarbeitete und deutlich erweiterte zweite Ausgabe meines gleichnamigen Buches von 2012 dar. Es wendet sich in Form eines Lehrbuchs sowohl an Anfänger wie Fortgeschrittene der Wissenschaftstheorie sowie an Wissenschaftler, die sich dafür interessieren, wann Daten eine bestimmte Theorie begründen und wie stark die Bestätigung der Theorie durch die Daten ist. Im Vordergrund steht dabei immer die erkenntnistheoretische Frage, ob bestimmte Begründungsverfahren die Ziele der Wissenschaften in überzeugender Weise verfolgen oder ob es dagegen substantielle Einwände gibt. Leider wird sich herausstellen, dass kein Verfahren ohne Fehl und Tadel ist, und wir sollten die Schwächen unserer Begründungsverfahren genau kennen, um sie korrekt einsetzen zu können.