Currently in South Africa when an individual is injured due to the acts of another they may claim damages for the losses which they may incur. These can be claimed from a variety of institutions, such as the Road Accident Fund, Workmen's compensation or an individual's private insurance. In all the afore-mentioned cases the calculation of damages are along the same lines, whereby the damages are quantified first, and thereafter reduced to reflect future possibilities that may occur. Traditionally future losses are reduced to reflect the possibility that the claimant may die at an age prior to the loss being incurred. To account for this risk awards for future losses are reduced using standard South African mortality tables. The set of tables currently being used were calculated from the 1985 South African census, and as such encapsulate the mortality of the population at that period. When the tables were calculated no reliable statistics were available for the Black population the result is that the tables currently being used do not contain a sample of the majority of the population. The thesis first examines, in detail, the calculation methods used to arrive at the value for damages to be awarded using the current set of life tables. Thereafter an analysis is conducted looking at differences between racial groups in the country and geographic locations, in order to uncover the mortality differences between groups to confirm or disprove the proposition that the exclusion of the Black population results in lower levels of mortality being reflected in the South African 1984-1986 life tables. This is accompanied by a review of mortality trenps in South African since 1986. Following from the findings of the expected increase in mortality since 1986, alternative life tables shall be used to show what impact these would have on the calculation of damages. Due to the fact that none of the alternatives return satisfactory results, structured settlements shall be reviewed to illustrate how the shortcomings of the lump sum approach can be circumvented, and altogether avoid the problems of out dated life tables being used as a basis for damage calculations. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

No description available.

Quantification of damages for loss of amenities of life is a difficult task because there is no connection between enjoyment of life and money. The court however has to compensate the plaintiff with money because that is the only way of restitution. In compensating the plaintiff the court will award a conservative amount which is fair to both parties. The court will take into account previous awards in comparable cases but the personal circumstances of the plaintiff will form the background of the assessment. The intensity and duration of the loss of amenities of life, the plaintiff's contributory negligence, his obligation to mitigate his loss, his ability to cope with his loss and patrimonial damages tending to minimize the loss of amenities of life are all factors to be taken into account in the quantification process. / Die kwantifisering van die vergoeding vir die verlies aan lewensgenietinge is 'n moeilike taak aangesien daar geen verband tussen lewensgeluk and geld is nie. Die hof moet egter die eiser vergoed met 'n som geld aangesien dit die enigste manier van restitusie is. By kwantifisering word die doel van die vergoedingsbedrag asook billikheid en regverdigheid in gedagte gehou. Die hof sal eerder konserwatief as wispelturig te werk gaan by kwantifisering. Verder sal daar na vorige toekennings in vergelykbare gevalle gekyk word, maar uiteindelik sal die omvang van die vergoedingsbedrag bepaal word deur die persoonlike omstandighede van die eiser wat die agtergrond van die kwantifiseringsproses sal vorm. Die tydsduur en intensiteit van die verlies aan lewensgenietinge, die eiser se bydraende nalatigheid, sy verpligting om skade te beperk, sy vermoe om sy verlies te verwerk asook toekennings van 'n vermoensregtelike aard is relevant by kwantifisering. / Mercantile Law / LL.M.

Quantification of damages for loss of amenities of life is a difficult task because there is no connection between enjoyment of life and money. The court however has to compensate the plaintiff with money because that is the only way of restitution. In compensating the plaintiff the court will award a conservative amount which is fair to both parties. The court will take into account previous awards in comparable cases but the personal circumstances of the plaintiff will form the background of the assessment. The intensity and duration of the loss of amenities of life, the plaintiff's contributory negligence, his obligation to mitigate his loss, his ability to cope with his loss and patrimonial damages tending to minimize the loss of amenities of life are all factors to be taken into account in the quantification process. / Die kwantifisering van die vergoeding vir die verlies aan lewensgenietinge is 'n moeilike taak aangesien daar geen verband tussen lewensgeluk and geld is nie. Die hof moet egter die eiser vergoed met 'n som geld aangesien dit die enigste manier van restitusie is. By kwantifisering word die doel van die vergoedingsbedrag asook billikheid en regverdigheid in gedagte gehou. Die hof sal eerder konserwatief as wispelturig te werk gaan by kwantifisering. Verder sal daar na vorige toekennings in vergelykbare gevalle gekyk word, maar uiteindelik sal die omvang van die vergoedingsbedrag bepaal word deur die persoonlike omstandighede van die eiser wat die agtergrond van die kwantifiseringsproses sal vorm. Die tydsduur en intensiteit van die verlies aan lewensgenietinge, die eiser se bydraende nalatigheid, sy verpligting om skade te beperk, sy vermoe om sy verlies te verwerk asook toekennings van 'n vermoensregtelike aard is relevant by kwantifisering. / Mercantile Law / LL.M.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / In the recent decision in Kellerman v South African Transport Services 1993 4 SA 872 (C) a claim for the loss of the use of a thing not utilised in the production of income was apparently allowed for the first time in South African law. A number of strict requirements were however set for such a claim. For a considerable time a claim has been recognised in English and German law even where a substitute was not hired and where the article was used for pleasure purposes. It is submitted that this should also be the position in South African law because the loss of the use of a thing per se has an independent value. It is further submitted that the interest on capital value method (as per English law) can be used as starting-point in the determination of quantum. A degree of flexibility is necessary to ensure fairness and equity. / In die onlangse beslissing in Kellerman v South African Transport Services 1993 4 SA 872 (K) is daar klaarblyklik die eerste maal in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg 'n eis om skadevergoeding weens gebruiksverlies van 'n saak wat nie in die produksie van inkomste gebruik is nie erken. Die hof stel egter 'n aantal streng vereistes vir so 'n eis. 'n Eis word al 'n geruime tyd in die Engelse en Duitse reg erken selfs waar 'n substituut nie gehuur is nie en waar sake bloot vir plesierdoeleindes gebruik is. Daar word submitteer dat dit ook die posisie in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg behoort te wees aangesien gebruiksverlies opsigself 'n selfstandige waarde het. Dit word verder aangevoer dat die rente-op-kapitaalwaarde-metode (soos in die Engelse reg) gebruik kan word as 'n uitgangspunt by kwantumbepaling. Ter wille van redelikheid en billikheid behoort die maatstaf 'n mate van buigsaamheid te he. / Private Law / LL. M.

“Contributory intent” refers to the situation where, besides the defendant being at fault and causing harm to the plaintiff, the plaintiff also intentionally causes harm to him- or herself. “Contributory intent” can have the effect of either excluding the defendant’s liability (on the ground that the plaintiff's voluntary assumption of risk or intent completely cancels the defendant's negligence and therefore liability), or limiting the defendant’s liability (where both parties intentionally cause the plaintiff's loss thereby resulting in the reduction of the defendant’s liability). Under our law the "contributory intent" of the plaintiff, can either serve as a complete defence in terms of common law or it can serve to limit the defendant's liability in terms of the Apportionment of Damages Act 34 of 1956. The “Apportionment of Loss Bill 2003” which has been prepared to replace the current Act provides for the applicability of “contributory intent” as a defence limiting liability, but it is yet to be promulgated. / Criminal and Procedural Law / LL. M.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / In the recent decision in Kellerman v South African Transport Services 1993 4 SA 872 (C) a claim for the loss of the use of a thing not utilised in the production of income was apparently allowed for the first time in South African law. A number of strict requirements were however set for such a claim. For a considerable time a claim has been recognised in English and German law even where a substitute was not hired and where the article was used for pleasure purposes. It is submitted that this should also be the position in South African law because the loss of the use of a thing per se has an independent value. It is further submitted that the interest on capital value method (as per English law) can be used as starting-point in the determination of quantum. A degree of flexibility is necessary to ensure fairness and equity. / In die onlangse beslissing in Kellerman v South African Transport Services 1993 4 SA 872 (K) is daar klaarblyklik die eerste maal in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg 'n eis om skadevergoeding weens gebruiksverlies van 'n saak wat nie in die produksie van inkomste gebruik is nie erken. Die hof stel egter 'n aantal streng vereistes vir so 'n eis. 'n Eis word al 'n geruime tyd in die Engelse en Duitse reg erken selfs waar 'n substituut nie gehuur is nie en waar sake bloot vir plesierdoeleindes gebruik is. Daar word submitteer dat dit ook die posisie in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg behoort te wees aangesien gebruiksverlies opsigself 'n selfstandige waarde het. Dit word verder aangevoer dat die rente-op-kapitaalwaarde-metode (soos in die Engelse reg) gebruik kan word as 'n uitgangspunt by kwantumbepaling. Ter wille van redelikheid en billikheid behoort die maatstaf 'n mate van buigsaamheid te he. / Private Law / LL. M.

Text in Afrikaans / Summary in English / Until recently damages were only awarded in South African law for the loss of an object which was utilised for the generation of income. In Kellerman v South African Transport Services' damages were awarded for the first time for the loss of use of an object, which was used for non-business purposes. In this dissertation the writer aims to indicate that the personal loss that a plaintiff suffers by the loss of the object is so closely related to the physical possession through which it is served, that the Jaw should protect such personal interest. In such circumstances damages should be awarded in principle, irrespective of whether the plaintiff used the object for business purposes or whether he indeed hired a substitute or not. There is room in the South African law for development in the area of delictual damages for the Joss of the possibility to use a material object. / Private Law / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / Summary in English / Until recently damages were only awarded in South African law for the loss of an object which was utilised for the generation of income. In Kellerman v South African Transport Services' damages were awarded for the first time for the loss of use of an object, which was used for non-business purposes. In this dissertation the writer aims to indicate that the personal loss that a plaintiff suffers by the loss of the object is so closely related to the physical possession through which it is served, that the Jaw should protect such personal interest. In such circumstances damages should be awarded in principle, irrespective of whether the plaintiff used the object for business purposes or whether he indeed hired a substitute or not. There is room in the South African law for development in the area of delictual damages for the Joss of the possibility to use a material object. / Private Law / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Different methods of calculation of the loss of support of minor children, are investigated. According to one method (A), one first has to establish that the deceased's income was not all absorbed for his/her own maintenance. Only if there is surplus income available, it can be inferred that the deceased contributed towards the maintenance of the minor children and that the children have suffered a loss. According to another method (B) both parents' income are added and then divided between the family members. The minor child's loss of support is an amount which represent his/her share in the deceased's own income - a child automatically suffers a loss according to this method, in the event of death of a parent. Method B ought to be applied, because it is consistent with the reciprocal duty of support between spouses and the duty of spouses to maintain children. / Verskillende metodes om die verlies aan onderhoud van afhanklike kinders te bereken word ondersoek. Volgens een benadering (A) moet eers vasgestel word of die oorledene se inkomste nie alles geabsorbeer is vir sy /haar eie onderhoud nie. Slegs indien daar surplusinkomste was, kan aanvaar word dat die oorledene bygedra het tot die onderhoud van die minderjarige kinders en dat die kinders 'n verlies ly. Volgens die ander benadering (B) word beide ouers se inkomste bymekaar getel en dan tussen die gesinslede verdeel. Elke minderjarige kind se verlies aan onderhoud is 'n bedrag wat sy/haar aandeel in die oorlede ouer se afsonderlike inkomste verteenwoordig - 'n kind ly outomaties volgens hierdie metode 'n verlies. Metode B behoort meestal aanwending te vind, aangesien dit in ooreenstemming is met die wederkerige onderhoudsplig tussen gades en die plig van ouers om hul kinders te onderhou. / Private Law / LL. M. (Law)