Thesis (LLM)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility of regulating surrogacy in the light of
the existing legal position and the relevant moral aspects. It is now medically possible for
one woman to bear a child, which is not genetically related to her, on behalf of another
person. Currently the law makes no specific provision for the regulation of surrogate
motherhood. The key problem in this regard is that the existing law is applicable to surrogate
motherhood, inter alia because surrogacy is brought about by artificial insemination and
because the intended parents can only acquire parental authority by way of adoption. The
final recommendation is a Surrogacy Act for South Africa.
The thesis is divided into three parts. The first part is an analysis of the relevant moral and
social aspects relating to surrogacy in order to justify the above-mentioned act morally.
Commercial surrogacy, the genetic tie between parent and child, the differences between
surrogacy and adoption, the question as to who is a parent and surrogacy for convenience are
analysed. Despite all the arguments that can be made in favour of or against these moral
issues in a vacuum, these arguments will be irrelevant in cases where the child is already
born. In such a case the only relevant concern will be what is in the child's best interest.
In the second part of the thesis the existing legal position is analysed. This includes an
examination of the applicable legislation, the impact of the Constitution, the South African
Law Commission's proposed bill on surrogate motherhood and the customary law. Although
the relevant legislation does not specifically provide for surrogacy, it remains applicable.
This is extremely problematic for the parties involved.
The Bill of Rights is applicable to all law and binds the Legislature. Therefore the main
principles of the Constitution will have to be embodied in the proposed regulatory Act.
Although the Law Commission's proposed bill is a well formulated document, one
shortcoming that has been identified is that it is not constitutionally justifiable.
The customary law has several practices which are analogous to surrogacy. The right to
culture, which is entrenched in the Constitution, has the effect that these practices cannot be outlawed. However, should it not be consistent with the Constitution, it can be held to be
invalid.
The conclusion which is reached is that surrogacy can be morally and constitutionally
justifiable if it is regulated properly. It is therefore proposed that an Act be formulated to
regulate these relevant issues. Such a proposed Act is included in part three of the thesis. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die moontlikheid om surrogaatmoederskap te reguleer as gevolg van
die feit dat dit nou vir 'n vrou moontlik is om 'n kind, wat nie geneties aan haar verwant is
nie, vir 'n ander te baar. Die reg maak nie spesifiek vir die regulering van surrogaatmoederskap
voorsiening nie. Die kernprobleem in hierdie verband is dat die bestaande reg
wel van toepassing daarop is, vanweë onder andere die feit dat surrogaatmoederskap teweeggebring
word deur middel van kunsmatige bevrugting. Wetgewing wat kunsmatige bevrugting
reguleer is gevolglik van toepassing, hoewel dit nie geskryf was met die oog op
surrogaatmoederskap in die besonder nie. Die doel van die studie is gevolglik om te
ondersoek hoe surrogaatmoederskap gereguleer kan word gegewe die bestaande regsposisie
en relevante morele oorwegings.
Die tesis kan in drie afdelings verdeel word. Die eerste bestaan uit 'n analise van die morele
aspekte wat by surrogaatmoederskap ter sprake is. Dit is nodig om hierdie aangeleenthede
te analiseer ten einde 'n voorgestelde wet moreel regverdigbaar te maak. Kommersiële
surrogaatmoederskap, die genetiese band tussen ouer en kind, die verskille tussen surrogasie
en aanneming, die vraag na die identiteit van die ouer en surrogaatmoederskap vir gerief
word geanaliseer. Ten spyte van al die morele argumente wat gemaak kan word voordat 'n
kind gebore is, is hierdie argumente van weinig belang waar die kind reeds gebore is. In so
'n geval is dit slegs die beste belang van die kind wat oorweeg moet word.
Die bestaande regsposisie word in die tweede deel van die tesis ontleed. Dit sluit 'n ontleding
van die relevante wetgewing, die oorweging van die impak van die Grondwet, 'n analise van
die Suid-Afrikaanse Regskommissie se Voorgestelde Wetsontwerp op Surrogaatmoederskap
en 'n evaluering van die inheemse reg in. Die gevolgtrekking wat gemaak word is dat die
bestaande wetgewing nie uitdruklik vir surrogaatmoederskap voorsiening maak nie, maar wel
daarop van toepassing kan wees. Dit veroorsaak verskeie probleme vir die betrokke partye.
Die Grondwet het 'n drastiese impak op die regulering van surrogaatmoederskap en sal in
ag geneem moet word indien 'n surrogaatmoederskapswet voorgestel word. Die Regskommissie
se voorgestelde wetsontwerp is 'n goed geformuleerde dokument, maar moet aangepas
word ten einde grondwetlik regverdigbaar te wees. Daar is verskeie gebruike in die inheemse
reg wat analoog aan surrogaatmoederskap is. Die reg op kultuur, wat grondwetlik verskans is, het tot gevolg dat partye, op wie die inheemse reg van toepassing is, die reg het om
hierdie gebruike na te volg. Indien die praktyke egter strydig met die Grondwet is, kan dit
ongeldig verklaar word.
Derdens word 'n wet voorgestelom surrogaatmoederskap te reguleer. Die gevolgtrekking
waartoe gekom word, is dat surrogaatmoederskap moreel en grondwetlik regverdigbaar kan
wees indien dit behoorlik gereguleer word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51921 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Els, Ronel |
| Contributors | Human, C. S., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Law. Dept. of Public Law. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 179 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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