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The external relations of company groups in South African law : a critical comparative analysis

Thesis (LLD (Mercantile Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Groups of companies are part of the realities of the modern economic system. Despite the fact
that such groups often function as a single economic entity, the legal point of departure remains
that each company within the group of companies is a separate juristic person. The result of this
is that a creditor of a company within the group can, in principle, only enforce his claim against
the company which he contracted with or which caused him harm. Should he wish to claim from
the holding company or other solvent companies within the group, he would have to rely on an
exception to the doctrine of separate juristic personality, viz the possibility of piercing the socalled
corporate veil. This dissertation is a comparative study of the extent to which the law
protects a creditor of an insolvent company within a group. The applicable laws of Australia,
Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, were
investigated and compared to the South African position. The dissertation concludes that the
South African legal treatment of the problem is unsatisfactory and that the law should be
amended through appropriate legislation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Maatskappygroepe is realiteite in die moderne ekonomiese wêreld. Ten spyte van die feit dat
maatskappygroepe dikwels een ekonomiese entiteit vorm, huldig die reg die standpunt dat elke
maatskappy binne ‘n groep maatskappye ‘n aparte regspersoon is. Die gevolg van hierdie
standpunt is dat ‘n skuldeiser van ‘n maatskappy binne ‘n groep in beginsel slegs ‘n eis het teen
die maatskappy met wie hy gekontrakteer het of wat hom skade berokken het. Indien hy ‘n eis
teen die houermaatskappy of ander solvente maatskappye binne die groep wil instel, moet hy
steun op ‘n uitsondering op die leerstuk van aparte regspersoonlikheid, te wete die moontlikheid
om die sogenaamde korporatiewe sluier te deurdring. Hierdie proefskrif is ‘n regsvergelykende
ondersoek van die beskerming van ‘n skuldeiser van ‘n insolvente maatskappy binne ‘n groep.
Die toepaslike reg van Australië, Duitsland, Nieu-Seeland, die Verenigde Koninkryk en die
Verenigde State van Amerika word ondersoek en vergelyk met die Suid-Afrikaanse regsposisie.
Die proefskrif kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die Suid-Afrikaanse regsreëling onbevredigend is
en deur geskikte wetgewing gewysig moet word.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6883
Date03 1900
CreatorsStevens, Richard Arno
ContributorsVan Wyk, Andreas Herculas, Butler, David William, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Law. Dept. of Mercantile Law.
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis

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