Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines the contractual remedy of specific performance in South African
law. It looks closely and critically at the discretionary power of the courts to refuse to
order specific performance. The focus is on the considerations relevant to the exercise
of the judicial discretion.
First, it emphasises the tension between the right and the discretion. It is argued that it
is problematical for our courts to refuse to order specific performance in the exercise of
their discretion. The underlying difficulty is that the discretion of the court to refuse
specific performance is fundamentally in conflict with the supposed right of the plaintiff
to claim specific performance. The thesis investigates the tenability of this open-ended
discretionary approach to the availability of specific performance as a remedy for breach
of contract.
To this end, the thesis examines less complex, more streamlined approaches embodied
in different international instruments. Comparison between different legal systems is
also used in order to highlight particular problems in the South African approach, and to
see whether a better solution may be borrowed from elsewhere.
An investigation of the availability of this remedy in other legal systems and international
instruments reveals that the South African approach is incoherent and unduly complex. In order to illustrate this point, the thesis examines four of the grounds on which our
courts have refused to order specific performance. In the first two instances, namely,
when damages provide adequate relief, and when it will be difficult for the court to
oversee the execution of the order, we see that the courts gradually attach less or even
no weight to these factors when deciding whether or not to order specific performance.
In the third instance, namely, personal service contracts, the courts have at times been
willing to grant specific performance, but have also refused it in respect of highly
personal obligations, which is understandable insofar as the law wishes to avoid forced
labour and sub-standard performances. The analysis of the fourth example, namely,
undue hardship, demonstrates that the courts continue to take account of the interests of defendants and third parties when deciding whether or not to order specific
performance.
This study found that there are certain circumstances in which the courts invariably
refuse to order specific performance and where the discretionary power that courts have
to refuse specific performance is actually illusory. It is argued that our law relating to
specific performance could be discredited if this reality is not reflected in legal doctrine.
Given this prospect, possible solutions to the problem are evaluated, and an argument
is made in favour of a simpler concrete approach that recognises more clearly-defined
rules with regard to when specific performance should be refused in order to provide
coherency and certainty in the law.
This study concludes that a limited right to be awarded specific performance may be
preferable to a right which is subject to an open-ended discretion to refuse it, and that
an exception-based approach could provide a basis for the simplification of our law
governing specific performance of contracts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die benadering tot die kontraktuele remedie van spesifieke
nakoming in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg. Die diskresionêre bevoegdheid van howe om
spesifieke nakoming te weier word van nader en krities aanskou. Die fokus is op die
oorwegings wat ‘n rol speel by die uitoefening van die diskresie.
Eerstens beklemtoon die tesis die spanning tussen die reg en die regterlike diskresie.
Daar word aangevoer dat dit problematies is dat ons howe ‘n eis om spesifieke
nakoming kan weier in die uitoefening van hul diskresie. Die onderliggende probleem is
dat die hof se diskresie om spesifieke nakoming te weier, fundamenteel in stryd is met
die sogenaamde reg van die eiser om spesifieke nakoming te eis. Die tesis ondersoek
die houbaarheid van hierdie onbelemmerde diskresionêre benadering tot die
beskikbaarheid van spesifieke nakoming as ‘n remedie vir kontrakbreuk.
Vervolgens ondersoek die tesis die vereenvoudigde benaderings ten opsigte van
spesifieke nakoming beliggaam in verskillende internasionale instrumente. Vergelyking
tussen verskillende regstelsels word ook gebruik om spesifieke probleme in die Suid-
Afrikaanse benadering uit te lig, en om vas te stel of daar ‘n beter oplossing van elders
geleen kan word.
‘n Ondersoek van die aanwesigheid van hierdie remedie in ander regstelsels en
internasionale instrumente onthul dat die Suid-Afrikaanse benadering onsamehangend
en onnodig ingewikkeld is. Om hierdie punt te illustreer, ondersoek die tesis vier gronde waarop die remedie tipies
geweier word. In die eerste twee gevalle, naamlik, wanneer skadevergoeding
genoegsame regshulp sal verleen en wanneer dit vir die hof moeilik sal wees om toesig
te hou oor die uitvoering van die bevel, sien ons dat die howe geleidelik minder of selfs
geen gewig aan hierdie faktore heg wanneer hulle besluit of spesifieke nakoming
toegestaan moet word nie. In die derde geval, naamlik, dienskontrakte, sien ons dat die
howe bereid is om in sekere gevalle spesifieke nakoming toe te staan, maar egter nie
spesifieke nakoming ten opsigte van hoogs persoonlike verpligtinge gelas nie, wat verstaanbaar is tot die mate wat ons reg dwangarbeid en swak prestasies wil vermy.
Die analise van die vierde grond, naamlik, buitensporige benadeling, toon dat die howe
voortgaan om die belange van die verweerder en derde partye in ag te neem wanneer
hulle besluit om spesifieke nakoming te beveel.
Die studie het bevind dat daar sekere omstandighede is waarin die howe nooit
spesifieke nakoming toestaan nie en die diskresie eintlik afwesig is. Derhalwe word dit
aangevoer dat die geldende reg wat betref spesifieke nakoming weerlê kan word indien
hierdie werklikheid nie in die substantiewe reg weerspieël word nie. Gegewe die
vooruitsig, word moontlike oplossings ondersoek, en ‘n argument word gemaak ten
gunste van ‘n eenvoudiger konkrete benadering wat meer duidelik gedefinieerde reëls
erken met betrekking tot wanneer spesifieke nakoming geweier moet word ten einde
regsekerheid en eenvormigheid te bevorder.
Die gevolgtrekking is dat ‘n beperkte aanspraak op spesifieke nakoming meer wenslik is
as ‘n reg op spesifieke nakoming wat onderhewig is aan die hof se oorheersende
diskresie om dit te weier, en dat ‘n uitsondering-gebaseerde benadering as ‘n basis kan
dien vir die vereenvoudiging van ons reg rakende spesifieke nakoming.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/95952 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Van Der Merwe, Su-Anne |
| Contributors | Du Plessis, Jacques, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Law. Department of Private Law. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xvi, 483 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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