This article focuses on two definitions of domestic violence — ‘coercive behaviour’ and ‘controlling behaviour’ — which were formally introduced into South African law by the Domestic Violence Amendment Act 14 of 2021. It tracks the legislative process, including an overview of the different iterations of the definitions as they appeared in the preceding Bills. This is followed by an analysis of the definitions’ grammatical, conceptual and legal meanings (including considering applicable foreign case law), after which various indicators are formulated. The article then examines whether the definitions are fit for purpose by analysing whether they are constitutional. This investigation reveals that the definitions suffer from numerous deficiencies: they are vague, overbroad and ambiguous, rendering them potentially unconstitutional. However, despite these deficiencies, the importance of the definitions — informed by the legislature’s intentions and the prevailing societal context, amongst other things — is likely to deter any potential constitutional challenges disputing their validity. The article concludes by proposing alternative definitional formulations that, if implemented, may circumvent any potential constitutional challenges.
{"title":"Coercive and controlling behaviour in the Domestic Violence Act","authors":"Dakalo Singo","doi":"10.47348/salj/v140/i4a4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v140/i4a4","url":null,"abstract":"This article focuses on two definitions of domestic violence — ‘coercive behaviour’ and ‘controlling behaviour’ — which were formally introduced into South African law by the Domestic Violence Amendment Act 14 of 2021. It tracks the legislative process, including an overview of the different iterations of the definitions as they appeared in the preceding Bills. This is followed by an analysis of the definitions’ grammatical, conceptual and legal meanings (including considering applicable foreign case law), after which various indicators are formulated. The article then examines whether the definitions are fit for purpose by analysing whether they are constitutional. This investigation reveals that the definitions suffer from numerous deficiencies: they are vague, overbroad and ambiguous, rendering them potentially unconstitutional. However, despite these deficiencies, the importance of the definitions — informed by the legislature’s intentions and the prevailing societal context, amongst other things — is likely to deter any potential constitutional challenges disputing their validity. The article concludes by proposing alternative definitional formulations that, if implemented, may circumvent any potential constitutional challenges.","PeriodicalId":39313,"journal":{"name":"South African law journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135447225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This note assesses the application of the common purpose doctrine to the crime of gang rape. The recent gang rape of eight women in West Village, Krugersdorp on 28 July 2022 received wide media coverage. If and when there is a prosecution, the courts will have to adjudicate on the application of the common purpose doctrine to the newly defined statutory crime of rape. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment) Act 32 of 2007 (‘SORMA’) came into effect on 16 December 2007. The Constitutional Court, in Tshabalala v S; Ntuli v S 2020 (2) SACR 38 (CC), held that the common purpose doctrine was applicable to the autographic crime of common-law rape. Since the alleged crimes had occurred in 1998, SORMA was not applicable in this case. If the Krugersdorp gang rape incident reaches the Constitutional Court the case may provide the court with the opportunity to elucidate on the practical impact of its decision in Tshabalala v S; Ntuli v S.
本说明评估了共同目的原则对轮奸罪的适用。最近发生在2022年7月28日克鲁格斯多普西村的8名妇女被轮奸的事件得到了媒体的广泛报道。如果提出起诉,法院将不得不就共同目的原则是否适用于新定义的法定强奸罪作出裁决。《2007年第32号刑法(性犯罪及相关事项修正案)法令》(SORMA)于2007年12月16日生效。宪法法院在查巴拉拉诉S;nuli v S 2020 (2) SACR 38 (CC)认为,共同目的原则适用于普通法强奸的自述罪。由于指称的罪行发生在1998年,因此《SORMA》不适用于本案。如果克鲁格斯多普轮奸案提交宪法法院审理,该案件可能会为法院提供机会,阐明其在Tshabalala v . S案中判决的实际影响;纳图里vs S。
{"title":"Notes: The Krugersdorp gang rapes — Another Tshabalala v S; Ntuli v S?","authors":"J. le Roux-Bouwer","doi":"10.47348/salj/v140/i1a1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v140/i1a1","url":null,"abstract":"This note assesses the application of the common purpose doctrine to the crime of gang rape. The recent gang rape of eight women in West Village, Krugersdorp on 28 July 2022 received wide media coverage. If and when there is a prosecution, the courts will have to adjudicate on the application of the common purpose doctrine to the newly defined statutory crime of rape. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment) Act 32 of 2007 (‘SORMA’) came into effect on 16 December 2007. The Constitutional Court, in Tshabalala v S; Ntuli v S 2020 (2) SACR 38 (CC), held that the common purpose doctrine was applicable to the autographic crime of common-law rape. Since the alleged crimes had occurred in 1998, SORMA was not applicable in this case. If the Krugersdorp gang rape incident reaches the Constitutional Court the case may provide the court with the opportunity to elucidate on the practical impact of its decision in Tshabalala v S; Ntuli v S.","PeriodicalId":39313,"journal":{"name":"South African law journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70823499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Book Review: David Cluxton Aviation Law Cause of Action Exclusivity in the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions (2022)","authors":"William Kiema, P. Salazar","doi":"10.47348/salj/v140/i2a9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v140/i2a9","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p>None</jats:p>","PeriodicalId":39313,"journal":{"name":"South African law journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70824053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Regulation 18 of the Regulations Relating to the Artificial Fertilisation of Persons provides for an ownership scheme in reproductive material — eggs, sperm and embryos — outside the human body. Within this regulatory scheme, the following question is pertinent: can ownership of reproductive material, once acquired in terms of reg 18, be transferred to someone else? To answer this question, reg 18 is analysed using well-established tools of statutory interpretation. The conclusion drawn is that a broad interpretation of reg 18 should be followed that allows for the transfer of ownership. Attention is drawn to case law that contradicts this conclusion, but it is shown that the rationale for the relevant decision lacks any depth. Accordingly, the decision should urgently be challenged in the public interest.
{"title":"Notes: Can ownership of reproductive material be transferred?","authors":"D. Thaldar","doi":"10.47348/salj/v140/i3a3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v140/i3a3","url":null,"abstract":"Regulation 18 of the Regulations Relating to the Artificial Fertilisation of Persons provides for an ownership scheme in reproductive material — eggs, sperm and embryos — outside the human body. Within this regulatory scheme, the following question is pertinent: can ownership of reproductive material, once acquired in terms of reg 18, be transferred to someone else? To answer this question, reg 18 is analysed using well-established tools of statutory interpretation. The conclusion drawn is that a broad interpretation of reg 18 should be followed that allows for the transfer of ownership. Attention is drawn to case law that contradicts this conclusion, but it is shown that the rationale for the relevant decision lacks any depth. Accordingly, the decision should urgently be challenged in the public interest.","PeriodicalId":39313,"journal":{"name":"South African law journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70824627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article critically analyses the whistleblower recommendations of the State Capture Commission and the President of the Republic of South Africa’s response to implementing these recommendations. Three recommendations are made: ensuring that whistleblowers receive the protections afforded by art 32(2) of the United Nations Convention against Corruption; possibly awarding whistleblowers a proportion of funds recovered, provided the information disclosed has been material to recovering funds; and affording whistleblowers immunity from criminal or civil action arising from their honest disclosures. This article argues that, although these whistleblower recommendations are laudable and will both protect and incentivise whistleblowers to disclose wrongdoing, South Africa should have a consolidated legislative framework to govern whistleblowing in the various sectors rather than the current approach, which scatters the regulation of whistleblowing across many statutes. The article recommends enhancing the protection of whistleblowers and suggests how to structure South Africa’s whistleblower award programme so that it is clear, fair, transparent and efficient. It also argues that to avoid abuse, whistleblowers should not receive blanket immunity from criminal and civil proceedings but that this should be determined on a case-by-case basis.
{"title":"A critical analysis of the State Capture Commission recommendations to protect whistleblowers in South Africa","authors":"Rehana Cassim","doi":"10.47348/salj/v140/i4a8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v140/i4a8","url":null,"abstract":"This article critically analyses the whistleblower recommendations of the State Capture Commission and the President of the Republic of South Africa’s response to implementing these recommendations. Three recommendations are made: ensuring that whistleblowers receive the protections afforded by art 32(2) of the United Nations Convention against Corruption; possibly awarding whistleblowers a proportion of funds recovered, provided the information disclosed has been material to recovering funds; and affording whistleblowers immunity from criminal or civil action arising from their honest disclosures. This article argues that, although these whistleblower recommendations are laudable and will both protect and incentivise whistleblowers to disclose wrongdoing, South Africa should have a consolidated legislative framework to govern whistleblowing in the various sectors rather than the current approach, which scatters the regulation of whistleblowing across many statutes. The article recommends enhancing the protection of whistleblowers and suggests how to structure South Africa’s whistleblower award programme so that it is clear, fair, transparent and efficient. It also argues that to avoid abuse, whistleblowers should not receive blanket immunity from criminal and civil proceedings but that this should be determined on a case-by-case basis.","PeriodicalId":39313,"journal":{"name":"South African law journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135447020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Neither the legislature nor the courts have adequately determined how to regulate benefits that retirement fund members married in community of property derive a right to claim before their death. It illustrates the failure of the courts to assess the intersection between matrimonial principles and pension rules when faced with nonmember spouses who argue that their deceased member spouses’ retirement benefits accrued to their joint estates. The courts need to consider seriously the applicability of matrimonial principles before retirement benefits can be treated as death benefits. Further, the note demonstrates that the courts over-emphasise the role of pension rules and totally disregard matrimonial principles, thereby depriving surviving non-member spouses of their share of the accrued retirement benefits. This note further argues that the legislature should urgently intervene.
{"title":"Notes: Do retirement funds have a right to transfer accrued retirement benefits without non-member spouses’ consent? An analysis of the Collatz matter","authors":"Motseotsile Clement Marumoagae","doi":"10.47348/salj/v140/i1a2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v140/i1a2","url":null,"abstract":"Neither the legislature nor the courts have adequately determined how to regulate benefits that retirement fund members married in community of property derive a right to claim before their death. It illustrates the failure of the courts to assess the intersection between matrimonial principles and pension rules when faced with nonmember spouses who argue that their deceased member spouses’ retirement benefits accrued to their joint estates. The courts need to consider seriously the applicability of matrimonial principles before retirement benefits can be treated as death benefits. Further, the note demonstrates that the courts over-emphasise the role of pension rules and totally disregard matrimonial principles, thereby depriving surviving non-member spouses of their share of the accrued retirement benefits. This note further argues that the legislature should urgently intervene.","PeriodicalId":39313,"journal":{"name":"South African law journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70823680","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Decisions refusing to certify class proceedings are appealable. The position regarding the appealability of decisions certifying class actions is, however, less clear. Regrettably, in Stellenbosch University Law Clinic v Lifestyle Direct Group International (Pty) Ltd [2021] JOL 51475 (WCC), the court did not give a final ruling on whether a decision to certify a class action is appealable. Gamble J merely assumed, without deciding, that his decision in Stellenbosch University Law Clinic v Lifestyle Direct Group International (Pty) Ltd 2022 (2) SA 237 (WCC) to certify the class action was appealable. This article aims to clarify the preferred approach when deciding whether to permit an appeal against a decision to certify a class action.
拒绝证明集体诉讼的决定是可以上诉的。然而,关于证明集体诉讼的决定是否可上诉的立场不太明确。令人遗憾的是,在Stellenbosch大学法律诊所诉Lifestyle Direct Group International (Pty) Ltd [2021] JOL 51475 (WCC)一案中,法院没有就证明集体诉讼的决定是否可上诉作出最终裁决。在Stellenbosch大学法律诊所诉Lifestyle Direct Group International (Pty) Ltd 2022 (2) SA 237 (WCC)案中,Gamble J只是假设,而没有做出决定,他的决定证明集体诉讼是可上诉的。本文旨在澄清在决定是否允许对证明集体诉讼的决定提出上诉时的首选方法。
{"title":"The appealability of decisions to certify class actions: Where are we now? A proposed approach after Stellenbosch University Law Clinic v Lifestyle Direct Group International (Pty) Ltd (WCC)","authors":"Theo Broodryk","doi":"10.47348/salj/v140/i2a2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v140/i2a2","url":null,"abstract":"Decisions refusing to certify class proceedings are appealable. The position regarding the appealability of decisions certifying class actions is, however, less clear. Regrettably, in Stellenbosch University Law Clinic v Lifestyle Direct Group International (Pty) Ltd [2021] JOL 51475 (WCC), the court did not give a final ruling on whether a decision to certify a class action is appealable. Gamble J merely assumed, without deciding, that his decision in Stellenbosch University Law Clinic v Lifestyle Direct Group International (Pty) Ltd 2022 (2) SA 237 (WCC) to certify the class action was appealable. This article aims to clarify the preferred approach when deciding whether to permit an appeal against a decision to certify a class action.","PeriodicalId":39313,"journal":{"name":"South African law journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70823786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As a result of various socio-economic factors, South Africans are some of the most indebted consumers in the world. Bad debt collection has escalated to a significant industry, with billions of rands at stake. The effects of private over-indebtedness and resulting collections are profound and have various negative consequences at household and macro-economic levels. These consequences are exacerbated when vulnerable debtors face unscrupulous debt collectors emboldened by a fragile legislative framework. Debtors depend on judicial intervention and effective access to courts to combat abusive lending and debt-collection practices. Courts are called on to protect vulnerable consumers by enforcing constitutional guarantees and values. Recently, the Supreme Court of Appeal was presented with the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to transformative constitutionalism in consumer law and debt collection in the case of Bayport Securitisation Ltd v University of Stellenbosch Law Clinic. This judgment is significant as it attempted to address a serious and impactful concern with the interpretation of the National Credit Act. It will be demonstrated that the judgment is susceptible to serious criticism, particularly in its regrettable indifference to the constitutional values pertinent to the matter.
{"title":"Judicial intervention and the call to transformative constitutionalism in the context of consumer law, debt collection and the National Credit Act: Bayport Securitisation Ltd v University of Stellenbosch Law Clinic","authors":"S. van der Merwe","doi":"10.47348/salj/v140/i2a4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v140/i2a4","url":null,"abstract":"As a result of various socio-economic factors, South Africans are some of the most indebted consumers in the world. Bad debt collection has escalated to a significant industry, with billions of rands at stake. The effects of private over-indebtedness and resulting collections are profound and have various negative consequences at household and macro-economic levels. These consequences are exacerbated when vulnerable debtors face unscrupulous debt collectors emboldened by a fragile legislative framework. Debtors depend on judicial intervention and effective access to courts to combat abusive lending and debt-collection practices. Courts are called on to protect vulnerable consumers by enforcing constitutional guarantees and values. Recently, the Supreme Court of Appeal was presented with the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to transformative constitutionalism in consumer law and debt collection in the case of Bayport Securitisation Ltd v University of Stellenbosch Law Clinic. This judgment is significant as it attempted to address a serious and impactful concern with the interpretation of the National Credit Act. It will be demonstrated that the judgment is susceptible to serious criticism, particularly in its regrettable indifference to the constitutional values pertinent to the matter.","PeriodicalId":39313,"journal":{"name":"South African law journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70823942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The International Bar Association (‘IBA’) highlighted a disturbing trend of bullying within the legal profession in its 2019 report on bullying and sexual harassment in the legal profession, both internationally and in South Africa. The substantive forms of bullying (often described as victimisation, discrimination, or harassment) may overlap in the manner, mode or way in which bullying is perpetrated, and how bullying occurs may be grouped into several distinct categories: overt (or direct) forms, covert (or indirect) forms and, finally, so-called ‘mobbing’. This article investigates the current South African legislative framework addressing workplace bullying, including the indirect remedies available to victims in terms of (i) a claim of harassment as a form of unfair discrimination under s 6(3) of the Employment Equity Act; (ii) a claim for constructive dismissal under s 193 of the Labour Relations Act; and (iii) unfair labour practices as a remedy for workplace bullying or a claim of harassment in terms of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act. After finding that these indirect remedies are inadequate to address workplace bullying in the legal profession, the article explores the conduct rules of the legal profession to establish how bullying is addressed in the legal sector and conducts a comparative analysis of the way in which bullying is addressed in the Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions to identify possible solutions to curb the scourge of workplace bullying in the South African legal profession.
{"title":"Workplace bullying in the legal profession","authors":"M. Van Eck, Marthinus van Staden","doi":"10.47348/salj/v140/i3a9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v140/i3a9","url":null,"abstract":"The International Bar Association (‘IBA’) highlighted a disturbing trend of bullying within the legal profession in its 2019 report on bullying and sexual harassment in the legal profession, both internationally and in South Africa. The substantive forms of bullying (often described as victimisation, discrimination, or harassment) may overlap in the manner, mode or way in which bullying is perpetrated, and how bullying occurs may be grouped into several distinct categories: overt (or direct) forms, covert (or indirect) forms and, finally, so-called ‘mobbing’. This article investigates the current South African legislative framework addressing workplace bullying, including the indirect remedies available to victims in terms of (i) a claim of harassment as a form of unfair discrimination under s 6(3) of the Employment Equity Act; (ii) a claim for constructive dismissal under s 193 of the Labour Relations Act; and (iii) unfair labour practices as a remedy for workplace bullying or a claim of harassment in terms of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act. After finding that these indirect remedies are inadequate to address workplace bullying in the legal profession, the article explores the conduct rules of the legal profession to establish how bullying is addressed in the legal sector and conducts a comparative analysis of the way in which bullying is addressed in the Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions to identify possible solutions to curb the scourge of workplace bullying in the South African legal profession.","PeriodicalId":39313,"journal":{"name":"South African law journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70824850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}