Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg - Volume 2012, Issue 2, January 2012

Die onderwerp wat in hierdie artikel bespreek word, is in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg relatief nuut en onontwikkeld. In hierdie artikel word verwysings na stieffamilieverhoudings beperk tot gevalle waar die biologiese ouer met haar of sy kinders in 'n huwelik of burgerlike vennootskap met 'n persoon wat nie 'n biologiese ouer is nie in 'n gemeenskaplike huishouding betrokke is.

---

Sedert die beslissing van Heystek v Heystek, is hierdie aspek in Botha v Botha en in MB v NB in oënskou geneem. Die doel met hierdie artikel is om opnuut na die regsfundering van so 'n "aanspraak" binne die Suid-Afrikaanse reg te kyk.

---

Die artikel word in vier hoofdele verdeel. Eerstens, sal die verskillende regsteoretiese funderings van die onderhoudsplig beskryf word. Daarna word die bespreking opgevolg deur 'n bondige bespreking van buitelandse reg, waarna die Suid-Afrikaanse reg as derde hoofdeel van nader beskou sal word. Die artikel word deur 'n slotbeskouing afgesluit.

A step-child's maintenance claim against a step-parent

---

In this article the foundation of a step-child's claim for maintenance against a step-parent is investigated. Primarily three foundations for a child's maintenance claim are revealed namely the formalistic and status based justification; the best interests of the child justification; and the functional justification. The first mentioned justification does not apply as foundation for the maintenance claim of the stepchild against the step-parent because the step-parent is not the natural or putative parent. The second justification focuses on the economic needs of children and the economic dislocation they suffer when formerly relied support from a step-parent is lost. The last justification pays attention to the social reality of relationships rather than to the formal characteristics thereof. Two reasons are given why the last mentioned justification applies to the maintenance claim of step-children. One, harm and compensation may serve as basis for the liability to pay maintenance. Two, the case where the step-parent takes over the role of parent the in loco parentis principle may serve as a foundation.

---

The comparative law investigation reveals that the majority of foreign country systems grounds the claim on the in loco parentis principle.

---

Different foundations for the claim are found in South African case law. The fact that the parties are married makes them liable for the maintenance of the common household. Two foundational possibilities arise from this. One, the consortium of the marriage grounds the maintenance obligation which is without any foundation in our law. Two, the obligation is founded upon the purchase for household necessaries. In a legal theoretical sense this is unacceptable because there are fundamental differences between the capacity to purchase household necessaries and a claim for maintenance. Section 28(1) (b) and (2) of the constitution are tabled as foundation for the claim. The fact that the step-parent acts in loco parentis grounds the obligation. Lastly, de facto adoption is also forwarded as foundation. The call on different justifications creates confusion and results in different answers. The maintenance of a child must primarily serve to satisfy the financial needs of the child and should focus less on the psychic and psychological support of the child. However, the economic reliance of the child on the support should also not be ignored. Therefore a combination of the reliance based justification and the in loco parentis foundation is advocated which I think is achieved in the MB case where section 28(1)(b) of the constitution in combination with the in loco parentis principle was applied.

In terms of the doctrine of notice the holder of an unregistered real right is protected to the extent that the right can be enforced against outside parties on the basis of their prior knowledge of it. The doctrine originates from the principle that "nobody may derive a benefit or advantage from his own bad faith". According to the doctrine, if the acquirer of a real right had knowledge of the existence of a prior personal right that would establish a competing real right upon registration, the acquirer of the first-mentioned real right must give effect to the prior personal right that would give rise to the acquisition of the latter real right.

Die afdwingbaarheid van huurders se regte

---

Die artikel heroorweeg die aard van residensiële huurders se regte in die post-1994 grondwetlike bedeling. Artikel 25(6) van die grondwet bepaal dat 'n persoon of gemeenskap wat grond tans okkupeer met okkupasieregte wat onseker is as gevolg van vorige rasgebaseerde wetgewing, geregtig is op okkupasieregte met verblyfsekerheid. Artikel 25(9) gelas die wetgewer om wetgewing te verorden ten einde effek aan hierdie reg te gee. Die doel van die artikel is om te bepaal watter tipe regte huurders tans ingevolge die gemenereg geniet en of hierdie regte voldoende beskerming bied in die lig van artikel 25(6), gelees met artikel 26 van die grondwet.

---

Die aard van korttermynhuurders se regte word in die regspraak en literatuur op teenstrydige wyse uiteengesit. Ten einde te bepaal wat die aard en effek van 'n huurder se reg is, verwys die artikel na die algemeen aanvaarde beginsels rakende die verskil tussen saaklike en persoonlike regte; die aard en oorsprong van die huur gaat voor koop-reël; die aard en oorsprong van die kennisleer; sowel as die Registrasie van Aktes Wet 47 van 1937. Die ondersoek lei tot die gevolgtrekking dat korttermynhuurders slegs persoonlike regte verkry en dat hierdie regte swak verblyfsekerheid bied. Die huur gaat voor koop-reël bied wel beskerming vir huurders, maar die omvang van die beskerming is beperk tot die ooreengekome duur van die huur soos vervat in die huurkontrak.

---

Die geregistreerde langtermynhuurder verkry wel 'n beperkte saaklike reg en word as sulks beskerm. Die Wet op die Formaliteite met Betrekking tot Huurkontrakte van Grond 18 van 1969 reguleer die posisie van ongeregistreerde langtermynhuurders en beskerm ongeregistreerde langtermynhuurders ook in die geval waar opvolgers in titel kennis dra van die huur, in welke geval die opvolger gebonde sal wees vir die volle termyn van die langtermynhuur. Indien die opvolger nie kennis dra van die huur nie sal hy steeds gebonde wees vir die eerste tien jaar van die langtermynhuur. Die enigste vereiste in laasgenoemde geval is dat die huurder in okkupasie moes wees.

---

Die ondersoek lei tot die gevolgtrekking dat veral korttermynhuurders se verblyfsekerheid ingevolge die gemenereg swak is en dat sommige okkupeerders, soos voorsien in artikel 25(6) van die grondwet, waarskynlik op sterker verblyfregte geregtig is. Die wetgewer is verantwoordelik vir die nodige veranderinge in die huurbehuisingsraamwerk ten einde effek te gee aan artikel 25(6); 'n dramatiese verandering in die gemenereg is minder gewens aangesien slegs sommige huurders geregtig is op sterker verblyfsekerheid.

"Die arbeider is sy loon werd" en "in die sweet van jou aangesig sal jy brood eet". Met dié spreuke is die vrome gelowige bekend. Dit staan in één lyn met die gedagte dat 'n mens op dié ondermaanse niks vir niks kry nie en baie bietjie vir 'n tiekie. Jy kan nie verwag om te maai waar jy nie gesaai het nie - behalwe as jy die staatskas is of in 'n staat leef waar die staatshoof en sy trawante hul aanmatig om die staatskas as hul persoonlike beursie te misbruik. Binne dié gedagtegang is dit nie vreemd om te betaal vir die benutting van iemand anders se kragte of ander bates nie - slawerny is immers lank afgeskaf en ook as jy 'n ander se sake wil benut, mag dit meestal slegs teen 'n redelike vergoeding waarop ooreengekom moet word. Enige ander baattrekking uit bates van 'n ander mag op ongegronde verryking neerkom.

---

'n Uitsondering op die voorgaande beginsel is die gevalle waar 'n diensbaarheid soos 'n serwituut van weg deur verjaring ontstaan het. Dan verleen die reg ten einde regsekerheid te verskaf aan die nie-reghebbende danksy sy langjarige onregmatige benutting van die ander se saak openlik en asof hy daarop geregtig was, nieteenstaande die ontbrekende onderliggende verbintenisskeppende en saaklike ooreenkoms wel 'n regsgrondslag vir sy gedrag. Hierdie is 'n voorbeeld waar ongeag die waardering van die indiwiduele belange van die betrokkenes in belang van 'n groter gemeenskapsbelang (regsekerheid) 'n bepaalde regsnorm neergelê is. Dieselfde beginsel mag die limitering by renteheffing beheers.

---

In die volksmond is die aanloklike daarvan om "op jou rente te kan leef" nog goed bekend uit 'n era vóór wegholinflasie daardie sekerheid te niet gemaak het. Aan Goethe word die volgende uitdrukking toegeskryf: "In Bibliotheken fühlt man sich wie in der Gegenwart eines großen Kapitals, das geräuschlos unberechenbare Zinsen spendet." Die gedagte dat 'n neseier van voldoende omvang asof vanself voldoende rente-opbrengs lewer sodat die reghebbende sorgloos kan leef, veronderstel 'n sekere rentevoet wat nie deur inflasie en/of die belastinggaarder se gierigheid verteer word nie. Binne die erfreg is die verwysing na burgerlike vrugte vir die aanspraak van die reghebbende op die opbrengs van 'n kapitale belegging wat as annuïteit aan die eintlike erfregtelike begunstigde toegewys is wanneer die vruggebruik afgeloop is, eweneens bekend.

---

Tog was daar oor eeue 'n spanning tussen dié beginsels van toepassing by die benutting van 'n ander se goed en die wat toepassing moet vind as die bate van die ander wat benut is, sy geld was. Dán plotseling was daar diegene wat daaroor wroeg of dit behoorlik is om van die kredietnemer te verwag om rente te betaal vir die gebruik van die kredietverskaffer se bates. Asof dit in beginsel sou verskil van die huur van 'n ander se huis of akker waarvoor sonder meer huur- of paggeld betaalbaar is en slegs in 'n verwronge samelewing plakkery geduld word ten koste van die reghebbende eienaar. Hoewel die reg sedert die Romeinse reg voorsiening maak vir lenings sonder baattrekking in die vorm van die commodatum waar jy jou buurman se kruiwa leen om die tuinafval na die sypaadjie te karwei, word duidelik onderskei tussen sodanige eenmalige kortstondige leen van die kruiwa en daardie gevalle waar jy dit kwasie permanent "wil leen" om daaroor soos oor jou eie te beskik en dan "vergeet" om dit terug te besorg. In die laasgenoemde geval is redelike vergoeding vir die klaarblyklike huur waarvoor bloot nie op 'n huurbedrag en termyn afgespreek is nie, nodig ten einde ongegronde verryking van die lener en verarming van die buurman as eienaar te verhinder. Die vorderings onder die eis quantum meruit sluit hierby aan.

---

Vervolgens word aan die hand van grepe uit die historiese ontwikkeling van die duplum-reël ondersoek of die aanname dat dit as vroeë voorbeeld van verbruikersbeskerming voorgehou kan word, juis is.

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (known as the CISG or Vienna Sales Convention) is an important international uniform substantive law convention that currently has 77 member states representative of all legal traditions. The CISG's scope of application is demarcated in article 1(1), which provides that it is applicable to contracts for the sale of goods between parties who have places of business in different states either (a) when the states are contracting states or (b) when the rules of private international law lead to the application of the law of a contracting state.

---

South Africa is currently not a CISG member state. However, the convention is of great significance for this country and its merchants, since most of South Africa's largest trading partners are CISG contracting states.

---

Article 7(2) of the CISG provides that "[q]uestions concerning matters governed by this Convention which are not expressly settled in it are to be settled in conformity with the general principles on which it is based or, in the absence of such principles, in conformity with the law applicable by virtue of the rules of private international law".

---

Article 7(2) of the CISG is most commonly referred to as the gap-filling provision of the convention. The main reason for including this provision in the CISG is the fact that it would be impossible to draft a convention covering a topic as wide as contracts for the international sale of goods and not leave any gaps. The possible permutations in such contracts are endless, and it would not have been possible for the drafters to foresee all these permutations. Furthermore, the CISG represents a compromise between divergent legal traditions, and it would have been impossible to achieve complete uniformity and consensus on all legal principles concerning contracts for the international sale of goods. The gap-filling provision also serves the purpose of adjusting the convention to new developments not foreseen by its drafters. As Schlechtriem pointed out, the CISG "reflects the state of knowledge and experience up to 1980 only; its drafters did not and could not foresee new technical and economic developments such as electronic communication and contracts involving software. Gap-filling, therefore, becomes an instrument of developing the convention and adjusting it to new needs." Adaptability and flexibility are vital characteristics of an instrument "that attempts to deal with a subject matter as fluid and dynamic as international trade".

Die Weense Koopverdrag en die invul van leemtes

---

Die Weense Koopverdrag het tans 77 lidlande en is 'n invloedryke internasionale verdrag in die veld van internasionale handel in roerende goedere. Indien van toepassing, beheers die verdrag kontraksluiting sowel as die regte en verpligtinge van die partye tot 'n internasionale koopkontrak. Ingevolge artikel 7(2) van die Weense Koopverdrag, moet aangeleenthede wat deur die verdrag beheers word, maar waarvoor die verdrag nie afdoende oplossings bied nie, opgelos word met verwysing na die algemene beginsels waarop die verdrag gebaseer is, of, by gebrek aan laasgenoemde, met verwysing na die regstelsel van toepassing ingevolge die reëls van die internasionale privaatreg. Hierdie artikel is op interne leemtes in die verdrag van toepassing. Die aanwending van artikel 7(2) het in praktyk tot verskeie vraagstukke aanleiding gegee. Leemtes in die verdrag moet eerstens onderskei word van aangeleenthede wat buite die verdrag se trefwydte val. Die skeidslyn tussen leemtes en uitsluitings is dikwels vaag. Tweedens bestaan daar nie konsensus oor die bronne van algemene beginsels wat vir die vul van leemtes aangewend mag word nie. Derdens bestaan daar ook onduidelikheid oor die metode van aanwending van algemene beginsels om leemtes in die verdrag te vul. Laastens heers daar onenigheid oor wanneer leemtes met verwysing na die regstelsel van toepassing ingevolge die reëls van die internasionale privaatreg gevul moet word. Hierdie aangeleenthede kan 'n beduidende invloed op die toepassing van die Weense Koopverdrag hê en word in hierdie artikel ontleed.

This overview covers the following:

---

1 Interpretation of the bill of rights - requirements for expropriation

---

2 Interpretation of statutes in conformity with the constitution

---

3 Human dignity

---

4 Equality

---

5 Privacy

---

6 Housing

---

7 Children and Education

---

8 Access to courts and fair trials

---

9 Appeals in criminal trials

---

10 Enforcement

Pursuant to the finding of the constitutional court in Shabalala v Attorney-General of Transvaal (1995 2 SACR 761 (CC)) that the blanket docket privilege in criminal cases as enunciated in R v Steyn (1954 1 SA 324 (A)) was inconsistent with the right to a fair trial as guaranteed by the 1993 constitution (interim constitution), courts have been called upon to adjudicate on a number of questions that arose in relation to the prosecution's duty to disclose. This was to be expected, as the constitutional court emphasized that, should the state object to disclosure, each individual case had to be decided on its own merits with reference to the guidelines provided in this regard by the constitutional court (par 55).

---

In this contribution the initial objections raised in the Shabalala case in support of the privilege against disclosure are again briefly considered and evaluated, where possible with the knowledge of hindsight, to establish whether or not the notions that informed the objections indeed manifested themselves to the detriment of the criminal justice system. Consideration is given to the state's approach to disclosure, the duty to disclose as interpreted by the courts in two recent decisions and the question is posed to what extent, if at all, the prosecution's duty to disclose is utilized for purposes other than to ensure a fair trial. The extent to which the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 (the act) and the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) contain provisions, in addition to the state's duty to disclose, to assist an accused person to obtain sufficient information in order to advance his case is also considered.

Winskopiejagters kom in iedere gemeenskap met 'n gesonde kapitalistiese trek voor. Menige persoon droom daarvan om die objek van sy of haar drome teen 'n breukdeel van die normale prys te bekom. Nie om dowe neute nie is daar gereeld berigte van stormlope en vertrappings by buitengewone uitverkopings soos die van Woolworths en word die tradisionele winter- en someruitverkopings in Europa druk besoek.

---

'n Variasie op die deurwinterde uitverkopingsnuffelaar is die passievolle veilingganger. Ook in ons gemeenskap was van oudsher bekend dat dié of dáárdie persoon op iedere vendusie sy opwagting maak en saambie indien hy meen dat die saak onder die hamer 'n winskopie is. Die potensiële objekte strek van grond en vee in die landelike gemeenskap tot huishoudelike artikels en kuns by die meer verstedelikte tipes. (Hier word nie nou ingegaan op die contradictio in terminis vervat in die noem van 'n "winskoop" in een asem met die aanskaffing per veiling van 'n kunswerk nie. Juis kuns het geen objektiewe waarde nie, en die waarde is altyd dit wat die hoogste bieder daar en dan bereid is om op te dok - "pretia rerum non ex affectu nec utilitate singulorum, sed communiter funguntur" D 35 2 63pr - die waarde van sake word nie volgens persoonlike gevoelens of voordeel bereken nie, maar normaalweg bereken teen die prys wat hulle op 'n veiling sou haal.) Uiteraard word die doel verpas om 'n winskopie op te snap indien in die geroesemoes van die adrenalien gedrewe opjaag van die prys deur 'n bedrewe afslaer se afspeel van een bod teen die ander, die aanvanklik heimlike bogrens as aanvaarbare prys vir die artikel oorskry word. Dan bly sit die finale bieër dikwels met 'n toegeslane bod teen 'n prys wat met die definisie van 'n winskoop niks gemeen het nie.

At a certain point there was considerable uncertainty about the nature and effect of a so-called extension clause in a policy of indemnity insurance. In Croce v Croce (1940 TPD 251) such a clause had been interpreted as a provision in favour of a third party, but this did not meet with general approval (see eg Kahn "Extension clauses in insurance contracts" 1952 SALJ 53). This matter came to a head in the Unitrans case.

---

The insured, JG Olieverspreiders (JGO), took out a motor vehicle policy from Santam. In terms of the policy Santam undertook to indemnify the insured against, among other things, liability incurred by the insured towards third parties for damage caused by the use of the insured vehicle. A further clause in the policy, termed an extension clause, extended such indemnity for liability to third parties also to "any person who is driving or using [the] vehicle on the insured's order or with the insured's permission ..." (par 4). This is what is known as the extension clause.

Die toonaangewende beslissing van die hoogste hof van appèl in Grütter v Lombard (2007 4 SA 89 (HHA)) het die erkenning en beskerming van die reg op identiteit as persoonlikheidsreg in ons reg onomwonde bevestig (sien Roos "The right to identity recognised for the first time by the supreme court of appeal" 2008 THRHR 515 ev; Cornelius "Die reg op identiteit en die kommersiële ontginning van die individu se openbare beeld" 2008 TSAR 645 ev; Neethling "Die hoogste hof van appèl verleen erkenning aan die reg op identiteit as persoonlikheids- en fundamentele reg" 2007 TSAR 834 ev; Loubser, Midgley et al The Law of Delict in South Africa (2010) 55-56 325-327). Die hof aanvaar ook die omskrywing van identiteit (sien Neethling Persoonlikheidsreg (1998) 44-45) as daardie uniekheid wat 'n persoon as 'n bepaalde individu identifiseer en hom sodoende van andere onderskei en wat sigself manifesteer in verskeie eienskappe waaraan 'n persoon herken kan word, soos sy naam of ewebeeld (sien die Grütter-saak 93). Identiteit word geskend deur die vervalsing of wanvoorstelling van 'n persoon se persoonlikheidsbeeld, of deur die misbruik van identiteitskenmerke vir kommersiële doeleindes, alhoewel oorvleueling tussen hierdie twee wyses van skending ook kan voorkom (sien die Grütter-saak 88 95-96; sien ook Neethling "'n Vergelyking tussen die individuele en korporatiewe persoonlikheidsreg op identiteit" 2011 TSAR 62 64; Neethling en Potgieter Neethling-Potgieter-Visser Deliktereg (2010) 370).

The legal construction and consequences of a contract in favour of a third party remain an enigmatic matter, especially in the insurance context. Opinions diverge (see Reinecke and Nienaber "A suggested template for beneficiary nominations" 2009 SA Merc LJ 1 and Nienaber and Reinecke Life Insurance in South Africa A Compendium A Perspective from the office of the Ombudsman for Long-term Insurance (2009) ch 18). The Mkhabela case is a further chapter in the development of this legal phenomenon.

---

The policyholder (Miss Sebata) took out a life policy on her own life and nominated her mother (Ms Mkhabela) as beneficiary for the death proceeds. The policy provided that the nomination was revocable at the instance of the policyholder. The beneficiary accepted the nomination during her lifetime and the insurer recorded her acceptance. The beneficiary died and about two months thereafter the policyholder also died. The policyholder at no stage revoked the beneficiary nomination. The executor of the beneficiary claimed the proceeds of the policy from the insurer, but the court of first instance rejected the claim. On appeal to the full court the claim was upheld. The insurer appealed against the decision of the full court and succeeded.

Die Wet op die Bevordering van Administratiewe Geregtigheid 3 van 2000 is van toepassing op administratiewe optrede wat val onder die definisie van "administratiewe optrede" soos uiteengesit in artikel 1 van die wet. Hierdie artikel omskryf administratiewe optrede onder andere in artikel 1(b) as 'n besluit geneem deur 'n natuurlike of juridiese persoon, anders as 'n orgaan van die staat, wanneer dit publieke mag of 'n publieke funksie in terme van 'n magtigende bepaling uitoefen wat die regte van enige persoon nadelig raak en wat 'n direkte, eksterne regseffek het.

---

Hierdie subartikel, soos trouens die hele artikel 1, skep probleme as dit kom by die interpretasie daarvan soos blyk uit heelwat beslissings van die howe (Grey's Marine Hout Bay (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Public Works 2005 6 SA 313 (HHA) par 21; Sebenza Forwarding and Shipping Consultancy (Pty) Ltd v Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (Pty) Ltd 2006 2 SA 52 (K) par 20) asook uitsprake van skrywers (Hoexter Administrative Law in South Africa (2007) 186; Barrie "The question as to what constitutes 'administrative action' remains" 2002 TSAR 562; Maré 'n Kritiese Analise van die Begrip "Administratiewe Geregtigheid" in die Grondwet, met besondere Verwysing na die Konkretisering daarvan in die Wet op die Bevordering van Administratiewe Geregtigheid (2008 proefskrif Universiteit van die Vrystaat) 300).

The book The Associated Ship and South African Admiralty Jurisdiction is the published doctoral thesis of the author and as such one would expect a book that is thoroughly researched, that uses considered arguments and that makes an original contribution to the relevant field of law. Unlike many other doctoral theses that one comes across these days, this piece of work deserves the degree that was awarded and furthermore provides any lawyer and academic interested in maritime law with a thought-provoking and well-written contribution to a very complex field of the law.

This book sets out the general principles relating to the major intellectual property disciplines. An evaluation thereof is perhaps best done against the background of at least five trends in the intellectual property world which can be discerned. First, intellectual property is seemingly beginning to enter the public psyche. Consider, for example, the number of highly publicized news events involving trade marks. Years ago there was the conflict regarding the McDonald's trade mark; then the Laugh It Off controversy; the use of Mr Mandela's name on gold coins; the ownership of the Springbok emblem; the dispute relating to the use of the word "Congress" in the COPE/ANC case; the arrest of the "Bavaria girls" at the World Cup; and, at the time of writing, the Frankie's/Woolworths conflict. Other examples are the confiscation of counterfeit television sets, thousands of pairs of running shoes, Spiderman candy, Blue Bulls rugby jerseys, Zambuk ointment, and even Viagra tablets, reported in the media regularly. Also, the "Apple" generation has become interested in the intellectual property implications of the use of technology, including legal aspects of the internet.

Malawi adopted a constitution containing a bill of rights for the first time on 18 May 1994, thereby marking the end of the dictatorship of Hastings Kamuzu Banda. The publication of the first edition of Human Rights under the Malawian Constitution by Chirwa explores the development of constitutional law and human rights jurisprudence of the past eighteen years in order "to deepen our understanding of the meaning, significance and implications of the bill of rights and the jurisprudence it has generated" (2). The time period that has passed between the adoption of the Malawian constitution and the publication of this book means that there is a great body of work available to Chirwa to explain the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights as well as constitutional principles. It is important to note that before 1994 fundamental rights were practically non-existent in Malawi; therefore the entrenchment of human rights in the constitution is all the more momentous. The adoption of the constitution meant that Malawi moved from a system of parliamentary sovereignty to constitutional supremacy. The new constitutional order in this state is based on principles such as "the rule of law, legality, openness, transparency, accountable government, and democracy" as well as "just administrative action" (458).

Socrates said that wisdom begins in wonder. The authors of this particular publication no doubt wondered about aspects of medical negligence cases that make these cases particularly complicated. The introductory paragraph to chapter one sets out to explain that it is universally accepted that a plaintiff bears the onus of proving facts that supports his case. Of all the problematic aspects of medical negligence cases, the application of the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur no doubt emerged as an aspect worthy of in-depth research.

Die nou reeds alombekende Strafprosesreghandboek en sy Engelse eweknie Criminal Procedure Handbook onder redaksie van Joubert het pas die mylpaal van 'n tiende uitgawe bereik. Deurlopende verwikkelinge op die gebied van die strafprosesreg verg duidelik veel van die outeurs én uitgewers om die publikasies relevant en kompeterend te hou in 'n mededingende mark (die vorige uitgawe het in 2009 verskyn). Die outeurs behoort kennis te neem van nuwer uitgawes van bestaande werke op die gebied waarop hulle herhaaldelik steun: Kriegler en Kruger Hiemstra: Suid-Afrikaanse Strafproses (2002) het 'n nuwe uitgawe met Kruger as outeur in 2010 beleef en Kruger Hiemstra's Criminal Procedure (losbladuitgawe) is reeds sedert 2008 op die rakke.

It is with a sense of trepidation that one opens the sixth edition of this title. The passing of professor PJ Visser in 2007 was a huge loss for the legal fraternity. To update a comprehensive work like Law of Delict without the formidable knowledge of professor Visser was no doubt a daunting task.

The first edition of this book made its appearance in 2006. The second edition of the book was published towards the end of 2010. The preface of this second edition states that "[a]s with the first edition, the content, to a large extent, reflects the framework for academic programmes by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). Since the first edition, SAICA has moved from a knowledge-based syllabus to a competency framework which identifies the professional competencies (knowledge, skills and attributes) that a Charted Accountant (South Africa) should possess on entry to the profession. The competency framework lists specific competencies in strategy, risk management and governance, and an understanding of the laws discussed in Basic Principles of Business Law, and their application, is an important aspect of corporate governance and risk management. We have tried to demonstrate this by making use of a mythical company established by Sandile and Christina - Sublime Crime (Pty) Ltd - whose day-to-day activities in manufacturing security-related products are analysed from a legal perspective to illustrate how knowledge of the law is an important aspect of decision-making in the business environment." The current edition of this book will be evaluated against this background.