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Summary Introduction to Law (171) Term 1
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Introduction to Law 171: Notes 2018Topic 1 (term 1): Sources of South African Law
Contains:
Slides, class notes and notes on; the prescribed textbook, articles and cases.
Study guideline included.
Key:
& = Prescribed work
$ = Optional reading (not taken note of in this pack unless indicated otherwise)
Table of Contents
THEME 1: WHAT IS LAW? CLASSIFICATION OF THE LAW; PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF SOURCES OF LAW ........... 2
INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION AND CONCEPTS: ............................................................................................................................................... 2
WHAT IS LAW? ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
LAW AND OTHER SOCIAL NORMS:................................................................................................................................................................... 4
THE LAW AS RULES: ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
SOURCES OF SOUTH AFRICAN LAW:............................................................................................................................................................... 6
THEME 2 & 3: THE CONSTITUTION & THE CONSTITUTION AS A SOURCE OF LAW – PROF BV SLADE ............................. 7
CONSTITUTION AS A SOURCE: ............................................................................................................................................................................. 8
HISTORY:............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
MODERN SOUTH AFRICA: ................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
TYPES OF AUTHORITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: .................................................................................................................................................. 13
NB SECTIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION: ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
THEME 4: FINDING, READING & APPLYING OF LEGISLATION ............................................................................................. 15
LEGISLATION AS A SOURCE: ............................................................................................................................................................................... 15
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS:................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
THEME 5: FINDING, READING & APPLYING CASE LAW ........................................................................................................ 18
JUDICIAL PRECEDENT AS A SOURCE: .................................................................................................................................................................. 18
THE RULES OF PRECEDENT:................................................................................................................................................................................ 19
TYPES OF JUDGMENTS: ................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
THEME 6: COMMON LAW ........................................................................................................................................................ 20
COMMON LAW AS A SOURCE: ......................................................................................................................................................................... 20
THEME 7: INTERNATIONAL LAW, CUSTOM & INDIGENOUS LAW (CUSTOMARY LAW).................................................. 21
INTERNATIONAL LAW AS A SOURCE: ................................................................................................................................................................. 21
CUSTOMS AS A SOURCE:.................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
INDIGENOUS LAW (CUSTOMARY LAW) AS A SOURCE: ..................................................................................................................................... 22
THEME 8: SECONDARY SOURCES............................................................................................................................................. 22
WRITINGS OF MODERN AUTHORS AS A SOURCE: ............................................................................................................................................. 23
1
,Theme 1: What is law? Classification of the law; Purpose and Importance of
Sources of law
& Humby et al: Ch 1 – What is law?
& Humby et al: Ch 5 – Sources of law and legal authority
& PowerPoint Slides
$ Du Plessis: Ch 7 216 -249
Introductory information and concepts:
Rules of Conduct:
• Types
• Religion
• individual morality (norms that individual sets for himself)
• collective morality/ community mores (society’s norms or morals)
• Law
• Overlap - above rules often overlap
• Purpose: order and peace
Statutory law/Legislation – Constitution:
o Supremacy as law (preamble, ss 1, 2)
o Based on values of human dignity, freedom and equality (arts 1 & 7)
o Fundamental and basic human rights based on the above values are protected by Ch 2 Bill of Right
o Human rights are to be respected by the state as well as by private persons and entities (s 8)
o Except if it is reasonable and justifiable to deviate from the basic right (ss 9, 36) – e.g. affirmative
action as exception to right to equality
Public Law
Public law
Constitutional Administrative International
Criminal law
law law law
Private Law
Private law
Law of Law of Law of
Family law Law of things Law of testate
Persons succession obligations
succession
Law of Law of
Law of parent Law of delict
marriage contract
and child Law of
intestate
succession
2
, Mercantile Law
Mercantile
law
Law of
Law of Bills of
enterprise Insolvency law Tax law Labour law
contract exchange
Law of Companies
Purchase Lease partnership
& Sale
CC’s
Credit Contract
agreements of insurance
Subjects & Objects
Legal subject Legal object
Objectives of legal system
• Lawmaking
• Interpretation and adjudication
• Law enforcement
• Legal administration
• Legal advice and representation
Factors: effectivity
• Public awareness, understanding & acceptance of the law
• Enforcement of the law
• Clarity in drafting the law
• Consistency in the law
• Changes and stability in the law
What is law?
• Law provides the rules that guide human behaviour in society.
• The law prescribes what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.
• Maintain order in society.
• Holds people accountable.
• Law is an attribute of human life that appears when people group or associate themselves into a society.
How did it come about?
• People realized the need for order
• This gave rise to a ‘social contract’
è the community would authorize their leaders to organize the group to ensure survival
• in exchange for the sacrifice of the ‘state of nature’ they would receive protection and order from leaders.
• Only when a society comes into being – can one begin to talking civilisation of law.
• The society that first used “laws” realised they enjoyed the ability to plan for the future.
• Stability -> sow seeds for next season -> no longer hunter gatherers -> became pastoral
3
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