This document contains comprehensive information on the following study themes (and sub-themes), including the facts and legal principles of all relevant case law:
Study theme 3.2: Crimes against bodily integrity and parental authority (Assault; rape; kidnapping; and abduction)
Study theme 3.3: Cr...
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Please take note of the fact that these notes may not be comprehensive of the
material required to be covered for the module and contained in the prescribed
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SOURCES:
These notes were composed based on:
• Professor Stevens and Mr Nieuwoudt:
o Lecturers in the Department of Public Law, University of Pretoria: PBL
420 (Public law) 2020
o Slides, class notes and tutorials.
• The Public Law 420 Study Guide (2020) University of Pretoria.
• Snyman CR Criminal Law (2014 6th ed) LexisNexis.
• Burchell J & Milton J Principles of Criminal Law (2005) Juta.
PLEASE NOTE:
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(b) Money and trust funds: .............................................................................................. 67
5. Intention to steal: ............................................................................................................. 68
6. Stock theft:......................................................................................................................... 69
Robbery: ......................................................................................................................................... 69
1. Definition: ........................................................................................................................... 69
2. Assault/theft: ..................................................................................................................... 70
3. Causal nexus between violence and taking: ............................................................ 70
(a) Preceding or simultaneous violence or threats: ................................................. 70
(b) Bag snatching and robbery:...................................................................................... 71
4. Robbery with aggravating circumstances: ............................................................... 72
Extortion:........................................................................................................................................ 72
1. Definition: ........................................................................................................................... 72
2. Advantage: ......................................................................................................................... 72
3. Causal nexus: ................................................................................................................... 73
4. Threats/fear: ...................................................................................................................... 73
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Study Theme 3.2: Crimes against bodily integrity and parental authority
Study Aims: Knowledge and understanding of the definitions and elements of the
crimes of assault, rape, kidnapping and abduction and of their practical application,
with special reference to the distinction between kidnapping and abduction and
common-law and statutory abduction.
Assault
1. Definition and charge sheet:
• Assault subsists in any unlawful and intentional act or omission (conduct)
which:
o Results in another person’s bodily integrity being directly or indirectly
impaired; or
▪ Note: Bodily integrity (corpus) is impaired and not dignity
(dignitas) or reputation (fama).
• Dignity and reputation deal with different crimes i.e.
Crimen iniuria and defamation.
o Inspires a belief in another person that such impairment of bodily
integrity is imminently threatening.
• Assault is a materially defined crime, as opposed to a formally defined crime
i.e. The consequences of the conduct are important, rather than the conduct
itself.
• From the definition, three elements of the crime of assault can be identified:
o Conduct;
o Unlawfulness; and
o Intention.
• Therefore, an iniuria against another person’s bodily integrity (corpus) is
punished as assault.
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Figure 1: Conduct
Causing of:
Inspiring a belief in
someone that the
Impairment to someone
impairment of their
else's bodily integrity
bodily integrity is
imminently threatening
Direct: X uses their own
body
Indirect: X makes use of
an instrument, object or
substance
• The prohibited conduct is the impairment of bodily integrity.
o The impairment of bodily integrity can occur in two ways:
▪ Directly:
• Direct application of force occurs when X applies physical
force with a part of their body to a part of Y’s body, thereby
striking or at least touching a part of Y’s body.
o E.G. X punches Y in the face; X slaps Y; or X kicks Y
in the stomach.
▪ Indirectly:
• Indirect application of force occurs when X uses an instrument
or another strategy for the purpose of impairing Y’s bodily
integrity.
o E.G. X hits Y with a stick; X throws stones at Y; or X
causes a train to derail in order to harm the passengers.
• S v Marx (1962):
o Facts:
▪ The accused resided in a flat and in the same
block of flats, there were two children, aged 7
and 5, who lived with their parents.
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▪ On the day in question, the two children were
playing outside when the accused decided to
invite them into his flat to have cooldrinks.
▪ However, instead of giving the children
cooldrinks, the accused gave them wine, which
resulted in them becoming severely intoxicated
and causing them to vomit i.e. Administration of
a noxious substance.
▪ The accused was charged with assault, for
having given the children alcohol, without their
knowledge.
▪ The accused’s defence was that he lacked the
intention to injure the children or cause the
impairment of their bodily integrity.
o Court:
▪ The question before the court was whether
assault could be committed by administering a
noxious substance to another person, without
their knowledge i.e. A substance that is harmful
to them.
▪ The court held that the administration of a
noxious substance to another person, without
their knowledge, does indeed constitute assault.
o Case law involving both direct and indirect impairment of bodily integrity:
▪ S v A (1993):
• This case is relevant in distinguishing between direct and
indirect impairment of bodily integrity, as well as ascertaining
what would constitute assault.
• Facts:
o In casu, the accused persons were two male police
constables.
o On the evening in question, the two male police
constables, along with a female police constable, were
tasked with questioning a rape suspect.
o At some point during the questioning, one of the police
constables (accused #1) ordered the suspect to
undress himself, whereupon they ordered him to
urinate and drink his own urine.
o Both police constables roughed him up by hitting him
with their fists.
o Thereafter, the police constables forced the suspect to
masturbate.
o One of the police constables then fetched an electrical
shock device, which they fixed to his genitals and
administered shocks thereto.
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o Thereafter, the police constables placed the electrical
shock device into the suspect’s mouth and proceeded
to electrocute him again.
o Both male police constables were charged with
indecent assault.
o Furthermore, both male police constables were
charged with crimen iniuria for having forced the female
police constable to watch as they tortured the rape
suspect.
• Court:
o The direct impairment subsists in physically hitting the
suspect with their fists.
o The indirect impairment subsists in forcing the suspect
to drink his own urine and electrocuting him.
o The court a quo held that one cannot commit assault
by forcing another person to drink something.
o However, the appeal court held that the court a quo
erred in its findings.
▪ Therefore, both police constables were
convicted of assault.
o Note: If this case were to be heard today, the police
constables would likely be convicted of assault with the
intent to do grievous bodily harm.
▪ However, in 1993, the police constables were
convicted of indecent assault, as well as crimen
iniuria.
• Charge sheet:
THAT the accused is guilty of the crime of assault:
IN THAT on or about 18 August 2019 and at or near 6 Villa Flats, Sunnyside, in
the District of Pretoria, the accused unlawfully and intentionally assaulted
Jane Doe, a major female person, by stabbing her with a knife.
2. Violence:
• Generally, the impairment of bodily integrity is associated with the use of force or
violence.
• However, it will become clear from the case law, that the impairment of bodily
integrity does not always involve the use of force or violence because this is too
narrow to encompass the different ways in which the crime of assault can be
committed i.e. A person’s bodily integrity is impaired when they are intoxicated by
another, despite the absence of force or violence.
o Therefore, associating assault with the use of force or violence is
problematic because it is inaccurate.
▪ The use of force or violence is problematic because:
• The slightest touch may amount to assault.
• Y does not need to be injured.
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