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Law of damagesPast exams and possible answers:
Oct/Nov 2019
Thembi, a 33 year old unemployed housewife is married to Tim, a 40 year old
medical doctor. Thembi is an unemployed housewife who enjoys baking for her
family most of the time. Tim is employed as a senior medical doctor in a government
hospital and has his own surgery in Lynwood Park, Johannesburg. One evening, the
couple had a nasty altercation, where Tim allegedly used a golf stick to assault
Thembi. Thembi suffered a broken brow, swollen arms and a fractured left leg. She
was admitted in hospital for five days to undergo treatment for her injuries. The
orthopaedic surgeon confirmed that she would need extensive surgery to correct her
broken brow and fractured leg in future. The orthopaedic surgeon warned that the
sequelae so left behind by the bone disorders would be a permanent deformity, a
condition that will take her normal life away. Psychologist’s report also confirmed that
the scar on Thembi’s face caused her to develop an uncharacteristically low self-
esteem and to be self-conscious of her appearance. The psychologist had put her on
anti-depressants to suppress her mental trauma.
With the above facts in mind, answer the questions below.
, 1.1 Accept that Thembi and Tim are married in community of property.
(a) Advise Thembi on any four competent heads of damages she may claim
from her husband. Explain briefly, the facts on which each of the four heads of
damages is based. (8)
• Future medical and related expenses – The orthopaedic surgeon confirmed
that she would need extensive surgery to correct her broken brow and
fractured leg in future.
• Pain and suffering - all pain (physical and mental suffering) and discomfort
caused by bodily injury, emotional shock or medical treatment necessitated by
the injuries.
• Loss of amenities of life- This form of non-pecuniary damage refers to the loss
of the ability or will of someone to participate in the general or specific
activities of life and to enjoy life as he or she did previously.
• Emotional shock- Compensation can be claimed with the actio iniuriarum for
the personality loss suffered as a result of intentional personality infringement.
(b) Spouses married in community of property to each other are entitled to
claim patrimonial loss suffered between spouses (inter partes). Indicate fully,
the legal position of this claim before 2006 and after 2006. Refer to relevant
authority in your discussion. (10)
Before the Constitutional Court’s decision in 2006 in Van der Merwe v Road Accident
Fund (Women’s Legal Centre Trust as Amicus Curiae) husband and wife married in
community of property could not claim damages for patrimonial loss from each other
because damages would have been payable out of the joint estate into the joint
estate—a senseless exercise. The spouses could, however, in terms of s 18(b) of
the Matrimonial Property Act 88 of 1984 claim damages from each other for non-
patrimonial loss caused by bodily injuries despite the fact that they were married in
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