Ubuntu: An African Equity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2011/v14i4a2583Keywords:
Ubuntu, equity, reconciliation, human dignity, humanity, social harmony, restorative justice, cultural heritageAbstract
In this paper the uses of ubuntu in constitutional law, criminal law, administrative law, the law of property, family law, delict and contract are investigated. Furthermore the theoretical objections to the use of ubuntu are stated and responded to. It is found that ubuntu provides the South African courts with a metanorm similar to the English notion of equity and that it is being deployed to give voice to something distinctively African. It promises to lay the foundations for a cohesive, plural, South African legal culture", characterised by notions such as reconciliation, sharing, compassion, civility, responsibility, trust and harmony.
Downloads
References
Bibliography
Allen Law in the Making
Allen CK Law in the Making 7ed (Clarendon Press Oxford 1964)
Ball "Lexis"
Ball CJE "Lexis: The Vocabulary of English" in Bolton WF and Crystal D (eds) The English Language (Sphere Books London 1987) 165-197
Bennett and Patrick "Ubuntu"
Bennett TW and Patrick J "Ubuntu: The Ethics of Traditional Religion" in Bennett TW (ed) Traditional African Religions in South African Law (UCT Press Cape Town 2010) (in press)
Bhengu Ubuntu
Bhengu MJ Ubuntu: The Essence of Democracy (Novalis Press Cape Town 1996)
Brand 2009 SALJ
Brand FDJ "The role of good faith, equity and fairness in the South African law of contract: the influence of the common law and the Constitution" 2009 SALJ 71-90
Christie Law of Contract
Christie RH The Law of Contract in South Africa 5th ed (LexisNexis Butterworths Durban 2006)
Cloete and Mokgoro Policies for Public Service Transformation
Cloete F and Mokgoro J (eds) Policies for Public Service Transformation (Juta Kenwyn 1995)
Comaroff and Roberts Rules and Processes
Comaroff JL and Roberts S Rules and Processes: The Cultural Logic of Dispute in an African Context (Chicago University Press Chicago 1981)
Cornell and Van Marle 2005 Afr Hum Rts LJ
Cornell D and Van Marle D "Exploring ubuntu: tentative reflections" 2005 Afr Hum Rts LJ 195-220
Danet 1980 Law & Soc Rev
Danet B "Language in the Legal Process" 1980 Law & Soc Rev 445-564
Davis 2008 SAJHR
Davis D "Private law after 1994: progressive development or schizoid confusion?" 2008 SAJHR 318-329
Dlamini 1985 Speculum Juris
Dlamini CRM "Whither lay justice in South Africa?" 1985 Speculum Juris 1-11
Douthwaite 1960 Acta Juridica
Douthwaite G "South Africa and the Law" 1960 Acta Juridica 219
Du Plessis 2003-04 Tulane LR
Du Plessis JD "Common law influences on the law of contract and unjustified enrichment in some mixed legal systems" 2003-04 Tulane LR 219-256
English 1996 SAJHR
English R "Ubuntu: the quest for an indigenous jurisprudence" 1996 SAJHR 641-648
Gluckman Ideas in Barotse Jurisprudence
Gluckman M The Ideas in Barotse Jurisprudence (Manchester University Pres Manchester 1972)
Gobodo-Madikizela A Human Being Died
Gobodo-Madikizela P A Human Being Died that Night - a Story of Forgiveness (David Philip Claremont 2003)
Goodrich Reading the Law
Goodrich P Reading the Law (Blackwell Oxford 1986)
Goody Interface between Written and Oral
Goody J The Interface between the Written and the Oral (Cambridge University Press Cambridge 1987)
Hammond-Tooke Roots of Black South Africa
Hammond-Tooke WD The Roots of Black South Africa (Jonathan Ball Johannesburg 1993)
Hitchings Secret Life of Words
Hitchings H The Secret Life of Words (John Murray London 2008)
Hudson Equity and Trusts
Hudson A Equity and Trusts 3rd ed (Cavendish London 2003)
Keep and Midgley "Emerging Role of Ubuntu-botho"
Keep H and Midgley R "The Emerging Role of Ubuntu-botho in Developing a Consensual South African Legal Culture" in Bruinsma F and Nelken D (eds) Recht der Werkelijkheid (Reed Business BV Gravenhage 2007) 29-56
Keevy 2009 Journal for Juridical Science
Keevy I "Ubuntu versus the core values of the South African Constitution" 2009 Journal for Juridical Science 34(2) 19-58
Kiralfy Historical Introduction
Kiralfy AKR Potter's Historical Introduction to English Law and its Institutions 4th ed (Sweet & Maxwell London 1958)
Klug Constituting Democracy
Klug H Constituting Democracy: Law, Globalism and South Africa's Political Reconstruction (Cambridge University Press Cambridge 2000)
Lotz "Enrichment"
Lotz JG "Enrichment" in Joubert WA and Faris JA (eds) The Law of South Africa (LexisNexis Butterworths Durban 2005) Vol 9
Mason 1994 LQR
Mason A "The place of equity and equitable remedies in the contemporary common law world" 1994 LQR 238-259
Menski Hindu Law
Menski W Hindu Law: Beyond Tradition and Modernity (Oxford University Press Delhi 2003)
Mokgoro 1998 Buff Hum Rts L Rev
Mokgoro YM “Ubuntu and the law in South Africa" 1998 Buff Hum Rts L Rev (4) 15-23
Mutwa Indaba
Mutwa VC Indaba, My Children (Payback Press Edinburgh 1998)
Petit Equity
Petit PH Equity and the Law of Trusts 9th ed (Butterworths London 2001)
Ramose African Philosophy
Ramose MB African Philosophy through Ubuntu (Mondi Books Harare 2002)
Saul Equilibrium
Saul JR On Equilibrium (Penguin Toronto 2001)
Truth and Reconciliation Commision Report
Truth and Reconciliation Commision of South Africa Report (Government Printer Pretoria 1998) Vol 1
Van der Merwe Contract
Van der Merwe SWJ et al Contract: General Principles 3rd ed (Juta Landsdowne 2007)
Van der Walt 2003 SAJHR
Van der Walt JWG "Horizontal application of fundamental rights and the threshold of the law in view of the Carmichele saga" 2003 SAJHR 517-540
Zimmermann Law of Obligations
Zimmermann R The Law of Obligations (Oxford University Press Oxford 1996)
Zweigert and Kötz Introduction to Comparative Law
Zweigert K and Kötz H Introduction to Comparative Law 2nd ed (translated from the original German by Tony Weir) (Clarendon Press Oxford 1987)
Register of cases
Afrox Healthcare Bpk v Strydom 2002 6 SA 21 (SCA)
Albutt v Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation 2010 3 SA 293 (CC)
AZAPO V TRC 1996 4 SA 562 (C)
AZAPO v TRC 1996 4 SA 671 (CC)
Badenhorst v Badenhorst 2005 JOL 13583 (C)
Bank of Lisbon v De Ornelas 1988 3 SA 580 (A)
Barkhuizen v Napier 2007 7 BCLR 691 (CC)
Bhe v Magistrate, Khayelitsha 2005 1 BCLR 1 (CC)
Brisley v Drotsky 2002 4 SA 1 (SCA)
Carmichele v Minister of Safety and Security 2001 4 SA 938 (CC)
Carmichele v Minister of Safety and Security 2003 2 SA 656 (C)
City of Johannesburg v Rand Properties (Pty) Ltd 2007 6 SA 417 (SCA)
Dikoko v Mokhatla 2006 6 SA 235 (CC)
Doctors for Life International v Speaker of the National Assembly 2006 6 SA 416 (CC)
Eerste Nasionaie Bank van Suidelike Afiika Bpk v Saayman 1997 4 SA 302 (A)
Fedsure Life Assurance v Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council 1999 1 SA 374 (CC)
Fourie v Minister of Home Affairs 2005 3 SA 429 (SCA)
Joseph v City of Johannesburg 2010 4 SA 55 (CC)
Koyabe v Minister for Home Affairs (Lawyers for Human Rights as Amicus Curiae) 2010 4 SA 327 (CC)
M v S (Centre for Child Law Amicus Curiae) 2007 12 BCLR 1312 (CC)
Masetlha v President of the RSA 2008 1 SA 566 (CC)
Matatiele Municipality v President of the RSA (No 2) 2007 6 SA 477 (CC)
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development v Chonco 2009 6 SA 1 (SCA)
Napier v Barkhuizen 2006 4 SA 1 (SCA)
Ndlovu v Ngcobo; Bekker v Jikka 2003 1 SA 113 (SCA)
Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of SA: in re President of the RSA 2000 2 SA 674 (CC)
Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa v Tshabalala-Msimang; New Clicks South Africa (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Health 2005 3 SA 238 (SCA)
Port Elizabeth Municipality v Peoples Dialogue on Land and Shelter 2000 2 SA 1074 (SE)
Port Elizabeth Municipality v Various Occupiers 2005 1 SA 217 (CC)
President of the RSA v SARFU 2000 1 SA 1 (CC)
Ryland v Edros 1997 2 SA 690 (C)
S v Makwanyane 1995 3 SA 391 (CC)
S v Mandela 2001 1 SACR 156 (C)
Sasfin (Pty) Ltd v Beukes 1989 1 SA 1 (A)
South African Forestry Co Ltd v York Timbers 2005 3 SA 323 (SCA)
Transnet t/a Spoornet v Informal Settlers of Good Hope 2001 4 All SA 516 (W)
Tuckers Land and Development Corp v Hovis 1980 1 SA 645 (A)
Union of Refugee Women v Director: Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority 2007 4 SA 395 (CC)
Van der Merwe v Taylor 2008 1 SA 1 (CC)
Weinerlein v Goch Buildings Ltd 1925 AD 282
Westdeutche Landesbank Girozentrale v Islington LBC 1996 AC 669
Wine v Zondani 2009 JOL 24358 (SE)
Register of legislation
Black Administration Act 38 of 1927
Child Justice Act 75 of 2008
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 200 of 1993
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
Law of Evidence Amendment Act 45 of 1988
Prevention of Illegal Evictions from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998
Promotion of Administrative Justice Act 3 of 2000
Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act 34 of 1995
Traditional Courts Bill B15-2008.
Register of internet sources
Cornell 2009 www.isthisseattaken.co.za
Cornell D 2009 Is There a Difference That Makes a Difference Between Ubuntu and Dignity? www.isthisseattaken.co.za/pdf/Papers_Cornell.pdf [date of use 11 Sep 2010]
Department of Public Service and Administration [date unknown] www.dpsa.gov.za
Department of Public Service and Administration [date unknown] Batho Pele Handbook www.dpsa.gov.za/batho-pele/docs/BP_HB_optimised.pdf [date of use 17 Aug 2009]
Pinnock 1995 web.uct.ac.za.ezproxy.uct.ac.za
Pinnock D 1995 What Kind of Justice? web.uct.ac.za.ezproxy.uct.ac.za/
depts/sjrp/publicat/whatknd.htm [date of use 16 Aug 2007]
Maepa 2005 www.iss.co.za
Maepa E (ed) 2005 Beyond Retribution: Prospects for Restorative Justice in South Africa - Institute for Security Studies Monograph No 111 www.iss.co.za/pubs/Monographs/No111/Chap2.htm [date of use 13 Sep 2010]
South African Law Commission 1997 www.justice.gov.za
South African Law Commission 1997 Alternative Dispute Resolution (Project 94): Issue Paper 8 www.justice.gov.za/salrc/ipapers/ip08_prj94_1997.pdf [date of use 28 Jun 2011]
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2017 Thomas W Bennett
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
.png){kind=spacer}