Will someone report high court judge in adultery case to the Judicial Service Commission?
* This column appeared on Thursday 25 June in the morning titles of the Independent group of newspaper, where I have been writing a regular feature for the last six years. IN the middle of November 2009 I wrote my first column for this page. It was written from a car,...
Constitutional Court: no more legal consequences for adultery
IT’S finally official: adultery is no longer part of South African law and a “wronged spouse” may no longer sue for damages. A unanimous decision by the judges of the Constitutional Court delivered today says that marriage is based on the concept of two willing...
Off with their lights!
ESKOM has been given court approval to cut power to a defaulting municipality that owes at least R275 million in overdue electricity bills. In an urgent application the Ngwathe Local Municipality, including the Free State towns of Parys, Edenvale, Heilbron, Koppies...
Don’t rely on Tweets from court
DON’T be deceived: given the constraints of enforced brevity, covering a court case via Twitter can be extremely difficult and stressful. Among other problems you risk reducing the hearing to a series of soundbites. And even if you get the quotes down accurately,...
US Supreme Court debates gay marriage
NO-ONE could have been surprised, when, in December 2005, the South African Constitutional Court held that same sex couples had a right to marry. Angry and affronted, perhaps, but not surprised. That’s because our constitution makes it clear we can’t discriminate...
The dispossessed should not suffer twice
YOU would imagine, wouldn’t you, that once the court battles over a land claim were sorted and an award was made returning the land to the people who originally lived on it, their legal troubles would be over. Surely this would start a constructive new era for the...
Rough Guide to Swaziland’s judicial scandal
WHEN Lesotho appointed an impeachment inquiry into that country’s top judge, Michael Ramodibedi, citing alleged fraud and other serious misconduct, it seemed the standing of the judiciary in this region could sink no lower. But not so. Almost exactly a year ago that...
Chief Justices from southern Africa offer help to resolve Swazi judicial crisis
Chief Justice of Namibia, Peter Shivute, has offered the help of the Southern African Chief Justices Forum to resolve the Swazi judicial crisis. Shivute issued the offer in his capacity as chair of that forum, as the crisis in Swaziland continued. According to the...
Somali hijack of vessel causes global legal conundrum
WHEN Somali pirates captured the vessel Asphalt Venture off the coast of Mombassa during September 2010, no-one could have foreseen the far-reaching human and legal dramas that would result. These have spanned the globe, and, with further legal action scheduled for...
Planned new SADC court ‘unconstitutional’ say lawyers
Lawyers say South Africa should not be supporting a planned new regional court that ‘disregards the human rights of individuals’. IN a move of crucial importance for human rights in southern Africa, lawyers are challenging Pretoria’s attempts to join with other...