scholarly journals Kerkhoff v Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development 2011 2 SACR 109 (GNP): Intermediary Appointment Reports and a Child's Right to Privacy Versus the Right of an Accused to Access to Information

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Mildred Bekink
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Mental Stress ◽  
Criminal Procedure ◽  
Child Witnesses ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Constitutional Development ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Competent Person ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Right

General consensus exists that the adversarial nature of the South African criminal procedure with its often aggressive cross-examination of a witness, sometimes by an accused himself, will in most cases expose a child to undue mental stress or suffering when having to testify in court. In confirmation of this fact and with a notion to shield child witnesses from the stress or suffering when having to testify in the presence of an accused the function of an intermediary was introduced with the insertion of section 170A into the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977. In terms of section 170A(1) a court may if it appears to such court that it would expose any witness under the biological or mental age of eighteen years to undue mental stress or suffering if he or she testified at such hearing, appoint a competent person as an intermediary in order for the witness to give evidence through that intermediary. Section 170A(1) contemplates that a child complainant will be assessed prior to testifying in court in order to determine whether the services of an intermediary should be used. If the assessment reveals that the services of an intermediary are needed, then the state must arrange for an intermediary to be available at the commencement of the trail. The aforementioned procedure of section 170A(1) was followed in Kerkhoff v Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development 2011 2 SACR 109 (GP) and is the subject of this discussion.

Victim Participation in Parole Proceedings in South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamil Mujuzi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Criminal Justice System ◽  
South African ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Criminal Procedure ◽  
Prison Inmate ◽  
Parole Board ◽  
Victims Of Crime ◽  
The Right

South African law provides for circumstances in which victims of crime may participate in the criminal justice system at the investigation, prosecution (trial), sentencing and parole stages. In South Africa, a prison inmate has no right to parole although the courts have held that they have a right to be considered for parole. In some cases, the victims of crime have a right to make submissions to the Parole Board about whether the offender should be released on parole. Section 299A of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 provides for the right of victims of crime to participate in parole proceedings. The purpose of this article is to discuss section 299A and illustrate ways in which victims of crime participate in the parole process. The author also recommends ways in which victims’ rights in section 299A of the Criminal Procedure Act could be strengthened.

scholarly journals An analysis of spousal competence and non-compellability in terms of section 198 of the Criminal Procedure Act

De Jure ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Melissa Lazarus ◽  
Dr Franaaz Khan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Common Law ◽  
Criminal Procedure ◽  
Biblical Principles ◽  
The Right

Marital privilege is founded on the biblical principles of the union between man and wife. Thus wives were not competent or compellable witnesses against their husbands. Over the years the privilege developed in English common law. South Africa codified the privilege through Section 198 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 which states that spouses cannot be compelled to testify against each other unless the crime for which the accused spouse is charged appears in the categories listed in Section 195 of the Act. There are many criticisms against affording a privilege to a particular class of persons - notably that the non-compellability exception given to spouses is unconstitutional as it violates the right to equality in terms of section 9 of the Constitution. Recent media coverage at the Zondo Commission highlighted this conundrum when the ex-minister's spouse was asked to testify. This article examines the merits of the unconstitutionality argument and concludes that spousal non-compellability fails to withstand the test against unfair discrimination on the basis of marital privilege. Finally, recommendations are proposed in this regard which examine the nature and evolution of spousal competence and non-compellability in South African law.

scholarly journals Right of the detainee to have contact with a lawyer or solicitor and to direct consultation with them as an element of the Right of Defence

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 71-83
Author(s):  
Justyna Żylińska
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Procedure ◽  
The Real ◽  
Legal Advice ◽  
Real Contact ◽  
Procedure Code ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Right ◽  
Legal Consequences

The subject of this study is an analysis of the detainee’s right to have contact with a lawyer or solicitor and to direct consultation with them as an element of the right of defence. The right of defence is also applicable with respect to detainees. An important element in the process of its fulfi lment is the real contact of the detainee with a lawyer or solicitor. In particular, it allows the detainee to obtain legal advice, not only with respect to the current procedural situation but also with respect to further legal consequences and ultimately effect the rights of defence to which the detainee is eligible in the manner consistent with his/her actual procedural interests. The author’s intention is to examine the scope and rules of application of the rights of the detainee as set out in Art. 245 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the analysis of its effect on the detainee’s effective exercising of the right of defence.

scholarly journals Enabling the enabler: Using access to information to ensure the right to peaceful protest

2017 ◽  
pp. 51-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsangadzaome Alexander Mukumba ◽  
Imraan Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
The South ◽  
South African Police Service ◽  
South African Police ◽  
The Right ◽  
Right Of Access ◽  
Responsible Person

The Regulation of Gatherings Act (RGA) places strict guidelines on how to exercise the right to protest, with particular emphasis on the submission of a notice of gathering to the responsible person within a municipality in terms of sections 2(4) and 3 of the Act. However, municipalities do not proactively make the notice of gathering templates available for public use (or may not have these at all), and often do not publicise the details of the designated responsible person. To test municipalities’ compliance with the RGA, the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) enlisted the help of the South African History Archive (SAHA) to submit a series of Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) requests to every municipality in South Africa. PAIA requests were also submitted to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for records relating to public order policing. The initiative aimed to provide these templates and related documents to interested parties as an open source resource on the protestinfo.org.za website. The results of these efforts show that compliance with the RGA is uneven. This article explores the flaws in the regulatory environment that have led to this level of apathy within government, despite the crucial role of the right to protest and the right of access to information as enabling rights in our constitutional democracy. An analysis of the full PAIA request dataset shows the extent of government’s resistance to facilitating these enabling rights, and provides insights into remedial interventions. The article concludes with a series of recommendations, which centre on statutory reforms to the RGA and PAIA to ensure appropriate sanction for non-compliance by government, proactive disclosure of relevant information, and emergency provisions allowing curtailed procedural requirements. The intention of the proposed amendments is to minimise the possibility that these fundamental, enabling rights might be frustrated.

scholarly journals Legislative Prohibitions on wearing a Headscarf: Are they justified?

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1348
Author(s):  
Fatima Osman
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Muslim Women ◽  
Religious Practice ◽  
Freedom Of Religion ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Religious Symbol ◽  
Religious Extremism ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Right ◽  
Justifiable Reason

A headscarf, a simple piece of cloth that covers the head, is a controversial garment that carries various connotations and meanings. While it may be accepted as just another item of clothing when worn by non-Muslim women, it is often the subject of much controversy when worn by Muslim women. In recent years the headscarf has been described as a symbol of Islam's oppression of women and simultaneously of terrorism. As the debate regarding the acceptability of the headscarf in the modern world continues, an increasing number of states have legislated to ban the wearing of the headscarf. This article critically examines the reasons underlying these bans and argues that these prohibitions are not justified. It does this by first analysing the place of the headscarf in Islam, its religious basis and its significance to Muslim women. It argues that the headscarf is more than just a mere religious symbol and that Muslim women wear the headscarf as a matter of religious obligation. The headscarf is considered to be an important religious practice protected by the right to freedom of religion. Thereafter the article examines legislative bans on the headscarf in France, Turkey and Switzerland in order to identify the most popular justifications advanced by states and courts for banning the headscarf. It critically evaluates the justifications for protecting secularism, preventing coercion, promoting equality and curbing religious extremism, and disputes that the reasons put forward by states and accepted by courts justify banning the headscarf. It thereafter explores how South African courts would respond to a headscarf ban and argues that schools and employers should accommodate the headscarf. While Muslim women may not have an absolute right to wear the headscarf, there has thus far been no justifiable reason for banning the headscarf.

Regional Human Rights Bodies as Instruments of International Law

2019 ◽  
Vol 113 ◽  
pp. 96-97
Author(s):  
Silvia Serrano
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
List Type ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Type Number ◽  
Criminal Conviction ◽  
Forced Sterilization ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Right

I will try to cover three different examples on issues in which the Inter-American and the European Courts have had different approaches, some substantive, some methodological, regarding the following issues: 1.A substantive and radical difference in the approach of the right to appeal a criminal conviction;2.A substantive but slight difference in the approach of cases of involuntary or forced sterilization;3.An example of evolution from divergence to convergence in the subject of access to information; and4.A radical difference in the approach with respect to reparations.

scholarly journals The limitation of the discovery rules of Court against the right of access to information in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1029-1051
Author(s):  
Rashri Baboolal-Frank ◽  
Fola Adeleke
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Legal Analysis ◽  
Civil Proceedings ◽  
Access Information ◽  
Constitutional Right ◽  
South African Constitution ◽  
The Right ◽  
Right Of Access

Abstract In South Africa, the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) gives effect to the right of access information in Section 32 of the South African Constitution (the Constitution). Section 7 of PAIA provides that PAIA does not apply to records required for criminal or civil proceedings after commencement of proceedings where access to that record is already provided for in any other law. Where records are obtained in contravention of Section 7, they are not admissible as evidence in criminal or civil proceedings. The aim of this paper is to determine whether the discovery rules of Court limit the constitutional right of everyone to access information. Consequently, the methodology employed in this paper involves a legal analysis namely: a limitations analysis utilising Section 36, the limitations clause of the Constitution. This paper further engages in case law analysis interpreting the exercise of the right of access to information before PAIA was passed and after PAIA was passed to highlight the anomaly of the application of Section 7. This paper argues that Section 7 unconstitutionally limits the ambit of the right of access to information and a direct constitutional challenge on this provision is necessary.

scholarly journals Appropriate subject of obtaining evidence of a criminal offense in the opinion of the court

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
pp. 224-228
Author(s):  
A.-M.Y. Anheleniuk
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Procedure ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Court Decisions ◽  
Criminal Proceedings ◽  
Criminal Offense ◽  
Procedure Code ◽  
Evidence Collection ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Right ◽  
Operational Unit

The article considers the collection of evidence by the prosecution, because it is in this order that the evidence base of criminal proceedings is most often formed. Thus, the prosecutor, investigator (investigator) acting under Articles 36, 40, 401 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, as well as an employee of the operational unit pursuant to Article 41 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine on behalf of the investigator or prosecutor have the right to collect evidence. The purpose of the article is to study the affiliation of the subjects of evidence collection as part of the procedural form of the criminal process of Ukraine, taking into account the analysis of court decisions, namely the assessment of the evidence base as a basis for deciding on the merits of criminal proceedings. Cases of involvement of an improper subject in the pre-trial investigation, which are common and typical, are systematized. There are two types of improper subjects within the investigative (search) or procedural actions, namely the subject: 1) is not appointed in the manner prescribed by law, although according to current legislation according to the list of its powers may be appropriate; 2) does not have the authority under the law to make a specific decision or to conduct investigative (search) or procedural actions. An analysis of court decisions according to which courts provide an assessment of the procedural activities of the subjects of evidence collection in criminal proceedings at the stage of pre-trial investigation, including their relevance and admissibility. Thus, attention is paid to the assessment of courts on the legality of the presence of persons during investigative (investigative) or procedural actions; the correctness of fixing such a presence. In addition, the situations of appointment of relevant subjects in criminal proceedings to fulfill their powers are considered. It is proposed to supplement the first part of Article 236 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine with a provision that clarifies the grounds for the stay and authority of the employee of the operational and investigative service during the search.

scholarly journals Immigrant Parents' Voices on Children's Right to Education in South African Schools: Connecting the Disconnected

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
RN Nylon Marishane
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Immigrant Parents ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Right To Education ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Educational Rights ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Educational Perspective ◽  
The Right ◽  
South African Township

This paper focuses on the school's protection of the right to education for immigrant learners as perceived by their parents.  With its approach to the subject from the human rights-based educational perspective, this paper sought to examine immigrant parents' views on their children's right to education against their background as vulnerable and marginalised school community members. The assumption on which the study presented in this paper is based is that meaningful discussion on the right to education for immigrant learners cannot be disconnected from the challenges their parents face in educating them. Immigrant parents have their views and experiences relating to children's educational rights, which are seldom studied. Guided by this view, a qualitative approach was followed to gather data through semi-structured individual interviews held with parents of immigrant learners from four purposively selected South African township schools. The results show that immigrant parents experience enormous challenges in the education of their children in South African schools. While some of the challenges are transferred from them to their children because of non-citizenship, they attribute most of the challenges to people who teach their children, namely, teachers.      Received: 2 August 2021 / Accepted: 3 October 2021 / Published: 5 November 2021

scholarly journals Restriction of the access to justice for consideration of the criminal procedure dispute in accordance with the Article 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation

2021 ◽  
pp. 58-69
Author(s):  
Tatiana Topilina
Keyword(s):  
Russian Federation ◽  
Criminal Procedure ◽  
Access To Justice ◽  
Criminal Proceedings ◽  
Procedure Code ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Soviet Space ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
The Right ◽  
Right Of Access

This article analyzes the problems of implementation of the right of access to justice for consideration of the criminal procedure dispute in accordance with the Article 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation. The author carefully examines the legislation of the countries of post-Soviet space on filing a complaint against actions (omissions), as well as decisions of the prosecuting agency in pretrial proceedings. The subject of this research is the norms of the Russian and foreign legislation that regulate the right of access to justice in criminal proceedings. The object is the legal relations arising in the context of implementation of the right of access to justice. The article employs the universal systemic method of cognition; comparative-legal, formal-legal, and statistical methods; as well as logical analysis of the normative legal acts. It is indicated that restriction of the access to justice for consideration of the criminal procedure dispute in accordance with the Article 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation is also established by the practice developed in law enforcement for evaluation of the complaint prior to its consideration involving  the parties with the possibility of making a decision on whether to remit or reject the complaint in the absence of legislatively specified grounds, which directly affects the number of addressed complaints. The conclusion is made on the need to specify the grounds for remitting the complaint of an applicant filed in accordance with the Article 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation, for the purpose of excluding the possibility of decision made by the court that is not based on the law on remitting or rejecting the complaint for consideration (the Article 125 of Code of Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation).

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