De Jure

The Open Access Online Law Journal published by the University of Pretoria

Welcome to De Jure (ISSN 2225-7160)

Free and unrestricted access to quality legal articles

De Jure is a general law journal, accredited by the Department of Higher Education & Training

It publishes original research concerned with the development and dissemination of cutting-edge legal research, both national and international. The scope of the journal is wide and supports legal academics, practitioners and scholars.

The following volumes are available on this open access website:

De Jure 46 Volume 4 2013

Nelson Mandela had a profound impact on the Faculty of Law of the University of Pretoria, directly and indirectly; on us as a Faculty and on the world in which we operate. In 1997 the University awarded him a doctorate in law. He used the opportunity to reach out both in Afrikaans and in English, with pathos, humility, wisdom and humour. This was his second time on campus. In 1991 he was supposed to speak at an event organised by students, but violence erupted and he had to be rushed off the stage.It is worth quoting his speech at the graduation ceremony at some length: Dit is baie maklik om leë woorde te gebruik, en gewoon om hoflikheidsonthalwe te sê wat ’n groot eer ’n mens aangedoen word. Ek sou egter vandag wou hê dat u moet weet hoe diep geraak ek is deur hierdie eerbetoon wat u as universiteit aan my bring.
(From the Editorial).

De Jure 46 Volume 3 2013

Our world is one of increasing simplicity when it comes to creating and representing information in a tangible form. Think of the applications for your smart phone or tablet computer that allow you to communicate with others through a picture alone, or by simply updating a status or sending a short information burst into the universe containing no more than 140 characters.
We have trimmed down our daily communications to almost Spartan levels. While this is definitely economic and does save time, it is unfortunate that this form of instant gratification communication does nothing to promote the art of writing well.
(From the Editorial).

De Jure 46 Volume 2 2013

We live in a world which is becoming more and more complex. Modern technology continues to pose new questions to the law, while lawyers and governments are slow to adapt to the new challenges. This, of course, creates vast new fields of research and opens up more traditional fields to new analysis and interpretation. This volume contains a healthy dose of (at least in legal terms) newer topics which still cause much uncertainty and requires further reflection and research. There is also a good measure of traditional topics which suggests that, even after thousands of years of development and debate, the final word will probably never be said on the law relating to these matters. And nor should it. Society is not stagnant - it is in a constant state of flux and therefore the law must inevitably also be fluid.
(From the Editorial).

De Jure 46 Volume 1 2013

Special edition: Education Law in a Democracy
The quality of education has been the focus of much that has been written and spoken about the South African public school system over the past number of years. Commentators regularly express their concerns about deficiencies in the system, ranging from poor teaching, high drop-out rates and ineffective management. Education law specialists should use every occasion to make constructive contributions. This issue provides such an opportunity.
(From the Editorial).

De Jure 45 Volume 3 2012

In the recent judgement of Print Media South Africa v Minister of Home Affairs 2012 6 SA 443 (CC) the Constitutional Court had to decide on a difficult question of the constitutionality of certain provisions in the Films and Publications Act 65 of 1996 (the Act), which were inserted by the Films and Publications Amendment Act 3 of 2009. The Act would have required publishers to submit certain publications for prior approval to the Film and Publication Board, failing which they could incur criminal liability.
(From the Editorial)

De Jure 45 Volume 2 2012

“It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.” - Oscar Wilde
It is with this in mind that the De Jure editorial board is proud to present the second volume for 2012. Over the past two years we have witnessed the awe inspiring power of the revolutionary use of information trough social networking. We have seen it used to create social awareness, to highlight of the plight of many previously silent martyrs and we have seen it topple oppressive institutions one after the other. Naturally, this is to be celebrated.
(From the Editorial)

De Jure 45 Volume 1 2012

Die huidige LLB-leergang kom in hierdie uitgawe onder die loep en die vraag is of dit voldoen aan die verwagtinge van studente en hulle toerus om tot die regspraktyk toe te tree. Die vraag is voorts, tot watter mate kan die leergang ook aangepas word om voorsiening te maak vir ware gemeenskapsgebaseerde onderrig. Dat die huidige vier jaar-LLB-leergang ernstige gebreke toon, is nie altemit nie. Dit sal waarskynlik nie moontlik wees om studente in alle opsigte vir die praktyk voor te berei tydens hulle LLB-studies nie.
(From the Editorial)

De Jure 44 Volume 2 2011

The De Jure editorial board has the pleasure of presenting the second volume of 2011. This volume joins the first on the journal’s open access website which is set to be a true asset to legal research. With its effective search function and well organised layout, the website embodies the essence of the open access environment. This essence is exquisitely described by Jason B Jones who states that “because ideas complete, rather than compete with, one another, creativity and innovation ferment most noticeably when ideas are allowed to circulate openly and freely.”
(From the Editorial)

De Jure 44 Volume 1 2011

Hierdie is ’n geskiedkundige uitgawe van De Jure - om verskeie redes. Eerstens is dit die eerste uitgawe wat deur die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid se eie uitgewers, PULP, uitgegee word. LexisNexis, of Butterworths, soos hulle vroeër bekendgestaan het, het oor baie jare ’n lang pad saam met die Fakulteit geloop en tesame diep spore in die regslandskap van Suid-Afrika gelaat. Die toenemende druk op kommersiële uitgewers om wins te toon in moeilike ekonomiese toestande en die lae sirkulasie syfers van akademiese tydskrifte en veral regstydskrifte, het onvermydelik beteken dat die status quo nie meer volhoubaar was nie. Die skeiding was onvermydelik, maar dit was vriendskaplik en beide partye sal nog lank op ander vlakke saamwerk.
(From the Editorial)