Bibliographie sélective OHADA

Abstract available in pdf.

Modern electronic commerce is chiefly characterised by the use of unattended computers in the negotiation and conclusion of agreements. Commonly referred to as "electronic agents," these computers assist their users to negotiate better and profitable deals in virtual marketplaces. In South Africa, the legal force and effect of automated transactions, i.e. agreements concluded by electronic agents, is addressed in section 20 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (hereinafter referred to as the ECT Act). According to section 20 (a) of the ECT Act, a valid and enforceable agreement will be formed where an electronic agent performs an action required by law for agreement formation. The same statute provides further in section 20 (b) that a valid and enforceable agreement will be formed where all the parties to a transaction or either one of them uses an electronic agent. The overall effect of these provisions is that an agreement cannot be denied legal validity and enforceability on the ground that an electronic agent was used, whether by one or both parties, to conclude it. Likewise, an agreement cannot be denied legal validity and enforceability on the ground that no human being took part in its formation. Although the ECT Act provides as a general matter that automated transactions are valid and enforceable in South Africa, that statute does not, however, create new rules for the formation of such agreements. This is made clear in section 3, which provides, amongst others, that the ECT Act should not be interpreted to exclude the application of the common law of contract to electronic transactions. Therefore, as with traditional or non-automated agreements, automated transactions too must satisfy the individual requirements of a valid contract at common law. As a matter of fact, the common law theory of contract formation is predominantly based on the assumption that human volition will always play a pivotal role in the making, acceptance or rejection of offers. For that reason, this research proceeds on a strong hypothesis that common law rules and principles pertaining to the formation of agreements are either insufficient or inadequate to accommodate the validity of agreements concluded by computers without the immediate intervention of their users. Consequently, the aim of this research is to discuss how the rules and principles of the common law of contract can be modified or developed in order to accommodate, within the common law theory of contract formation, the statutory validity of automated transactions in South Africa. The discussion of this research is limited to five legal issues, namely the basis of contractual liability in automated transactions, the analysis of offer and acceptance in automated transactions, the time and place of contract formation in automated transactions, the incorporation of standard terms and conditions in automated transactions, and the treatment of mistakes and errors in automated transactions. These issues are discussed first with reference to South African law, primarily with the purpose of determining the extent to which relevant common law rules and principles provide adequate solutions to specific challenges posed by automated transactions. To the extent that relevant common law rules and principles do not provide adequate solutions to the challenges of automated transactions, recommendations are made in this research for their development or modification. As shall be demonstrated in the course of this work, in relation to some of the abovementioned legal issues, the development or modification of common law rules has been done by the ECT Act. These "statutory developments or modifications of the common law" are also discussed in this work, primarily with the aim of determining the extent to which they provide adequate solutions to specific challenges posed by automated transactions. To the extent that these statutory modifications of the common law do not provide adequate solutions to the challenges of automated transactions, recommendations are made in this work on how the relevant provisions of the ECT Act may be interpreted by courts of law or amended by Parliament in order to strengthen the response of that statute. The abovementioned legal issues are also discussed in this work with reference to US and UK law, primarily with the purpose of determining how the law addresses the challenges of automated transactions in these jurisdictions, and to draw valuable lessons for the development or modification of South African contract law.

This dissertation explores the concepts of non-disclosure and misrepresentation in South African law. The principal focus surrounds the effect non-disclosure as a form of misrepresentation has on the liability of contracting parties. In order to explore this effectively, the study explores the concept of duty of disclosure, and whether such a duty exists in South African law. Instances when a duty to disclose arises are explained, such as positive steps taken to conceal facts, the seller having sole knowledge of the material fact, an omission or misleading language, and a change in circumstances. Similarly to the English law duty of disclosure in relation to information in contracts uberrimae fidei, the similar South African law concept in insurance or agency contracts known as ‘utmost good faith’, is discussed and explored. The study determines whether such a concept should be a mandatory requirement in pre-contractual negotiations. Additionally, this study explores the various avenues of relief that are available to those who have fallen victim to misrepresentation. This results in an analysis of the effectiveness and success of the current traditional methods of claiming and quantifying damages that are adopted by South African legislature and the judiciary. The discussion then explores the proposed alternate method which aims to combine a claim into one of delict and that of contractual liability, or on the other hand institute a claim solely based on contractual liability. Lastly, this study explores the effect the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 has had on contractual agreements, remedies and penalties, and how this ground-breaking legislation has altered the approach previously adopted by the common law and whether it has done enough to protect consumers.

Issues related to international trade and the environment undoubtedly are of significance to developing countries like Cameroon because they argue that developed countries have depleted resources and indulged in environmentally harmful practices during the past century, in order to achieve unprecedented high standards of living.² The developing countries therefore demand a general but differentiated responsibility, seeking open trade and compensation for adopting environmentally restraining policies.³ Upon further reflection on the link between economic growth activities, environmental protection and social development, the triangular debate on these topics will be highlighted briefly, by introducing the various perspectives.⁴ Trade creates the wealth, which

L’adage « Mieux vaut un mauvais arrangement qu’un bon procès » recouvre tout son sens dans les rapports entre la banque et son client. En effet, la banque, en tant qu’institution financière à caractère commercial, met tout en œuvre pour éviter le contentieux avec sa clientèle. Différentes phases d’échanges s’assimilant à des négociations permettant de régler les incompréhensions pour qu’elles ne deviennent des litiges sont donc prévues et appliquées. On parlera dans ce cas de négociation précontentieuse ou de négociation commerciale. Même lorsque le litige naîtra, le règlement amiable sera encore privilégié à travers la négociation contentieuse. Ce que l’on devra craindre finalement, c’est de voir ces négociations contenir des atteintes aux droits du client à qui l’on essaie de nier la possibilité du règlement judiciaire de son litige alors qu’il est vulnérable face à la force institutionnelle de la banque.

South Africa has experienced significant levels of reckless credit thus leading to over-indebtedness of consumers. Furthermore, research conducted in 2008 and 2013 by the University of Pretoria indicated that there were abuses prevalent in emolument attachment orders (EAOs). An interesting aspect of the research was that credit providers were particularly interested in employed consumers, as their wages or salaries were deemed to be a form of security. The aim of this dissertation is to examine the link between reckless credit and EAOs. The main research problem revolves around the fact that credit providers do not conduct thorough pre-agreement assessments and have a tendency to subscribe to the tick box approach to compliance. Moreover, these pre-agreement assessments do not make provision for the inclusion of external market factors, which is essential to safeguard consumers against economic events. This dissertation argues that, at the point when reckless credit is granted, it is inevitable that default will occur thus leading to the culmination of an EAO. In this regard, the case of University of Stellenbosch Legal Aid Clinic and Others v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and Others; Association of Debt Recovery Agents NPC v University of Stellenbosch Legal Aid Clinic and Others; Mavava Trading 279 (Pty) Ltd and Others v University of Stellenbosch Legal Aid Clinic and Others (CCT127/15) [2016] ZACC 32 is important. The judgement illustrates how vulnerable consumers fell prey to unscrupulous credit providers who then took advantage of their salaries. An important aspect about the judgement was that section 65J of the Magistrates Court Act has now been amended through a joint interpretative mechanism of severance and reading in. The Constitutional Court’s order now requires judicial supervision in the EAO process, whereby a magistrate issues the EAO. This dissertation examines the effect of this and how EAOs are currently regulated. It also discusses whether judicial supervision is the solution to ameliorating the law on EAOs. Qualitative research methods were utilised such as legislation, case law, textbooks and journal articles. While there are no statistics to prove the link, anecdotal evidence proves the link between reckless credit and EAOs.

No abstract available.

Companies are constantly facing risks, including financial constraints, which may contribute to companies being unable to trade in the manner desired. Unfortunately, companies that find themselves in this predicament have, in reality, been without a remedy from as early as statutory provisions regulating company law were promulgated in 1926. Judicial management, as a remedy, is notorious for being an outright failure, but the current Companies Act 71 of 2008 introduced the remedy of business rescue for financially distressed companies. The scrutiny and spotlight on the new remedy turns on whether it can be truly accessible for the companies in question and what significant changes it has made to favour financially distressed companies. This mini dissertation will aim to discuss whether the remedy of business rescue has been a success or failure.

Le droit commercial au Cameroun est régi par l’Acte uniforme révisé de l’Organisation pour l’harmonisation en Afrique du droit des affaires (OHADA) portant droit commercial général¹ en son article 1 qui renvoie, aux lois non contraires à l’Acte iniforme applicables dans l’État partie où se situe l’établissement ou le siège social du commerçant ou de l’entreprenant. Ce droit dont la finalité pour les principaux acteurs que sont les commerçants est la recherche du profit et pour l’État le développement économique ne saurait ignorer d’autres finalités importantes pour tous. Il s’agit des questions environnementales dont les nombreuses messes démontrent l’urgence de

La « raison d’être » de l’OHADA est de faciliter l’activité des entreprises et garantir la sécurité juridique et judiciaire des activités économiques. A cette fin, la justice ou « la juridiction compétente dans l’Etat Partie » selon les termes du législateur de l’OHADA, est d’une grande contribution. Mais, en marge de cette justice, on voit se développer remarquablement les Modes Alternatifs de Règlements des Différends (MARD) en Droit OHADA. Le législateur est parti de l’arbitrage pour en arriver aujourd’hui à la médiation, sans oublier la conciliation. Le souci du législateur est sans doute d’assurer la célérité dans le traitement des conflits, garantie que n’offre pas toujours la justice étatique. Que devient alors le juge étatique au milieu de ces «nouveaux» modes de règlement des différends dans le droit OHADA ? La réponse à cette interrogation est apportée en considération des deux Actes uniformes récemment adoptés (le 23 novembre 2017 à Conakry) par le Conseil des Ministres de l’OHADA sur la Médiation et l’Arbitrage. Dans l’un ou l’autre de ces textes, le juge n’est pas traité de la même manière, conséquence de la nature de chaque procédure. La nature contractuelle de l’accord de médiation s’impose au juge tandis que la sentence arbitrale doit faire l’objet de reconnaissance et d’exequatur. En conséquence, le juge qui semble s’effacer lors du déroulement des procédures d’arbitrage et de médiation, réapparaît à l’occasion de l’exécution des décisions qui en résultent, mais là encore, son intervention est nuancée. Dans l’exécution de la sentence arbitrale elle est obligatoire et exclusive ; dans la mise en œuvre de l’accord de médiation elle est facultative. Au final, l’on peut souhaiter que le législateur fasse interagir les différentes procédures de règlement des différends en droit OHADA.

Le 23 novembre 2017, le dixième Acte uniforme de l’OHADA sur la médiation a été adopté au cours de la 45e session du Conseil des Ministres tenue à Conakry (Guinée). Selon le communiqué final de ladite session, cet Acte uniforme a pour objectif « de combler le vide législatif existant en la matière dans la plupart des Etats membres de l’OHADA et promouvoir ce procédé amiable de règlement des différends ». Le but de cette réflexion est de jeter un regard critique sur ce texte dans une approche comparative avec le contexte belge. L’analyse sera focalisée sur la question de la professionnalisation des médiateurs. En Belgique, la médiation est une « profession réglementée », alors que dans l’espace OHADA, l’accès à la médiation semble libre, ce qui peut laisser des doutes sur la crédibilité de cet outil de règlement amiable des litiges.