Privaatreg | Private Law

Honorary Professors
    • Appeal Court Judge Fritz Brand

Justice Fritz Brand studied at the Stellenbosch University and University of Leiden in the Netherlands (BA LLB LLM (cum laude)). He started his career as an academic in the Faculty of Law, Stellenbosch before he joined the Cape Bar in 1977. He practised as advocate, becoming Senior Counsel in 1989. In September 1992 he was appointed as judge in the High Court in Cape Town. After serving as acting judge of appeal at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein in 2000, he was appointed permanently to that court from 1 December 2001. In 2010 he was appointed as an acting judge to the Constitutional Court for two terms, retaining his permanent position on the Supreme Court of Appeal. Justice Brand always retained his interest in the academia and continued publishing, especially in the field of Defamation and Enrichment. In this capacity he has contributed to the South African Law Journal and the Law of South Africa (LAWSA) specifically. As visiting lecturer and honorary professor he has lectured in various universities and institutions, locally and abroad. When his first term as honorary professor lapsed at the end of 2016 Justice Brand accepted a further term in the Department of Private Law. In this regard the Department of Private Law and the Law Faculty, Stellenbosch, continue to draw from his vast mentoring and research capabilities.

Regter Fritz Brand het sy kwalifikasies (BA, LLB, LLM (cum laude)) by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch en Universiteit van Leiden verwerf. Hy het sy akademiese loopbaan by Stellenbosch se Regsfakulteit begin, waarna hy in 1977 as lid van die Kaapse Balie opgeneem is. Hy het as advokaat gepraktiseer waarna hy in 1989 as Senior Advokaat aangestel is. In September 1992 het hy as regter in die Hooggeregshof van Kaapstad gedien. Hy het in 2000 as Appèlhofregter in die Hooggeregshof van Bloemfontein gedien, waarna hy in ʼn permanente posisie vanaf 1 Desember 2001 aangestel is. Daarna is hy in 2010 vir twee termyne as waarnemende regter in die Konstitusionele Hof aangestel terwyl hy sy permanente posisie in die Hooggeregshof van Appèl behou het. Regter Brand het ook sy belangstelling in die akademie voortgesit, deur voortdurend te publiseer, veral in die veld van laster en verryking. In hierdie rol het hy navorsing tot die South African Law Journal (SALJ) en die Law of South Africa (LAWSA) bygedra. As besoekende dosent en ereprofessor het hy by verskeie plaaslike sowel as internasionale universiteite en instellings klasgegee. Met die verstryking van sy eerste termyn (2016) as ereprofessor het Regter Brand ʼn tweede termyn by die Departement Privaatreg aanvaar. Vervolgens baat beide die Stellenbosch se Regsfakulteit en die Departement van Privaatreg uit Regter Brand se geweldige leiding en navorsingsvermoë.

    • Professor Katharina Boele-Woelki

Katharina Boeli-Woelki is Dean of the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany. She is an internationally acclaimed expert in various legal fields, including Private International Law, Comparative Law and Family Law. In this capacity she has published widely and has lectured in both the Netherlands and Germany. She is president of the Dutch Association of Family Law, member of the board of the Dutch Association of Comparative Law, and a member of several editorial boards of Dutch, European and South African law journals. To date she received three honorary doctorates, in 2011, 2015 and 2016 respectively, from the University of Uppsala, the University of Lausanne and the University of Antwerp. Since 2014 she has been the President of the International Academy of Comparative Law, of which she is also a titular member. As Honorary Professor in the Department of Private Law she presents annual training sessions and master classes in Comparative Law research methodology to Stellenbosch Law Faculty’s post-graduate cohort.

Latharina Boeli-Woelki is Dekaan van die Bucerius Regskool in Hamburg, Duitsland. Sy is ʼn internasionaal bekroonde ekspert in verskeie regsvelde, insluitende Privaatreg, Internasionale Reg, Vergelykendereg en Familiereg. Sy het heelwat in hierdie velde gepubliseer en in beide Duitsland en Nederland klasgegee. Sy is die voorsitter van die Nederlandse Vereniging van Familiereg, raadslid van die Nederlandse Vereniging van Vergelykendereg en lid van verskeie redaksies van Nederlandse, Europese en Suid-Afrikaanse regsjoernale. Tot op hede het sy drie eredoktorsgrade, vanaf Universiteit van Uppsala (2011), Universiteit van Lausanne (2015) en Universiteit van Antwerpen (2016) verwerf. Sedert 2014 is sy die President van die Internasionale Akademie van Vergelykendereg, waarvan sy ook ʼn erelid is. As Ereprofessor in die Departement van Privaatreg, bied sy jaarlikse opleiding en meestersklasse aan, oor Vergelykendereg-navorsingsmetodologie vir Regsfakulteit Stellenbosch se nagraadse klas.

Extraordinary Professors
    • Judge Yasmin Shenaz Meer

Justice Yasmin Shenaz Meer (BA – University of Durban Westville, LLB – University of Cape Town, LLM – University of Warwick, UK) was one of the first judges appointed when the Land Claims Court was newly established in 1996.  She is the most experienced judge at the Land Claims Court and is also the acting Judge President. Having completed her articles she joined the Legal Resources Centre as its first attorney in Cape Town. She was instrumental in establishing the Cape Town office where she practiced for 10 years. Thereafter she held the position of Deputy National Director of the Legal Resources Centre before being appointed to the bench in 1996. As South Africa has never before had a Land Claims Court the contributions of the early judges is truly ground breaking. Justice Meer’s contribution to jurisprudence dealing with land reform generally and restitution, redistribution and tenure reform specifically are profound.  Since 2012 she has also been the acting Judge President of the Land Claims Court. Managing the court and its rather unique functioning as a permanent circuit court brought about new challenges. In this capacity Judge Meer introduced new mechanisms, like the annual Stakeholders Meeting, which contributed to improving the Court’s efficacy. It is envisaged that Justice Meer will play an important role in the Advanced Property Law 457 module, dealing with Constitutional Property Law and Land Reform specifically.

Regter Yasmin Shenaz Meer (BA – Universiteit van Durban Westville, LLB – Universiteit van Kaapstad, LLM – Universiteit van Warwick, VK) was een van die eerste regters wat in die nuut gestigte Grondeisehof aangestel is. Sy is die mees ervare regter in die Grondeisehof en is ook die waarnemende Regterpresident. Na afloop van haar kandidaatprokureurskap het sy by die Regshulpbronne Sentrum in Kaapstad as hul eerste prokureur gewerk. Sy het ʼn kardinale rol gespeel in die oprigting van die Kaapstadkantore waar sy 10 jaar gepraktiseer het. Daarna beklee sy die posisie van Adjunk Nasionale Direkteur van die Regshulpbronne Sentrum, waarna sy in 1996 as Regter aangestel is. Aangesien Suid-Afrika voorheen nie ʼn Grondeisehof gehad het nie, word die vroeër regters se bydraes as grensverskuiwend beskou. Regter Meer se diepgaande bydrae tot regsgeleerdheid, in die besonder grondhervorming en herstel herverspreiding en eiendomsregshervorming, word veral as belangrik geag. Sedert 2012 is sy die Waarnemende Regterpresident van die Grondeisehof. Die bestuur van die hof, met die inagname van die unieke funksionering as ʼn permanente rondgaande hof, het nuwe uitdagings na vore gebring. In hierdie posisie het Regter Meer nuwe protokol, soos die jaarlikse Belanghebbendesvergadering ingestel, wat tot die effektiwiteit van die hof bydra. Die beoogde doel is dat Regter Meer ʼn belangrik rol sal speel in die Gevorderde Eiendomsreg 457 module, wat spesifiek fokus op Konstitusionele Eiendomsreg en Grondhervorming.

Research fellows
  • Professor Gerhard Lubbe

Gerhard Lubbe (BA LLB (Stellenbosch), LLM (Yale)) is an emeritus Professor of Private Law since his retirement in 2014. As a previous Dean of the Faculty of Law (2007-2012), he provided invaluable service to the Law Faculty and the University Management Team before serving as a member of the Council of the University of Stellenbosch (2010-2013). He received various Vice Chancellor’s awards for his contribution to Teaching and Learning and has supervised 13 Masters and 6 Doctoral students. His main fields of interest are the Law of Contract, Cession and Law of Estoppel. He has published widely in these fields and is co-author of three textbooks on Contract Law, the author of ‘Cession’ in LAWSA and was responsible for the original text of the chapter on ‘Mortgage and Pledge’ in the same publication. He is working on the 6th edition of Contract: General Principles (with LF van Huyssteen and MFB Reinecke) and is preparing two contributions on the Law of Cession for publication in edited collections of essays. In 2014 he was awarded (with Prof JE du Plessis) the Toon van den Heever Prize for Legal Science by the South African Academy for Science and Arts for Man van Beginsel: Die lewe en nalatenskap van JC de Wet (2013).

Gerhard Lubbe (BA LLB (Stellenbosch), LLM (Yale)) is sedert sy aftrede in 2014 ʼn emeritus Professor in Privaatreg. As voormalige dekaan het hy onskatbare diens aan die Regsfakulteit en die Universiteit se Bestuurspan gelewer voor hy as ʼn Raadslid van Universiteit van Stellenbosch gedien het (2010-2013). Hy het verskeie Visekanselier-toekennings vir sy bydrae tot Onderrig en Leer ontvang en ook 13 meesters en 6 doktorale studente in hul studies gelei. Sy hoofveld van belangstelling is Kontraktereg, oordrag en Reg van Estoppel. Hy het verskeie publikasies in hierdie velde, is mede-outeur van drie handboeke oor Kontraktereg, outeur van “Cession” in LAWSA en was verantwoordelik vir die oorspronklike teks van die hoofstuk wat betref “Mortgage and Pledge”. Hy werk tans aan die 6de uitgawe van “Contract: General Principles” (saam met LF van Huyssteen & MFB Reinecke) en berei twee bydraes oor Sessiereg vir publikasie in ʼn versameling opstelle, voor. In 2014 ontvang hy (saam met Prof JE du Plessis) die Toon van den Heever-toekenning vir Regswetenskap vanaf die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns vir Man van Beginsel: die lewe en nalatenskap van JC de Wet (2013).

  • Professor Max Loubser

Max Loubser is an emeritus Professor of Private Law, University of Stellenbosch and Research Associate in the Faculty of Law, University of Stellenbosch. He holds the qualifications BA (Law) cum laude, University of Stellenbosch (1970); LL B cum laude University of Stellenbosch (1972) and D Phil, University of Oxford (1977). He is a Rhodes Scholar 1972) and has been awarded a number of academic and research-related awards. He is a South African Attorney, Notary, Conveyancer and practices as attorney and director of Cluver Markotter Inc., Stellenbosch. His main academic areas of interest are the law of delict; product liability and the law of extinctive prescription. He has published extensively in these areas, including the books Extinctive Prescription; Tort, South Africa (in the series International Encyclopaedia of Laws); The Law of Delict in South Africa, (co-author and co-editor with Prof Rob Midgley); Product Liability in South Africa (co-author with Prof Elspeth Reid); and Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (co-author with Prof Elspeth Reid of the sections on product liability). He has served in a number of community organisations and holds a number of company directorships.

Max Loubser is ʼn emeritus Professor in Privaatreg, Universiteit van Stellenbosch (US) en ʼn navorsingsgenoot in die Regsfakulteit van die US. Hy het die kwalifikasies BA (regte) cum laude, US (1970); LLB cum laude US (1972) en DPhil by Oxford Universiteit (1977) verwerf. Hy is ʼn Rhodes geleerde (1972) en het ʼn aantal akademie- en navorsingstoekennings ontvang. Hy is ʼn Suid-Afrikaanse prokureur, notaris en aktebesorger en praktiseer as prokureur en direkteur van Cluver Markotter Ing., Stellenbosch. Sy hoof akademiese velde van belangstelling sluit in deliktereg, produkaanspreeklikheid en reg van bevrydende verjaring. In hierdie akademiese velde het hy heelwat publikasies, inter alia boeke getiteld Extinctive Prescription; Tort, South Africa (in die reeks International Encyclopaedia of Laws); The Law of Delict in South Africa, (mede-outeur en mederedakteur saam met Prof Rob Midgley); Product Liability in South Africa (mede-outeur saam met Prof Elspeth Reid); en Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (mede-outeur saam met Prof Elspeth Reid wat betref die afdelings oor produkaanspreeklikheid). Hy vorm deel van ʼn aantal gemeenskaporganisasies en beklee direkteurposisies van verskeie maatskappy.

  • Professor Cornie van der Merwe

Professor Cornie van der Merwe is an A-rated researcher who has contributed greatly and continues to contribute greatly to the Law Faculty’s research and post-graduate output. Apart from his extremely valuable contribution to accredited outputs and post-graduate supervision, Prof van der Merwe still continues to lecture in Advanced Property Law modules at undergraduate and Master’s levels. He has also contributed greatly to mentoring younger colleagues and has in this capacity co-published with staff and post-graduate students. Prof van der Merwe hails from the Free State and obtained the BA degree from the University of the Free State. He attended Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar and was awarded the BA (Hons) and BCL degrees in 1964 and 1965 respectively. In 1967 he obtained the LLB from the University of the Free State and in 1972 the LLD from the University of South Africa. Cornie van der Merwe published the first comprehensive text book on Property Law in Afrikaans in the country. He is a world-renowned Property Law scholar, especially within the context of fragmented ownership and has vast experience as guest lecturer globally.  More than 40 students completed their post-graduate studies under Prof van der Merwe’s guidance and he has received numerous national and international rewards for excellence in research.

Professor Cornie van der Merwe is ʼn top navorser wat ʼn ontsaglike groot en deurlopende bydrae maak tot die Regsfakulteit se navorsing en nagraadse uitsette. Derhalwe bogenoemde bied Prof van der Merwe lesings in Gevorderde Eiendomsreg aan voorgraads- en meersterstudente. Hy het ook ʼn groot rol gespeel in die mentorskap van jonger kollegas en op hierdie manier ook as mede-outeur opgetree saam met kollegas en nagraadse studente. Prof van der Merwe is afkomstig van die Vrystaat en het sy BA-graad by Die Universiteit van Vrystaat verwerf. Hy het ook Oxford Universiteit as ʼn Rhodes geleerde bygewoon en sy BA-Honneurs (1964) en BCL-graad (1965) daar verwerf. In 1967 het hy sy LLB-graad by Die Universiteit van Vrystaat verwerf en 1972 sy LLD by Unisa. Professor Cornie van der Merwe het die eerste omvattende Afrikaanse handboek oor Eiendomregs in Suid-Afrika gepubliseer. Hy is ʼn wêreldbekende Eiendomsreg geleerde, veral in die konteks van meerdere eienaarskap en het geweldige ervaring as ʼn internasionale besoekende dosent. Meer as 40 studente het hul nagraadse studies onder sy akademiese leiding voltooi en hy het verskeie nasionale en internasionale toekennings vir uitmuntende navorsing ontvang.