The healing power of life writing, one shared story at a time

This Is How It Is a “refreshing, poignant and wide-ranging” (Helen Moffett) collection of real life experiences: 52 stories, prose and poetry, that tell of a man who is anxious about an HIV test; a child with an alarming nose for gossip and a girl who is saved by the enemy in a war zone. Some of the writers are grieving the loss of a child or struggling with addiction, abuse, bullying or betrayal. Most of these writers have never been published before. They wrote these stories primarily to bear witness to their lives and the troubled times in which we live. Putting traumatic experiences down on paper can help people work through shame, guilt and fear, releasing them from the traps they lay. Writing is sometimes able to turn a painful incident into something more manageable, even beautiful.

Sharing stories can also heal both the writer and the reader. When we first meet a stranger, we make assumptions about them. When we hear of their life in their own words, we find that many of our negative assumptions are wrong. Often we discover that we are more alike than we are different. Our magnificent world is in trouble, much of it because we are not paying attention to what is right in front of us. When the facts don’t stir us to reconsider, story can. This anthology invites us to become curious and reflective rather than fearful and defensive. It encourages us to climb down from the ladder of hierarchy and competition and to join the circle of relationship and humanity by becoming vulnerable enough to share and listen to our own and each other’s half-hidden stories.

But equally importantly, Bongani Kona, 2016 Caine Prize finalist, reminds us: “We forget that the most daring thing we can do is to allow ourselves to be seen. To stand before the world and to say this is who I am. This is how it is.”

About THE LIFE RIGHTING COLLECTIVE: The Life Righting Collective (LRC) runs courses for anyone who wants to learn to write about their experiences. The approach promotes self-discovery, self-recovery and more effective communication. It raises funds to make courses available to those in need of sponsorship and to provide platforms for these life stories to be published. Sharing experiences with a wide readership can help reduce discrimination and promote mutual understanding. Visit the website: www.liferighting.com

A secret torment for some, a proud responsibility for others, ‘black tax’ is a daily reality for thousands of black South Africans. In this thought-provoking and moving anthology, a provocative range of voices share their deeply personal stories.

With the majority of black South Africans still living in poverty today, many black middle-class households are connected to working-class or jobless homes. Some believe supporting family members is an undeniable part of African culture and question whether it should even be labelled as a kind of tax. Others point to the financial pressure it places on black students and professionals, who, as a consequence, struggle to build their own wealth. Many feel they are taking over what is essentially a government responsibility. The contributions also investigate the historical roots of black tax, the concept of the black family and the black middle class.

In giving voice to so many different perspectives, Black Tax hopes to start a dialogue on this widespread social phenomenon.

The Land Is Ours tells the story of South Africa’s first black lawyers, who operated in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In an age of aggressive colonial expansion, land dispossession and forced labour, these men believed in a constitutional system that respected individual rights and freedoms, and they used the law as an instrument against injustice.

The book follows the lives, ideas and careers of Henry Sylvester Williams, Alfred Mangena, Richard Msimang, Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Ngcubu Poswayo and George Montsioa, who were all members of the ANC. It analyses the legal cases they took on, explores how they reconciled the law with the political upheavals of the day, and considers how they sustained their fidelity to the law when legal victories were undermined by politics.

The Land Is Ours shows that these lawyers developed the concept of a Bill of Rights, which is now an international norm. The book is particularly relevant in light of current calls to scrap the Constitution and its protections of individual rights: it clearly demonstrates that, from the beginning, the struggle for freedom was based on the idea of the rule of law.

What would you do if you discovered that the food you have been told is good for you is actually the cause of your ill health …?

In December 2010, Professor Tim Noakes was introduced to a way of eating that was contrary to everything he had been taught and was accepted as conventional nutrition ‘wisdom’. Having observed the benefits of the low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) lifestyle first-hand, and after thorough and intensive research, Noakes enthusiastically revealed his findings to the South African public in 2012. The backlash from his colleagues in the medical establishment was as swift as it was brutal, and culminated in a misconduct inquiry launched by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). The subsequent hearing lasted well over a year, but Noakes ultimately triumphed, being found not guilty of unprofessional conduct in April 2017.

In Lore of Nutrition, he explains the science behind the LCHF/Banting diet, and why he champions this lifestyle despite the constant persecution and efforts to silence him. He also discusses at length what he has come to see as a medical and scientific code of silence that discourages anyone in the profession from speaking out against the current dietary guidelines. Experienced journalist Marika Sboros provides the full backstory to the HPCSA hearing, which reads like something out of a spy novel.

Written in an accessible style, Lore of Nutrition is informative, highly controversial and an eye-opener for anyone who cares about their health.

This book introduces students to the distinct legal traditions that make up the South African legal system.

A title deed = tenure security. Or does it? This book challenges this simple equation and its apparently self-evident assumptions. It argues that two very different property paradigms characterise South Africa.

The first is the dominant paradigm of private property, referred to as an ‘edifice’, against which all other property regimes are measured and ranked. However, the majority of South Africans gain access to land and housing through very different processes, which this book calls social or off-register tenures. These tenures are poorly understood, a gap Untitled aims to address. The book reveals that ‘informal’ and customary property systems can be well organised, often providing substantial tenure security, but lack official recognition and support. This makes them difficult to service and vulnerable to elite capture.

Policy interventions usually aim to formalise these arrangements by issuing title deeds. The case studies in this book, which span both rural and urban contexts in South Africa, examine these interventions and the unintended consequences they often give rise to. Interventions based on an understanding of locally embedded property relations are more likely to succeed than those that attempt to transform them into registered tenures. However, emerging practices hit intractable obstacles associated with the ‘edifice’, which only a substantial transformation of the legal paradigms can overcome.

The casebook on the South African law of persons provides clear and concise analysis of the facts and principles enunciated by the courts on the law of persons. It contains commentary and extracts from cases referred to in The South African law of persons.

General Principles of Commercial Law is a concise compendium written specifically for non-law students. Written by experienced commercial law lecturers in the Department of Mercantile Law at the University of South Africa as well as the University of Johannesburg, it has been a prescribed text for undergraduate non-law students at various South African tertiary institutions for the past 32 years.

General Principles of Commercial Law provides students with a succinct exposition of the general principles of commercial law. It covers a wide range of topics influenced by the registration requirements of the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors.

The tenth edition has been updated to reflect recent statutory and other developments in commercial law and includes:

• A revised chapter 16 on credit agreements to reflect recent amendments to the National Credit Act 34 of 2005, as well as a newly added introduction to the broad framework and aims of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013.
• A revised and updated chapter 24 that deals with various aspects and recent developments in banking law, including a discussion of selected aspects of the South African Post Bank Limited Amendment Act 10 of 2023; and the Conduct of Financial Bill, which represents the next phase in the Twin Peaks legislative reform process for market conduct. Chapter 24 now also includes a discussion of the Corporation for Deposit
• Insurance that was launched in 2024, as well as an update of recent developments in the field of stokvels.
• An expanded and updated chapter 25 on methods of payment, which includes a discussion of selected modern types of digital payment and other developments in the sphere of payments, including forex apps; contactless payment or tapping; and cost-effective payment options to local consumers.
• A new chapter 26 on financial technology, that includes a discussion of digital and virtual currencies; cryptocurrencies; blockchain; smart contracts; and fintech and digital and currency regulation in South Africa.
• A new chapter 27 on the important aspect of financial inclusion, including the elements of financial inclusion measures; types of financial exclusion; and legislative and other measures to improve financial inclusion.

Family Law in South Africa, second edition, offers a clear and accessible introduction to the principles of family law in South Africa. The second edition is thoroughly updated and revised to reflect developments within the recent period, and includes a new chapter relating to surrogacy, IVF, and other forms of non-natural reproduction.

This revised edition introduces a more integral and expanded synthesis of common law and African customary law, throughout, and includes a new chapter that discusses customary law rights, responsibilities and ritual pertaining to children.

Where relevant, aspects of legal ethics, social justice, problem solving, and comparative law are foregrounded, at the appropriate level, and critical, reflective and skills-based development is supported by the text’s unique pedagogical design.

Administrative Justice in South Africa 2e offers a clear, comprehensive and applied explanation of the principles and framework of administrative justice in South Africa. The text addresses both judicial and non-judicial means for control and enforcement, as well as procedural aspects of administrative law. Practical in its approach, the text provides valuable focus on the application of principles in case law, problem-solving methodology and specific procedural aspects of administrative justice.

The second edition includes a new, unique chapter that considers the implications of administrative justice for the creation of administrative mandates, as opposed to mere control of administrative action once taken, thus employing administrative justice in a more proactive manner.

The text offers a clear pedagogical framework that develops independent, critical and reflective engagement with the subject matter. A strong conceptual and enquiring approach enriches knowledge and engages re aders in an interactive, topical and challenging manner. Additional, high-value educational resources support learning and teaching, further assisting students to develop the academic skills required to master their studies.

Principles of Evidence fifth edition provides invaluable assistance to students, academics and practitioners alike and introduces a decolonial approach to South Africa’s law of evidence.

The book continues to assess the impact of the Constitution on the rules of evidence and analyses the bourgeoning body of case law dealing with the admissibility of evidence. It also considers recent amendments impacting the child witness as well as the presentation of oral evidence more generally and offers a separate discussion on statutory provisions regulating matters as diverse as, for example, sexual history evidence and the admissibility of electronic evidence.

Provides critical commentary and suggestions for law reform.

New Entrepreneurial Law is intended to be an aid to Henochsberg on the Companies Act 71 of 2008. This title is sold as a set accompanied by the Companies Act.

The aim of this work remains to set out the basic principles of South African private law systematically, in clear unmistakable language, and as comprehensively as is possible in a single volume. Over the years, Wille's principles has appealed to judges, practitioners and students alike, and this edition is also written with the needs of these groups in mind. This edition, of which Dale Hutchison was general editor, was a notable success in this regard, and we have sought to follow its example of balancing the retention of the basic structure of the work with innovation in the treatment of its subject matter and the dissemination of original research. We have nevertheless as far as possible maintained the very useful practice in previous editions of citing the older, original authority for a proposition alongside contemporary sources. Many of the changes were necessitated or inspired by the Constitution, which has radically altered the foundations of our legal system. The impact of the Bill of Rights on private law has been significant and is growing, via both the horizontal application of fundamental rights and their legislative implementation and elaboration. This is reflected in the structure and content of the new introductory general part as well as in the text of virtually every chapter. Importantly, the constitution has given new prominence to indigenous customary law, and in this edition we have sought, where possible in and relevant for a work of this nature, to reflect its status as equal partner of the common law. This has led to major changes in almost all of the chapters on Persons and the Family. The frequency of far-reaching judicial changes to the law combined with the uncertainties of legislative timetables to necessitate several significant revisions during the final stages of preparation for publication.

Speurder-sersant Luna Joubert van die Stellenbosch polisiediens word gestuur om die eienaardige dubbele moord op die eienaar van ’n kwekery en sy vrou te ondersoek. Die De Winters is beide met ’n skerp voorwerp aangeval, maar daar was geen teken van ‘n struweling of enige getuies om sin te maak van die voorval nie.

Terwyl Luna sukkel om ’n moord sonder verdagtes of leidrade op te los, maak Mike Grant weer sy onverwagte verskyning. Hierdie keer is hy op ’n geheime sending onder die geledere van ’n plaaslike dwelmsindikaat. Ten spyte van sy nuwe voorkoms vind Luna dit onmoontlik om nie die deur oop te maak wanneer hy klop nie.

Soos Mike homself in die onderwêreld ingrawe, begin Luna op tone trap om haar eie raaisel op te los. Was die De Winters wie almal dink hulle was? Weet die kinders dalk meer as wat hulle voorgee? Wat gaan aan by die studentehuis oorkant die straat? En wie is die man in die sportmotor wat so op die buitewyke van haar ondersoek beweeg?

Om antwoorde te kry sal Luna die donkerte en als wat daarin skuil moet trotseer. Bloedbande is die vierdie boek in Jeanette Stals se Luna Joubert-reeks.

Shaping markets through competition and economic regulation is at the heart of addressing the development challenges facing countries in southern Africa. The contributors to Competition Law And Economic Regulation: Addressing Market Power In Southern Africa critically assess the efficacy of the competition and economic regulation frameworks, including the impact of a number of the regional competition authorities in a range of sectors throughout southern Africa.

Featuring academics as well as practitioners in the field, the book addresses issues common to southern African countries, where markets are small and concentrated, with particularly high barriers to entry, and where the resources to enforce legislation against anti-competitive conduct are limited. What is needed, the contributors argue, is an understanding of competition and regional integration as part of an inclusive growth agenda for Africa. By examining competition and regulation in a single framework, and viewing this within the southern African experience, this volume adds new perspectives to the global competition literature.

It is an essential reference tool and will be of great interest to policymakers and regulators, as well as the rapidly growing ecosystem of legal practitioners and economists engaged in the field.

Brutally dragged 780 metres beneath a taxi – a young woman’s inspiring story of survival, courage, and the will to live.

13 September 2011. The story would shock thousands and be remembered by many for years to come. It would be plastered all over the papers and continue to attract interest well after the shock factor of what happened had passed. Reports and articles would be written, and “facts”, as given to reporters by some of those involved and willing to be interviewed, would be recounted and repeated in all forms of public media over the months and even years that followed. And although these versions would generate widespread outrage, none was entirely accurate.

"The stories were about me. I was there. I am Kim McCusker - the girl who was dragged by a taxi. This, as I experienced it, is the true version of events."

Interpretation of statutes is about understanding enacted law-texts, that is, making sense of the legislative scheme applicable to the situation at hand. Statutory Interpretation: An Introduction for Students aims to teach students to interpret and apply legislation within the total legal environment.

Part 1 (‘Statute law’) introduces students to the different types and categories of legislation, the structural components of legislation, the sometimes confusing ‘codes’ used in legislative texts, and the challenges of applying old order legislation together with new legislation. Part 2 (‘How legislation is interpreted’) comprises a chapter on the theoretical foundations of interpretation and an overview of the basic approaches to statutory interpretation in South Africa, and a chapter dealing with the practical application of the rules of interpretation. Part 3 (‘Judicial law-making during interpretation, and peremptory and directory provisions’) deals with day-to-day applications, and Part 4 is a basic introduction to constitutional interpretation. Students are also introduced to less well-known aspects of statutory interpretation, such as deeming clauses, the suspension of legislation, sunset clauses, legalese, and the counter-majoritarian difficulty.

The 6th edition of Statutory Interpretation: An Introduction for Students is a user-friendly introduction to the basic principles of statutory interpretation. It is aimed mainly at undergraduate students, but practitioners will also find it useful. The rules and principles of statutory interpretation are explained using hypothetical situations and practical examples from case law and legislation.

The fourth edition of Principles of Evidence strikes a balance between the theory of the law of evidence and its practical application. This edition continues to assess the impact of the Constitution on the traditional Anglo-South African law of evidence, especially with regards to the admissibility of unconstitutionally obtained evidence. It further discusses the statutory provisions regulating diverse matters such as sexual history evidence and the admissibility of electronic evidence.

Students will find this book invaluable in their study of Criminal Procedure. It introduces readers to the fundamental principles and values underlying this field of law and guides them systematically through the rules of procedure that apply in criminal cases.

Criminal Law in South Africa 4e offers a clear, comprehensive and applied explanation of the principles of criminal law in South Africa. This fourth edition text is revised and updated to reflect the extensive developments in South African- and international criminal law during the recent period.

The text addresses the general principles of criminal law, as well as the elements of specific common law crimes and statutory offences. It includes discussion of organised and commercial crime, and international criminal law, as well as a chapter that broadly outlines the South African criminal procedure system. Legal theory is presented in light of the influence of the Bill of Rights, comparative law perspectives, international and transnational law, and the emerging decolonisation debate.

A wealth of discussion points within the text offer critical perspective and analysis of moot and contentious issues. In a critical yet accessible manner, the text considers various developments that affect law reform, for example: constitutional aspects of the disciplinary chastisement of children, consent in the context of sexual offences, youth as a factor in determining criminal capacity, the scope of the crime of public violence, and the impact of cyber criminality on general principles and specific offences.

Designed to support understanding, the text succinctly explains criminal law principles with numerous case illustrations, and balances theoretical depth with a focus on the application of principles. This approach is supported by an annexure that demonstrates a methodology for solving problems in criminal law.

Criminal Law in South Africa 4e serves as core material for courses in criminal law, at the undergraduate level of the LLB programme. Additional teaching presentation and assessment resources are available to support teaching and learning.

A comprehensive reference book and set of notes that covers everything in one book. Covers the basics and fills in the gaps. Practical and user-friendly - simple, visual and logical. Colour - coded for easy understanding, recall and application.

A proper grasp of the law of insolvency can be acquired only by reading and digesting a sizeable volume of case law. This text, designed to complement Hockly's Insolvency Law, allows students and practitioners to come to terms with a broad range of insolvency cases.

Tax Law: An Introduction deals with the fundamentals of income tax in a practical and clear manner that makes this book an ideal tool for tax teachers. Written for students, this much-needed textbook simplifies complex concepts and avoids unnecessary jargon as it explains the key objectives and principles of taxation. The book sheds light on contemporary South

African tax law and the most important tax cases. It covers the process of tax collection as well as the interpretation of tax legislation.

Tax Law: An Introduction is intended to ease the teaching and understanding of an often-daunting subject. The book includes a link to the relevant Acts for easy access by students.

An introductory legal textbook for property law.

The Law of Delict in South Africa, third edition, offers an introduction to the general principles of delictual law. Comprehensive in scope, while clear and concise, the text provides a rich contextual framework which supports understanding and application of the principles.

Features:

• The text offers a progressive discussion of the law of delict, analysing the extent to which the common law of delict reflects the diverse, multicultural values of South African society, and proposing a framework for continuing, inclusive development of the common law. In addition, the third edition offers a deeper critical discussion of the relationship between common law principles and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
• The third edition draws critical connections between established principles of delictual law and the rapidly-developing technological context. Discussions, which relate and apply principles to the context of modern technologies, are integrated throughout the text.