South African Law of Delict

Study content for South African Law of Delict: notes, practice MCQs and flashcards across 9 syllabus topics. This is AI-generated draft content — citations have not yet been independently verified.

Syllabus

• General Introduction & Constitutional FrameworkTopic

  Definition and nature of delict vs crime vs contract · Elements overview (WFCD: wrongfulness, fault, causation, damage) · Delict and the Constitution / Bill of Rights

• Conduct (Act or Omission)Topic

  Voluntary human conduct · Omissions and legal duty to act · Automatism defence

• Wrongfulness (Unlawfulness)Topic

  Objective reasonableness / boni mores test · Constitutional rights as wrongfulness determinant · Pure economic loss

• Grounds of Justification (Defences)Topic

  Consent (volenti non fit iniuria) · Private defence (self-defence) · Necessity

• FaultTopic

  Intention (dolus directus / eventualis) · Negligence: reasonable person test (bonus paterfamilias) · Subjective vs objective standard

• CausationTopic

  Factual causation: conditio sine qua non (but-for test) · Legal (adequate) causation: flexible approach · Intervening causes (novus actus interveniens)

• Harm / DamageTopic

  Patrimonial loss (damnum) · Non-patrimonial loss (iniuria) · Pure economic loss

• Specific DelictsTopic

  Defamation (animus iniuriandi; defences: truth + public interest, fair comment, privilege) · Invasion of privacy · Wrongful arrest and malicious prosecution

• Remedies, Prescription & Procedural MattersTopic

  Delictual damages heads · Prescription Act 68 of 1969 · Apportionment of Damages Act 34 of 1956

• General principle

  Define delict and list the four essential elements (WFCD).

  South African law
• Carmichele v Minister of Safety and Security

  How does the Constitution require courts to interpret and develop delict law?

  [2001] ZACC 22; 2001 (4) SA 938 (CC)
• Za v Smith and Another

  What is the test for wrongfulness in South African delict?

  [2015] ZASCA 75; 2015 (4) SA 574 (SCA)