Section 14 of the Children's Act 38 of 2005 and the child's capacity to litigate

• Author: T. Boezaart,D.W. De Bruin
• DOI: 10.10520/EJC135325
• Published date: 01 January 2011
• Date: 01 January 2011
• Pages: 416-438
• publishedBy: University of Pretoria

416

Section 14 of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005

and the child’s capacity to litigate*

T Boezaart

BA LLB LLD

Professor and Head, Department of Private Law, University of Pretoria

DW de Bruin

BA LLB LLM LLD

Presiding Officer, Children’s Court, Heidelberg

OPSOMMING

Artikel 14 van die Kinderwet 38 van 2005 en die verskyningsbevoegdheid

van 'n kind

Artikel 14 van die Kinderwet bepaal dat elke kind die reg het om ´n saak na

´n hof te bring asook om bygestaan te word om ´n saak aldus te bring. In

hierdie bydrae word artikel 14 en die invloed/gevolge daarvan op ´n kind se

verskyningsbevoegdheid ondersoek. Met die oog hierop word die

gemeenregtelike beperkings op ´n

infans

en ´n minderjarige se

verskyningsbevoegdheid oorweeg. Daar word ook aangedui hoe hierdie

beperkings in die verlede gehanteer is en hoe die rol van byvoorbeeld die

kurator

ad litem

in regspraak aangewend en ontwikkel is. Die Grondwet het

in artikel 28(1)(h) vir kinders ´n reg op regsvertenwoordiging in siviele sake

op staatskoste beding, mits dit andersins tot wesenlike onreg sou lei. Die

regspraak het daartoe bygedra dat die onderskeie rolle van ´n kurator

ad

litem

en ´n artikel 28(1)(h)

-

regsverteenwoordiger uitgeklaar is. Alhoewel

artikel 14, veral in samewerking met artikel 10, ´n bydrae lewer om kinders

se deelname in die regsproses te verseker, word aan die hand gedoen dat

artikel 14 nie met die gemeenregtelike beperkings op ´n kind se

verskyningsbevoegdheid weggedoen het nie.

1Introduction

The Children’s Act1 introduces new possibilities regarding child litigation

in South Africa. The inclusion of section 14 in the Children’s Act raises

the question whether it is possible for children to institute proceedings

in a court. Section 14 states that “[e]very child has the right to bring, and

to be assisted in bringing a matter to a court, provided that matter falls

within the jurisdiction of that court”. One of the objectives of the

Children’s Act is “[t]o give effect to certain rights of children as contained

in the Constitution”.2 The Constitution contains a general provision

granting “everyone” (thus including children) the right to access to

1We express our gratitude to Professor Johan van der Vyver who read the

manuscript and who, through his suggestions and comments, contributed

very meaningfully to its refinement. However, we take ful l responsibility for

the views expressed herein.

138 of 2005.

2The introductory part of the long title of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005,

hereafter the Children’s Act. See also s 2(b)

Children's Act.

*

Section 14 of the Children’s Act and the child’s capacity to litigate

417

courts.3 Furthermore it adds in the children’s section4 the right to be

assigned a legal practitioner in civil proceedings affecting the child.

The aim of this article is to investigate the common-law rules

applicable to a child as a party to litigation in South Africa. Furthermore,

it is to determine to what extent section 14 has amended the common-

law rules and whether a child can litigate in person without the assistance

of his or her parent or guardian and if not, to consider the feasibility of

such a development in South African law.

Common-law rules in respect of the child as an

infans

5 and a minor

have remained unchanged and unchallenged until the partial

commencement of the Children’s Act in 2007.6 The Children’s Act

inter

alia

pioneered a new era in child participation in legal proceedings which

necessitated the consideration of the child’s right of access to a court as

indicated in section 14 of the Children’s Act.7

2Common-law Rules Regarding a Child’s

Capacity to Litigate

2 1

Infans

When considering the child’s capacity to litigate, the common law

distinguished between the child’s capacity as an

infans

and as a minor.8

In common law the

infans

had no capacity to litigate, at least not in his

or her own name.9 Consequently an

infans

could not sue or be sued in

his or her own name.10 The parent or guardian of the

infans

had to sue

3S 34 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, hereafter the

Constitution. This section deals with the right of everyone “to have any

dispute that can be resolved by the application of law decided in a fair

public hearing before a court or, where appropriate, another independent

and impartial tribunal or forum”. See Davel “General principles” in

Commentary on the Children’s Act

(eds Davel & Skelton)(2007) 2-19.

4S 28(1)(h) Constitution.

5Minors below the age of seven years.

6With effect from 2007-07-01 by proclamation published in

GG

30030 of

2007-06-29.

7See De Bruin

Child Participation and Representation in Legal Matters

(LLD

thesis 2010 UP) 151, 288

et seq

.

8Voet 2 4 4. However, it must be borne in mind that “minor” sometimes

refers to all children, thus including

infantes

and sometimes in the narrow

sense, only referring to children aged seven and above.

9Voet 2 4 4, 26 7 12. This incapacity of the

infans

originated from Roman law

and was incorporated in common law as part of the Roman law influence in

Holland. Compare De Groot 1 8 4; Voet 2 4 4; Van der Keessel

Theses

Selectae

127,

Praelectiones

1 8 4.

10Voet 2 4 4;

Guardian National Insurance Co Ltd v Van Gool

1992 4 SA 61 (A)

66G. Compare Hahlo & Kahn

The Union of South Africa: The Development

of its Laws and Constitution

(1960) 376 n 48; Hosten

et al

Introduction to

South African Law and Legal Theory

(1995) 567; Van der Vyver

“Verskyningsbevoegdheid van minderjariges” 1979

THRHR

129 130-131;

Van der Vyver & Joubert

Persone- en Familiereg

(1991) 174 who refer to an

infans

as “volkome selfverskyningsonbevoeg”.