The doctrine of frustration: A solution to the problem of changed circumstances in South African contract law?

dc.contributor.authorHutchison, Andrew
dc.coverage.spatial84-106en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-29T09:10:56Z
dc.date.available2016-08-29T09:10:56Z
dc.date.issued2010-03-01
dc.description.abstractThe South African law of contract contains a lacuna in that it addresses only the narrow issue of supervening impossibility and not the broader problem of supervening change of circumstances. Comparative study is illuminating in this regard: many other leading Western legal systems employ a doctrine of changed circumstances. One such example is English law. While this system is more conservative than, for example, the equivalent US law or the model rules of international trade as contained in the Unidroit Principles of International Commercial Contracts, it offers a broad approach of discharge where there has been a “radical change in the obligation”. This feature of English law has been used in several past South African decisions to offer a solution to the lack of a doctrine to deal with changed circumstances in this country. The question needs to be asked what the status of these precedents is and in particular whether the English law of frustration is compatible with the South African common law. The answer is that there are fundamental differences between these two systems and that while English law provides a useful comparative study, in itself it is not the ideal solution to South Africa’s problem.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationHutchison, A. (2010). The doctrine of frustration: A solution to the problem of changed circumstances in South African contract law?. <i>South African Law Journal</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21578en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationHutchison, Andrew "The doctrine of frustration: A solution to the problem of changed circumstances in South African contract law?." <i>South African Law Journal</i> (2010) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21578en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationAndrew Hutchison 'The doctrine of frustration: a solution to the problem of changed circumstances in South African contract law?' (2010) 127 SALJ 84.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0038-2388
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Hutchison, Andrew AB - The South African law of contract contains a lacuna in that it addresses only the narrow issue of supervening impossibility and not the broader problem of supervening change of circumstances. Comparative study is illuminating in this regard: many other leading Western legal systems employ a doctrine of changed circumstances. One such example is English law. While this system is more conservative than, for example, the equivalent US law or the model rules of international trade as contained in the Unidroit Principles of International Commercial Contracts, it offers a broad approach of discharge where there has been a “radical change in the obligation”. This feature of English law has been used in several past South African decisions to offer a solution to the lack of a doctrine to deal with changed circumstances in this country. The question needs to be asked what the status of these precedents is and in particular whether the English law of frustration is compatible with the South African common law. The answer is that there are fundamental differences between these two systems and that while English law provides a useful comparative study, in itself it is not the ideal solution to South Africa’s problem. DA - 2010-03-01 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - South African Law Journal KW - Law KW - Contract KW - Frustration KW - Supervening Impossibility KW - Change of Circumstances LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 SM - 0038-2388 T1 - The doctrine of frustration: A solution to the problem of changed circumstances in South African contract law? TI - The doctrine of frustration: A solution to the problem of changed circumstances in South African contract law? UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21578 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/21578
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationHutchison A. The doctrine of frustration: A solution to the problem of changed circumstances in South African contract law?. South African Law Journal. 2010; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21578.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.publisherJutaen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Commercial Lawen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Lawen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceSouth African Law Journalen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://juta.co.za/products/3601-south-african-law-journal
dc.subjectLaw
dc.subjectContract
dc.subjectFrustration
dc.subjectSupervening Impossibility
dc.subjectChange of Circumstances
dc.titleThe doctrine of frustration: A solution to the problem of changed circumstances in South African contract law?en_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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