Kafka’s African nightmare — bureaucracy and the law in pre- and post-apartheid South Africa
| dc.contributor.author | Du Plessis, M. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Pete, S. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-04-03T09:44:15Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-04-03T09:44:15Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2006 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: This article sets out to examine the legal system of both pre and post-apartheid South Africa, through the lens of Franz Kafka’s seminal novel “The Trial”. The central contention of the article is that Franz Kafka’s nightmare vision serves not only as a historical point of reference anticipating the insanity of the apartheid legal bureaucracy, but also acts as an injunction to South Africa’s judges and lawyers to ensure that the legacy of the apartheid period does not negatively affect service delivery in post-apartheid democratic South Africa. The article begins with a discussion of the truly Kafkaesque nature of law in South Africa during the apartheid era. The main legislative pillars of the apartheid system are discussed, as well as the human cost exacted by apartheid policies. The article then moves to a discussion of the South African legal system following the apartheid era. While acknowledging the massive shift away from the nightmare of apartheid, certain disturbingly Kafkaesque trends are noted within the bureaucracy serving the democratic South African state.Various efforts by the South African legislature and courts to combat these trends are analysed and discussed, including various legislative measures enacted since the demise of apartheid, and the development of innovative supervisory interdicts by the courts. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: Hierdie artikel ondersoek die regstelsel van beide voor- en na-apartheid Suid-Afrika, deur die lens van Franz Kafka se bekende roman “The Trial” (Die Verhoor). Die sentrale argument van die artikel is as volg. Franz Kafka se nagmerrie-visioen dien nie alleenlik as ’n historiese verwysingspunt wat die kranksinnigheid van apartheid se regsburokrasie voorspel nie. Dit dien ook as ’n opdrag aan Suid-Afrika se regsgeleerdes, om te verseker dat die nalatenskap van die apartheid-era nie dienslewering in die nuwe demokratiese Suid-Afrika benadeel nie. Die artikel begin met ’n bespreking van die eg Kafka-agtige aard van die reg in Suid-Afrika gedurende die apartheid-era. Die sentrale regspilare van die apartheidstelsel word bespreek, asook die menslike prys wat deur die apartheidsbeleid geëis is. Daarna volg ’n bespreking van die Suid-Afrikaanse regstelsel na afloop van die apartheid-era. Alhoewel ’n reuse verskuiwing weg van die apartheidsnagmerrie erken word, word sekere onrusbarende neigings binne die burokrasie wat die demokratiese Suid- Afrikaanse staat bedien, uitgelig. Die artikel ondersoek en bespreek verskeie pogings aangewend deur die Suid-Afrikaanse regstelsel om hierdie tendense teë te werk, insluitende verskeie regstappe toegepas sedert die einde van apartheid, asook die ontwikkeling van innoverende toesighoudende interdikte deur die hof. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Publisher's version | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Du Plessis, M., & Peté, S. (2006). Kafka’s African nightmare — bureaucracy and the law in pre- and post-apartheid South Africa. Journal for Juridical Science, 31(1), 39-60. | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.issn | 0258-252X (print) | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 2415-0517 (online) | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/8079 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Faculty of Law, University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Faculty of Law, University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Legal system | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Franz Kafka | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | "The Trial" | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Apartheid, South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Kafka’s African nightmare — bureaucracy and the law in pre- and post-apartheid South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Article | en_ZA |