A Review of the Decision of the Constitutional Court of South Africa in the Shilubana Case: Lessons for the Development of Customary Law in Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2522-3062/14331Keywords:
Customary law in Ghana, Constitutional Court of South Africa, customary law reform, Shilubana, male primogenitureAbstract
In the case discussed in this article, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of South Africa was confronted with the issue of the customary law rule of male primogeniture and its discriminatory effects on women regarding chieftaincy succession. The court held that, given that the said customary law practice was discriminatory, it needed to be developed to meet the constitutional human rights value of gender equality. The court’s decision is regarded as the basis for new criteria by which living customary law can be developed further. The article seeks to review the decision of the Constitutional Court and its impact on the development of customary law in general. Against this backdrop, the author proceeds to evaluate and offer a comparative analysis of the judicial and legislative efforts by Ghana and South Africa to promote the development of customary law and whether the decision of the Constitutional Court of South Africa (Constitutional Court) could offer lessons for the development of Ghanaian customary law in general. It is contended that the measures put in place under Ghanaian law to promote the development of customary law are inadequate and thus recommendations for the development of Ghanaian customary law drawing on lessons from the decision of the Constitutional Court are made.
Metrics
References
Abotsi EK, ‘Customary Law and the Rule of Law: Evolving Tensions and Re-engineering’ (2020) 37(2) Arizona Journal of International & Comparative Law.
Atudiwe AP, ‘Sarbah on Legal Pluralism and Sense of Legality in the Gold Coast: Some Insights for Ghana’s Current Legal System’ (2014) 27 University of Ghana Law Journal.
Bennett TW, ‘Re-introducing African Customary Law to the South African Legal System’ (2009) 57 American Journal of Comparative Law <https://doi.org/10.5131/ajcl.2008.0001> DOI: https://doi.org/10.5131/ajcl.2008.0001
Chanock M, The Making of South African Legal Culture 1902-1936: Fear, Favour, Prejudice (Cambridge University Press 2001) <https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511495403> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511495403
Cobbah JAM, ‘African Values and the Human Rights Debate: An African Perspective’ (1987) 9 Human Rights Quarterly <https://doi.org/10.2307/761878> DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/761878
Dalton-Brits E, ‘The Changing Face of Customary Law in South Africa: A Dualistic Examination of the Viability of the Van-Breda-Test and a Call for Revised Criteria for Customary Law to have an Existence Right in the 21st Century’ (2011) 47(2) Journal for Christian Scholarship.
Davies J and Dagbanja DN, ‘The Role and Future of Customary Tort Law in Ghana: A Cross-Cultural Perspective’ (2009) 26 Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law.
Deng F, ‘The Cross Fire of Sudan’s War of Identities’ in Deborah Isser (ed.) Customary Justice and the Rule of Law in War-Torn Societies (United Nations Institute of Peace Press 2011).
Dobinson I and Johns F, ‘Qualitative Legal Research’ in Michael McConville & Wing Hong Chui (eds), Research Methods for Law (Edinburgh University Press 2007).
Ehrlich E, Fundamental Principles of the Sociology of Law (Harvard University Press 1936).
Ezer T, ‘Forging a Path for Women’s Rights in Customary Law’ (2016) 27(1) Hastings Women’s Law Journal.
Hammond A, ‘Customary Law Reform: “Psycho-Cultural” Approach?’ (2014) 27 University of Ghana Law Journal.
Kludze AKP, Ghana: Ewe Law of Property (Sweet and Maxwell 1973).
Maunatlala K and Maimela C, ‘The Implementation of Customary Law of Succession and Common Law of Succession Respectively: With a Specific Focus on the Eradication of the Rule of Male Primogeniture’ (2020) 53 De Jure <https://doi.org/10.17159/2225-7160/2020/v53a3> DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/2225-7160/2020/v53a3
Mbatha L, ‘Reforming the Customary Law of Succession’ (2002) 18 South African Journal on Human Rights.
Mbatha L and others, ‘Culture and Religion’ in E Bonthuys and C Albertyn (eds), Gender, Law and Justice (Juta Cape Town 2007).
Merry Sally Engle, ‘Law and Colonialism’ (1991) 25(4) Law & Society Review.
Mmusinyane B, ‘The Role of Traditional Authorities in Developing Customary Laws in Accordance with the Constitution: Shilubana and Others v Nwamitwa 2008 9 BCLR 914 (CC)’ (2009) 12(3) Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal <https://doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v12i3.46273> DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v12i3.46273
Ndima DD, ‘The Shape and Content of Post-Apartheid African Law: Academic Scholars in Conversation’ (2017) 38(1) Obiter <https://doi.org/10.17159/obiter.v38i1.11501> DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/obiter.v38i1.11501
Ndulo M, ‘African Customary Law, Customs and Women Rights’ (2011) 18 Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies <https://doi.org/10.2979/indjglolegstu.18.1.87> DOI: https://doi.org/10.2979/indjglolegstu.18.1.87
Nhlapo T, ‘Customary Law in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Constitutional, Confrontations in Culture, Gender and ‘Living Law’ (2017) South African Journal of Human Rights <https://doi.org/10.1080/02587203.2017.1303900> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02587203.2017.1303900
Ntlama N, ‘The Application of Section 8(3) of the Constitution in the Development of Customary Law Values in South Africa’s New Constitutional Dispensation’ (2012) 15(1) Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal <https://doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v15i1.2> DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v15i1.2
Tchana AN, ‘Repugnancy and the Incompatibility Clauses and Their Impact on Customary: Some Lessons for Cameroon’ (2021) 2 Zien Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Obeng Mireku, ‘Customary Law and the Promotion of Gender Equality: An Appraisal of the Shilubana Decision’ (2010) 10 African Human Rights Law Journal 515–523.
Orucu E, ‘Developing Comparative Law’ in E Orucu and D Nelken (eds), Comparative Law: A Handbook (Hart 2007) 43.
Pimentel D, ‘Legal Pluralism in Post-colonial Africa: Linking Statutory and Customary Adjudication in Mozambique’ (2011) 14 Yale Human Rights and Development Law Journal <https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1668063> DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1668063
Pimentel D, ‘Rule of Law Reform Without Cultural Imperialism: Reinforcing Customary Justice Through Collateral Review in Southern Sudan’ (2010) 2(1) The Hague Journal on The Rule of Law <https://doi.org/10.1017/S1876404510100013> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1876404510100013
Rautenbach C, ‘Case Law as an Authoritative Source of Customary Law: Piecemeal Recording of (Living) Customary Law?’ (2019) 22(1) Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal <https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2019/v22i0a7591> DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2019/v22i0a7591
Reilly N, Women’s Human Rights: Seeking Gender Justice in a Globalizing Age (Polity Press 2009).
Soyapi CB, ‘Regulating Traditional Justice in South Africa: A Comparative Analysis of Selected Aspects of the Traditional Courts Bill’ (2014) 17(4) Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal <https://doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v17i4.07> DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v17i4.07
South African Law Commission, The Harmonisation of the Common Law and the Indigenous Law (The Application of Customary Law: Conflict of Personal Laws) Project 90 4 (SALC 1996).
Taiwo EA, ‘Repugnancy Clause and its Impact on Customary Law: Comparing the South African and Nigerian Positions-Some Lessons for Nigeria’ (2009) 34(1) Journal of Juridical Science <https://doi.org/10.4314/jjs.v34i1.62091> DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/jjs.v34i1.62091
Tshehla B, ‘Traditional Justice in Practice- A Limpopo Case Study’ (2005) 115 Monograph Series Institute for Security Studies <https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/118312/115FULL.pdf> accessed 1 March 2023.
Vanderlinden J, ‘What Kind of Law Making in a Global World? The Case of Africa, (2007) 67 Louisiana Law Review.
Verhelst T, ‘Safeguarding African Customary Law: Judicial and Legislative Processes for its Adaptation and Integration’ (Occasional Paper No 7, University of California African Studies Center 1968).
Cases
Akrofi v Akrofi [1965] Ghana Law Report 13.
Bhe and Others v Magistrate, Khayelitsha (Commission for Gender Equality as Amicus Curiae); Shibi v Sithole and Others; South African Human Rights Commission & Anor. v President of the Republic of South Africa and Other (2004) ZACC 17; 2005(1) SA 580 (CC); 2005 (1) BCLR 1 (CC).
Gumede v President of the Republic of South Africa 2009(3) SA 152 (CC).
In Re Kofi Antubam (Dec’d): Quaico v Fosu & Anor [1965] Ghana Law Report 138.
Mayelane v Ngwenyama (2013) (4) SA 415 (CC).
R v Salituro 1992 8 CRR (2d) 173.
Shilubana & Others v Nwamitwa 2009 (2) SA 66 (CC).
Legislation
Constitution of Ghana 1992.
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996.
Chieftaincy Act Ghana 759 2008.
Courts Act Ghana 459 1993.
Law Reform Commission Act of Ghana 822 2011.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
© Published by the Department of Public, Constitutional and International Law, University of South Africa and Unisa Press.
Accepted 2023-12-22
Published 2024-04-13
