The Public Trust Doctrine in the South African Water Law : does the Inter Vivos Trust-shoe fit?

Abstract

With the promulgation of the National Water Act 36 of 1998, the South African water law changed dramatically. In order to restore the irregularities of the apartheid regime, the national government has been appointed to act as the trustee of the nation‟s water resources. This fiduciary concept is novel to South African law and shows strong similarities with the public trust doctrine as it functions in certain foreign legal jurisdictions. For purposes of this research, it is assumed that the notion of a public trust has been accepted and incorporated into South African law. The main objective of this investigation is to determine whether the notion of a public trust can be compared to the inter vivos private law trust as contemplated in the Trust Property Control Act 57 of 1988. Die inwerkingtreding van die Nasionale Waterwet 36 van 1998, het die waterregbedeling in Suid-Afrika dramaties verander. Ten einde die oneweredige verdeling van natuurlike hulpbronne soos water onder die apartheidsbedeling te herstel, is die nasionale regering aangestel as die trustee van die land se waterhulpbronne. Dié fidusiêre konsep van 'public trusteeship' of publieke trusteeskap is vreemd aan die Suid-Afrikaanse reg en toon sterk ooreenkomste met die 'public trust'-leerstuk soos dit funksioneer in sekere buitelandse jurisdiksies. Vir die doeleindes van hierdie navorsing word aanvaar dat die konsep van ʼn publieke trust aanvaar word en geïnkorporeer is in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg. Die hoofdoel van hierdie navorsing is om te bepaal of die konsep van ʼn publieke trust vergelyk kan word met die inter vivos privaatreg trust, soos gedefinieer in die Wet op die Beheer van Trustgoed 57 van 1988.