Typical Online Agreements and Associated Legal Challenges Confronting Consumers: A South African Perspective

Olubunmi Olukemi Obioha – Paul S. Masumbe

Úplný text príspevku

Vydanie vedeckého časopisu číslo 2024-02
Čítať príspevok (PDF)

Typ dokumentu: časopis
Typ príspevku: štúdia
Jazyk príspevku: angličtina
Publikované: 30. 6. 2024
Formát súboru: PDF
Veľkosť súboru: 693 kB

In: Societas et iurisprudentia • 2024 • ročník 12 • číslo 2 • strany 60-81 • ISSN 1339-5467

Abstract: The emergence of the internet coupled with the rapid development in digital technology has revolutionalised the way things are done, including the economic activities of businesses and consumers. The ease and convenience offered via the electronic commerce platform has become a major motivation for its increasing use rather than visits to physical stores or places of business. Amidst the comfort, wider array of products and time saving benefits available to consumers in the digital marketplace, consumers are confronted with complex problems and challenges that offline consumers who interact with sellers’ face to face do not experience. Although there is subsisting legislation that regulates online transactions and agreement in South Africa, this seems to be inadequate to address the adverse situations consumers are exposed to while contracting electronically. This paper discusses the common forms of online contracts and the concomitant legal challenges affecting consumers while concluding contracts online in the South African context. Questions such as ‘which country’s law will apply on online contracts in cross-border contracts’ are some of the pertinent issues without clear cut answers. Divided into four parts, the first part deals with the legal principles regulating online contracts, part two tackles the validity of online contracts, part three deals with the legal challenges consumers face in online contracts in South Africa and the last part is the conclusion. The authors hope that this contribution would help stimulate the debate about online contracts with hopes of bringing the much-needed contractual certainty in this area of the law.

Key Words: Contract Law; Online Contract; Legal Principles; Consumers; Transactions; Consumer Challenges; Technology; E-Commerce; South Africa.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0825-4390

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9997-4125

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31262/1339-5467/2024/12/2/60-81

URL: https://sei.iuridica.truni.sk/archive/2024/02/SEI-2024-02-Studies-Obioha-Olubunmi-Olukemi-Masumbe-Paul-S.pdf

Toto dielo je licencované pod Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Bibliografická citácia

OBIOHA, O. O. a P. S. MASUMBE. Typical Online Agreements and Associated Legal Challenges Confronting Consumers: A South African Perspective. Societas et iurisprudentia [online]. 2024, roč. 12, č. 2, s. 60-81 [cit. 2020-01-01]. ISSN 1339-5467. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.31262/1339-5467/2024/12/2/60-81.

Zoznam bibliografických odkazov

ABBOTT, K., N. PENDLEBURY and K. WARDMAN. Business Law. 6^th ed. London: DP Publications, 1993. 478 p. ISBN 1-85805-050-2.

Alienation of Land Act No. 68 [1981].

BEZHOVSKI, Z. The Future of the Mobile Payment as Electronic Payment System. European Journal of Business and Management [online]. 2016, vol. 8, no. 8, pp. 127-132 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 2222-2839. Available at: https://iiste.org/Journals/index.php/EJBM/article/view/29473.

Case of Calder v. Jones [1984-03-20]. Opinion of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1984, 465 U.S. 783.

Case of Conradie v. Rossouw. 1919 AD 279.

Case of Global & Local Investments Advisors (Pty) Ltd v. Fouche [2020-03-18]. Judgement of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa, 2020, 71/2019.

Case of Jafta v. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife [2008-07-01]. Judgement of the Labour Court of South Africa, 2008, D204/07.

Case of Kempston Hire (Pty) Ltd v. Snyman. 1988 (4) SA 465 (T) at 468 H.

Case of Spring Forest Trading 599 CC v. Wilberry (Pty) Ltd t/a Ecowash and Another [2014-11-21]. Judgement of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa, 2014, 725/13.

Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters. OJ EC L 12, 2001-01-16, pp. 1-23.

De VILLERS, M. R. H. Consumer Protection under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002. 1^st ed. Johannesburg, SA: University of Johannesburg, Department of Mercantile Law, 2004. 203 p.

EDWARDS, L. Consumer Privacy, On-line Business and the Internet: Looking for Privacy in All the Wrong Places. International Journal of Law and Information Technology [online]. 2003, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 226-250 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 1464-3693. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/ijlit/11.3.226.

Electronic Communications and Transactions Act No. 25 [2002].

FRANCO, C. E. and S. B. REGI. Advantages and Challenges of E-Commerce Customers and Businesses: In Indian Perspective. International Journal of Research – Granthaalayah [online]. 2016, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 7-13 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 2350-0530. Available at: https://doi.org/10.29121/granthaalayah.v4.i3se.2016.2771.

GAUR, A. E-Contracts, Legal Issues and Challenges Involved: An Overview. Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research [online]. 2021, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 404-410 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 2349-5162. Available at: https://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2101054.pdf.

HAVENGA, P., M. HAVENGA, E. HURTER, R. KELBRICK, E. MANAMELA, T. MANAMELA, H. SCHULZE and Ph. STOOP. General Principles of Commercial Law. 7^th ed. Claremont: Juta, 2010. 540 p. ISBN 978-0-7021-8514-4.

KAHN, E. Contract and Mercantile Law through the Cases. 1^st ed. Cape Town: Juta, 1971. 1050 p.

LAUKKANEN, T. and J. LAURONEN. Consumer Value Creation in Mobile Banking Services. International Journal of Mobile Communications [online]. 2005, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 325-338 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 1741-5217. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1504/ijmc.2005.007021.

MALLAT, N. Exploring Consumer Adoption of Mobile Payments – A Qualitative Study. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems [online]. 2007, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 413-432 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 1873-1198. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsis.2007.08.001.

Matrimonial Property Act No. 88 [1984].

MORINGIELLO, J. M. and J. E. OTTAVIANI. Online Contracts: We May Modify These Terms at Any Time, Right?. In: American Bar Association [online]. 2016-05-20 [cit. 2024-03-21]. Available at: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/resources/business-law-today/2016-may/online-contracts/.

NWABUEZE, C. J. Reflections on Legal Uncertainties for E-Commerce Transactions in Cameroon. The African Journal of Information and Communication [online]. 2017, no. 20, pp. 171-180 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 2077-7213. Available at: https://doi.org/10.23962/10539/23499.

OAKLEY, R. L. Fairness in Electronic Contracting: Minimum Standards for Non-negotiated Contracts. Houston Law Review [online]. 2005, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 1041-1105 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 0018-6694. Available at: https://houstonlawreview.org/article/4789-fairness-in-electronic-contracting-minimum-standards-for-non-negotiated-contracts.

ONG, J. P. The Enforceability of Digital Contract: A Comparative Analysis on Indonesia and New Zealand Law. The Lawpreneurship Journal [online]. 2021, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 30-42 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 2807-7652. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21632/tlj.1.1.30-42.

PAPADOPOULOS, S. and S. SNAIL ka MTUZE. Cyberlaw@SA: The Law of the Internet in South Africa. 4^th ed. Pretoria: Van Schaik, 2022. 527 p. ISBN 978-0-627-03795-5.

PAPADOPOULOS, S. Are We about To Cure the Scourge of Spam? A Commentary on Current and Proposed South African Legislative Intervention. Tydskrif vir Hedendaagse Romeins-Hollandse Reg [online]. 2012, vol. 75, no. 2, pp. 223-240 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 1682-4490. Available at: https://doi.org/2263/20824.

PISTORIUS, T. Contract Formation: A Comparative Perspective on the Model Law on Electronic Commerce. Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa [online]. 2002, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 129-156 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 2522-3062. Available at: https://doi.org/10520/aja00104051_178.

PISTORIUS, T. Formation of Internet Contracts: An Analysis of the Contractual and Security Issues. SA Mercantile Law Journal. 1999, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 282-299. ISSN 1015-0099.

Property Time-sharing Control Act No. 75 [1983].

Regulation (EU) No. 1215/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2012 on Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters. OJ EU L 351, 2012-12-20, pp. 1-32.

ROHENDI, A. Perlindungan Konsumen dalam Transaksi E-Commerce Perspektif Hukum Nasional dan Internasional [Consumer Protection in the E-Commerce: Indonesian Law and International Law Perspective]. Ecodemica [online]. 2015, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 474-488 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 2528-2255. Available at: https://doi.org/10.31294/jeco.v3i2.34.

SADUAL, M. K. Electronic Contracts: Legal Issues and Challenges. International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews [online]. 2021, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 793-798 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 2348-1269. Available at: https://ijrar.org/papers/IJRAR21C2209.pdf.

SAINI, N. and A. P. BHANU. Conflict of Laws in E-Contracts. Multicultural Education [online]. 2021, vol. 7, no. 10, pp. 761-763 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 1068-3844. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5610164.

SCOTT, J. and S. CORNELIUS, eds. The Law of Commerce in South Africa. 3^rd ed. Cape Town: Oxford University Press, 2020. 638 p. ISBN 978-0-19-075348-1.

SNAIL, S. Electronic Contracts in South Africa – A Comparative Analysis. Journal of Information, Law & Technology [online]. 2008, no. 2, pp. 1-24 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 1361-4169. Available at: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/law/elj/jilt/2008_2/snail.

SNAIL, S. L. South African E-Consumer Law in the Context of the ECT Act (Part 1). Juta’s Business Law [online]. 2007, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 40-46 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 1996-210X. Available at: https://doi.org/10520/ejc52577.

STAVROU, A. Mission Impossible?: E-Security in South Africa’s Commercial and Financial Sectors. 1^st ed. Pretoria: Institute for Security Studies, 2002. 115 p. ISBN 1-919913-10-6.

UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Commerce [1996].

UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Signatures [2001].

UNCTAD Annual Report 2017: So Much Done, So Much To Do [online]. 1^st ed. Geneva: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2018. 113 p. [cit. 2024-03-21]. Available at: https://unctad.org/publication/unctad-annual-report-2017.

United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection [2016].

Van DEVENTER, S. Problems Relating to the Formation of Online Contracts: A Comparative Perspective. The South African Law Journal [online]. 2022, vol. 139, no. 1, pp. 32-77 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 1996-2177. Available at: https://doi.org/10.47348/salj/v139/i1a2.

Van DEVENTER, S. Regulating Substantively Unfair Terms in Online Contracts. Stellenbosch Law Review [online]. 2021, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 518-542 [cit. 2024-03-21]. ISSN 1996-2193. Available at: https://doi.org/10.47348/slr/2021/i3a8.