From the groundwork of the historical work completed in the “Southern Cross” and “Northern Cross” projects, this project undertakes a detailed comparative law study addressing modern Scottish and South African private law.  Two closely related, uncodified mixed law legal systems at the intersection of civil and common law – how have they developed?  Where have English principles and, alternatively, continental legal thinking asserted themselves?  Have structural problems arisen, and, if yes, were they the same or different?  The underlying research significance and the methodological foundations are more precisely examined in Reinhard Zimmermann’s, “Common law und ius commune: Unkodifizierte Mischrechtsordnungen im Vergleich”, in: Aufbruch nach Europa: 75 Jahre Max-Planck-Institut für Privatrecht, Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2001, pp. 851-870.   Each individual contribution represents the integrated efforts of a Scottish and South African scholar who have joined together to address a contract or property law doctrinal theme.  Preparatory efforts for the work were undertaken in 2000 at an Edinburgh symposium attended by all contributors: a further conference, at which drafts of the commentaries were presented, took place in April 2002 in Cape Town.  In 2001, both the University of Cape Town and the University of Stellenbosch offered comparative law oriented LL.M programs.  During the course of the year, all of the Scottish scholars contributing to the project flew to South Africa for a respective one week visit in order to work on their particular topic in partnership with their South African colleague.  The results of this project are published in: Reinhard Zimmermann, Kenneth Reid, Daniel Visser (eds.), Mixed Legal Systems in Comparative Perspective, Oxford University Press, 2005; a South Africa edition has been published by Juta & Co. The following contributions are included:

Reinhard Zimmermann (Regensburg): Introduction
Part 1: Contract (edited by Reinhard Zimmermann)
Martin Hogg (Edinburgh) und Gerhard Lubbe (Stellenbosch): Formation
Jaques du Plessis (Stellenbosch) und W. W. McBryde (Edinburgh): Defects of consent
Carole Lewis und Laura J. Macgregor (Glasgow): Interpretation
Alfred Cockrell (Witwatersrand) und Hector MacQueen (Edinburgh): Illegality
David Johnston (Edinburgh) und Phillip Sutherland (Stellenbosch): Jus quaesitum tertio/stipulatio alteri
Fritz Brand (Cape Town) und Douglas Brodie (Edinburgh): Good faith
Dale Hutchison (Cape Town) und Eric Clive (Edinburgh): Breach
Robin Evans-Jones (Aberdeen) und Alastair Smith (Pretoria): Sale
Sandra Eden (Edinburgh) und Jopie Pretorius (Pretoria): Surety/Caution
Angelo Forte (Aberdeen) und J. P. van Niekerk (Pretoria): Agency
Charl Hugo (Stellenbosch) und Philip Simpson (Edinburgh): Hire/Lease

Part 2: Delict (edited by Danie Visser)

Anton Fagan (Cape Town) und Joe Thomson (Glasgow): Negligence
Max Loubser (Stellenbosch) und Elspeth Reid (Edinburgh): Strict Liability
Jonathan Burchell (Cape Town) und Kenneth Norrie (Strathclyde): Defamation
Francois de Bois (Cape Town) und Elspeth Reid (Edinburgh): Neighbour Law
John Blackie (Strathclyde) und Ian Farlan: Disgorgement of benefits as a result of wrongs

Part 3: Obligations arising neither from Contract nor from Delict (edited by Danie Visser)

Danie Visser (Cape Town) und Niall Whitty (Edinburgh): Unjustified Enrichment
Saul Miller (Edinburgh/Stellenbosch): Restitution following failed contracts
Deon von Zyl (Cape Town) und Niall Whitty (Edinburgh): Negotiorum Gestio

Part 4: Property (edited by Kenneth Reid)

Kenneth Reid (Edinburgh) und Cornie van der Merwe (Aberdeen): Overview
David Carey Miller (Aberdeen) und Anne Pope (Cape Town): Acquisition of Ownership
Duard Kleyn (Pretoria) und Scott Wortley (Strathclyde): Co-ownership
William M. Gordon (Glasgow) und Marius de Waal (Stellenbosch): Servitudes
Derek van der Merwe (Johannesburg) und Scott Wortley (Strathclyde): Good Faith
Gerrit Pienaar (Potchefstroom) und Andrew Steven (Edinburgh): Rights in Security
Marius de Waal (Stellenbosch) und Roddy Paisley (Aberdeen): Trusts
George Gretton (Edinburgh) und Petrus Nienaber (Bloemfontein): Cession/Assignation