Commercialization of human organs for transplantation: a view from South Africa.

The Human Tissue Act 65 of 1983 regulates all aspects regarding organ transplants. This Act was last amended in 1989. Since then medical science has developed tremendously and to such an extent that organ transplants today are almost routine operations in many hospitals.

Doctors can kill--active euthanasia in South Africa.

Medical practitioners in South Africa will be given the legal right to end the lives of terminally ill patients. This is the practice of active euthanasia, the procedure whereby a medical doctor or a professional nurse can end the life of a terminally ill patient at the patient's request, by providing or administering a lethal dosage of a drug. Voluntary active euthanasia is included in a Draft Bill--The End of Life Decisions Act--which form part of a report of the South African Law Commission, wherein regulations regarding the end-of-life decisions are formulated.

Mining disasters in South Africa: the Rovic Diamond Mine disaster and the criminal liability of the mine authorities.

The South African economy depends heavily on the mining industry. Deep level mining--which is a very common occurrence in the South African Mining Industry, is fraught with dangers. It is therefore inevitable that these dangers will be a constant source of medico-legal involvement.