INVESTIGATING THE POWERS OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NAMIBIA TO REVERSE ITS OWN DECISIONS: A CASE FOR BALANCING THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND THE DOCTRINES OF JUDICIAL PRECEDENT AND RES JUDICATA A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF LAWS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA BY NAMADHILA LOTTA AMBUNDA STUDENT NUMBER: 200618806 OCTOBER 2019 SUPERVISOR: DR T WARIKANDWA CO-SUPERVISOR: MR J NAKUTA SUPERVISOR’S CERTIFICATE I, , hereby certify that the research and writing of this thesis was carried out under my supervision. __________________________ __________________ Signature Date ii DECLARATION I, Lotta Namadhila Ambunda, hereby declare that this study is my own work and is a true reflection of my research, and that this work or any part thereof has not been submitted for a degree at any other institution. No part of this thesis may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (e.g. electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior permission of the author, or the University of Namibia in that behalf. I further declare that this work has not been submitted to any other university for degree purposes. I, Lotta Namadhila Ambunda, grant the University of Namibia the right to reproduce this thesis in whole or in part, in any manner or format, which the University may deem fit for any person or institution requiring it for study and research. …………………………… ……………………….. …………… Name of Student Signature Date iii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my mother Mrs Hermine Ambunda, my husband Mr Aquilinus Nashilundo and my daughter Azania Ndatoola-ewe Nashilundo. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENT I am highly indebted to several people for the support and assistance in completing my thesis. To my dear husband, Mr Aquilinus Nashilundo, who always encouraged and supported me throughout as my pillar of strength, and to my family who always kept me in their prayers. Thank you. I am deeply thankful to the Deputy Chief Justice of Namibia, Hon PT Damaseb who, provided an avenue for me to enrich the substance and form of my thesis. I will infinitely be grateful for the assistance. To the late Prof Wanda, my initial supervisor, your initial guidance and supervision will not be in vain and Dr. Tapiwa Warikandwa has exceptionally ensured that it is brought to fruition. Last but not least, I acknowledge the following people for their contributions, either directly or indirectly: Adv. Natasha Bassigthwaigthe; Adv. Starford Sharite (Lesotho); Ms Gita Kisheva (Canada). v TABLE OF CONTENT SUPERVISOR’S CERTIFICATE............................................................................................... ii DECLARATION.......................................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION.............................................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENT .............................................................................................................. v ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ viii CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................................... 1 1. ................................................................................................................................. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background of the study .......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the problem ........................................................................................ 5 1.3 Objectives of the study ............................................................................................. 6 1.4 Hypothesis of the study ............................................................................................ 6 1.5 Significance of the study .......................................................................................... 7 1.6 Limitations of the study ........................................................................................... 7 1.7 Literature review...................................................................................................... 8 1.8 Theoretical framework .......................................................................................... 12 1.9 Methodology ........................................................................................................... 16 1.10 Chapter outline ....................................................................................................... 16 1.11 Research Ethics ...................................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER TWO ....................................................................................................................... 19 JURISDICTION OF THE SUPERIOR COURTS OF NAMIBIA ........................................ 19 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 19 2.2 Historical backgrounds of the Namibian Superior courts ................................. 19 2.3 Inherent jurisdiction of the Supreme Court ........................................................ 21 2.3.1 Meaning of ‘inherent jurisdiction’ ..................................................................... 22 2.4 The Supreme Court’s binding decisions .................................................................... 25 2.5 The reversal of the binding decision of the Supreme Court ..................................... 29 vi 2.5.1 S v Likanyi .................................................................................................................. 30 2.5.2 Minister of Finance and Another v Hollard Insurance Company and Others .... 35 2.5.3 Exceptional circumstances ........................................................................................ 39 CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................................... 43 RULE OF LAW AND THE COMMON LAW DOCTRINES OF STARE DECISIS AND RES JUDICATA ......................................................................................................................... 43 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 43 3.2 Rule of law in Namibia ........................................................................................................ 43 3.3 Common Law principles applicable ................................................................................... 45 3.3.1 Judicial Precedence - Stare decisis ............................................................................ 46 3.3.2 The Doctrine of Res judicata .................................................................................. 50 3.4 Exception to the strict adherence of the doctrine of judicial precedents and the principle of res judicata .............................................................................................................. 52 3.5 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 58 CHAPTER FOUR ...................................................................................................................... 60 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ROMAN-DUTCH - “COMMON LAW” JURISDICTIONS ...................................................................................................................... 60 4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 60 4.2 United Kingdom (UK) ......................................................................................................... 60 4.3 Canada .................................................................................................................................. 68 4.4 India ...................................................................................................................................... 71 4.5 South Africa .......................................................................................................................... 75 4.6 Comparative Analysis and conclusion ............................................................................... 78 CHAPTER FIVE ....................................................................................................................... 81 SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION .............................................. 81 5.1 Summary ............................................................................................................................... 81 5.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 84 5.3 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 85 REFERENCES ..........................................................................................................................