UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW

ONLINE SHORT COURSE

Want to learn Commercial and Contract Law with Africa’s leading University and online education experts GetSmarter?

ABOUT THIS COURSE

This online short course aims to provide students with an understanding of South African commercial law, with a focus on contract and company law. Guided by an expert, you’ll develop the ability to read, interpret and draft contracts; investigate how companies are formed and governed; gather insights into the various nuances around contracting with different types of companies; and resolve contractual disputes.

When you register and pay for this course, you’ll gain full access to South Africa’s premier ebook on commercial law for non-law students: Juta’s General Principles of Commercial Law 8th Ed.

AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE YOU’LL BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR ABILITY TO:• Read, interpret and draft contracts for a wide range of sectors

and professions

• Identify ways in which commercial and contract law fit within

the South African legal system

• Propose business solutions based on the Consumer Protection Act

• Recommend and advise a client on their statutory rights

• Understand contractual relationships between suppliers

and clients in the commercial sphere

• Recognise and address problematic areas in contracts

and how to resolve them

9 weeks,excluding orientation

R14,900

10–12 hours/week of self-paced learning,

entirely online

Each module is released weekly,

allowing a flexible but structured

approach to learning. You’ll be

supported as you engage in

individual activities and group

discussions, ensuring you feel

confident to submit your best work

at each weekly deadline.

UCT COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW ONLINE SHORT COURSE

THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU IF:

You’d like to increase your ability to read and interpret contracts in a personal and

professional capacity

You’re responsible for drafting contracts in your current role and want to ensure your

knowledge is formalised and up-to-date

You want to add more value to your business by having a deeper understanding of the

Consumer Protection Act as well as general business contracts

You’re in a leadership or management position and need to make sure you’re kept in the loop

and knowledgeable when it comes to contractual decisions

UCT COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW ONLINE SHORT COURSE

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

This online course integrates rich, interactive media such as videos, infographics, and e-learning activities as well as traditional didactic components such as written study guides (course notes). There are also opportunities for collaborative learning through discussion forums. The following modules contribute to the holistic approach your learning path takes:

ORIENTATION MODULEWelcome to Your Online Campus ONE WEEKYou’ll be welcomed to the course and begin connecting with fellow students, while exploring the navigation and tools of your Online Campus. Be alerted to key milestones in the learning path, and review how your results will be calculated and distributed.

You’ll be required to complete your student profile, confirm your certificate delivery address, and submit a digital copy of your passport/identity document.

MODULE 1An Introduction to Contract Law and the South African Legal System• Discuss how the law of contract developed from

Roman, Roman-Dutch and English roots into a constitutional era

• Demonstrate an understanding of how commercial and contract law fits into the South African legal system

• Define the courts of the republic, the doctrine of the stare decisis, interpretation, and court judgements

• Outline the branches or divisions of South African law• List the differences between private and public law

and identify from which system of law a particular role or contract originates

MODULE 2Requirements for the Formation of a Valid Contract• Identify the various essential elements of a contract• Demonstrate an understanding of key

contractual terminology• Interpret the variety of legal issues that can affect

the existence of the contractual elements and how the contractual relationship will be affected

• Solve practical problems with regard to the negotiation and formation of a contract

• Analyse a contract to see whether it’s valid

UCT COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW ONLINE SHORT COURSE

MODULE 3Terms of a Contract and Contractual Obligations • Identify the various contractual terms and when they are used• Discuss the implications of adding specific conditions

in a contract• Draft basic contractual clauses and interpret the content

of a contract• Assess the ways in which a contract can be breached

and suggest appropriate remedies

MODULE 4

The Consumer Protection Act • Differentiate between the provisions of the CPA

and the common law principles • Categorise the different consumer rights and analyse

the different dispute resolution forums and options• Debate the rules, principles and exceptions of the Consumer

Protection Act (CPA)• Assess the validity of contractual clauses and propose

alternative contractual clauses

MODULE 5

Contracts of Sale and Contracts of Lease• Differentiate between a contract of sale and a contract of lease • Recommend a tenant on the enforcement of their statutory rights• Analyse a contract of sale and a contract of lease and correct

any incorrect clauses• Deduce and advise a purchaser of their statutory rights• Distinguish when to use the methods of transfer of ownership

in a contract of sale

MODULE 6

Contracts of Insurance and Agency Contracts• Differentiate the agency contract, and the insurance contract

from other forms of contracts• Review the essential elements of a valid contract of agency• Solve practical legal problems with regard to agency contracts,

credit agreements and contracts of mandate• Apply the law to the facts to come to a reasoned conclusion

about a problem • Summarise some of the important consequences

of entering into a contract of insurance

WHAT IS THE UNIVERSITY OF

CAPE TOWN?Learn more about UCT

UCT COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW ONLINE SHORT COURSE

MODULE 7

Contracting With Businesses• Compare the different types of business entities • Contrast the advantages and disadvantages

of a particular type of business entity• Select the correct business entity for a client’s

specific needs• Interpret the legal requirements for contracting

validly with each business entity• Assess the validity of a contract entered into

with a business entity

MODULE 8

Civil Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedures• Identify the different types of pleadings and

outline the content to be included in pleadings• Choose which claims should be lodged

in which courts• Recommend different types of alternative civil

dispute resolution options• Investigate the advantages and disadvantages

of each forum• Recommend a dispute resolution option

that will be best suited to a client’s needs and circumstances

MODULE 9Basic Contract Drafting Skills• Evaluate the instructions received from a client

• Select the applicable laws for a specific dispute

resolution forum

• Create (draft) a contract on the specific

instructions of a client, tailored to their specific

needs and requirements from start to finish

• Recommend areas of improvement for your

peer’s contract and then create a final draft

of your contract

I best enjoyed being able to learn at my own pace. The interactivity of the discussion forums,

and reading other students’ thoughts

and experiences, really helped my learning.

VISHA GOVENDER, Past Student

UCT COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW ONLINE SHORT COURSE

WHO YOU’LL LEARN FROM This subject matter expert from UCT guides the course design and appears in a number of course videos, along with a variety of industry professionals

YOUR HEAD TUTOR

YOUR SUCCESS TEAMGetSmarter, with whom UCT is collaborating to deliver this online course, provides a personalised approach to online education which ensures you’re supported throughout your learning journey.

HEAD TUTORA subject expert who’ll

guide you through content-related challenges.

SUCCESS MANAGER Your one-on-one support

available during University hours (9am–5pm SAST) to resolve technical and

administrative challenges.

GLOBAL SUCCESS TEAMAvailable 24/7 to solve your tech-related and administrative queries

and concerns.

LWAZI NGWENYA Commercial Law Attorney

Lwazi has a BA (Philosophy and Law), an LLB, and is currently studying for a Masters in Law (LLM) at the University of Cape Town, where he also works part-time as a teaching assistant. He has previous experience working in a law firm, where he drafted various commercial agreements. He believes that law has an undeserved reputation as being difficult to master and hopes to prove to his students that, with enough effort, they can become subject experts.

UCT COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW ONLINE SHORT COURSE

A POWERFUL COLLABORATIONSince 2007, the University of Cape Town (UCT) has partnered with digital learning expert GetSmarter to take its renowned education online. This move is driven by UCT’s goal to broaden access to the research and information developed at Africa’s leading university,3 and make it available to those previously excluded due to geographical constraints. UCT’s scope extends to all areas of sub-Saharan Africa, providing both the institution and its future students with opportunities for further growth.

WHAT IS THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN?

Founded in 1829, UCT has a proud tradition of academic excellence and effecting social change and development through its pioneering scholarship, faculty, and students. UCT’s reputation for excellence is underpinned by its distinctive research, led by its distinguished faculty, many of whom are world-leaders in their field.4

WHAT IS GETSMARTER?

GetSmarter, a brand of 2U, Inc., partners with the world’s leading universities to select, design, and deliver premium online short courses with a data-driven focus on learning gain.

Technology meets academic rigour in our people-mediated model which enables lifelong learners across the globe to obtain industry-relevant skills that are certified by the world’s most reputable academic institutions.

3QS Top Universities (2019).4Times Higher Education (2019).

UCT COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW ONLINE SHORT COURSE

EARN A CERTIFICATE FROM AFRICA’S LEADING UNIVERSITY

Earn a certificate of completion from the University of Cape Town, Africa’s leading University,5 as recognition of your newly developed design skills.

Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a certificate, you will need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.

Your certificate of completion will be issued in your legal name and couriered to you at no additional cost. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of the University.

5QS Top Universities (2019).

UCT COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW ONLINE SHORT COURSE

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

BASIC REQUIREMENTS In order to complete a course, you’ll need a current email account and access to a computer

and the internet, as well as a PDF Reader.You may need to view Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, and read and create documents in Microsoft Word or Excel.

BROWSER REQUIREMENTS We recommend that you use Google Chrome as your internet browser when accessing the Online Campus. Although this is not a requirement, we have found that this browser performs best for ease of access to course material. This browser

can be downloaded here.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Certain courses may require additional software and resources. These additional software and resource requirements will be communicated to you upon registration and/or at the beginning of the course. Please note that Google, Vimeo, and YouTube may be used in our course delivery, and if these services are blocked in your jurisdiction, you may have difficulty in accessing course content. Please check with an Enrolment Advisor before registering for this course if you have any concerns about this affecting your experience

with the Online Campus.

HOW YOU’LL LEARN

Every course is broken down into manageable, weekly modules, designed to accelerate your learning process through diverse learning activities:

• Work through your downloadable and online instructional material

• Interact with your peers and learning facilitators through weekly class-wide forums and reviewed small group discussions

• Enjoy a wide range of interactive content, including video lectures, infographics, live polls, and more

• Investigate rich, real-world case studies • Apply what you learn each week to quizzes

and ongoing project submissions

UCT COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW ONLINE SHORT COURSE

REGISTER NOW

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

COMMERCIAL AND CONTRACT LAW

ONLINE SHORT COURSE

CONTACT US+27 87 551 8063 | uctonline@getsmarter.com