Unisa online - Unisa pioneers first translated legal textbook

Prof Johan van Niekerk explains the symbolism of having the translated book at Unisa

Adding to its already impressive collection of academic literature, Unisa now has on its shelves a Chinese translation of a South African legal textbook. With this being the first instance of a South African legal textbook being translated into a foreign language, a special handover to Unisa Library took place on 3 February 2012.

Prof Heinrich Schulze hands over the textbook to Dr Judy Henning (Deputy Executive Director: Library Services) to be shelved at the Unisa Library

The book is authored by Prof Johan van Niekerk and Prof Heinrich Schulze of Unisa’s Department of Mercantile Law. Between them, Prof van Niekerk and Prof Schulze teach Insurance Law, International Trade Law and Banking Law.

The translation into Chinese was undertaken by Prof Weidong Zhu of the Centre for African Laws and Society, Xiangtan University, in the Hunan Province of the People’s Republic of China. Unisa was approached by Xiangtan University and Prof van Niekerk believes that the People’s Republic of China probably “has a need to make SA law more accessible.” The translation was done at their cost and 1 000 books were published. A copy of the book will be shelved at the Unisa Library as a symbol of international academic relationships.

The book is a translation of the third edition of The South African Law of International Trade: selected topics, which is prescribed at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels at several South African universities and colleges. It covers topics fundamental to the Law of International Trade, such as the contract of international sale, the contract of marine cargo insurance, and the methods of payment in international trade and settlement of international trade disputes, to name a few.