Professor Michelle Louw

BIuris (cum laude) Unisa
LLB, LLM (cum laude) Unisa
LLD Unisa

Bio

Professor Michelle Louw (writing as Kelly-Louw) joined the University of Cape Town on 1 April 2022 as a professor of law in the Department of Commercial Law, after serving as professor of law at the University of South Africa from 21 June 1999 to 31 March 2022. Before joining the ranks of academia, Michelle was a legal advisor for Nedcor Bank Ltd and, prior to that, acted as a prosecutor in the magistrates’ courts. Michelle holds the BIuris (cum laude), LLB, LLM (cum laude) and LLD degrees (Unisa); a Diploma in Insolvency Law & Practice (SARIPA) (UJ); and she also completed an advanced short course in Outcome-Based Assessment in Higher Education and Open Distance Learning (with distinction – 99% Unisa (2009)) and a short programme in Construction Contracts (with distinction) (UP) (2019).

Michelle’s doctoral degree is in international banking law (thesis titled Selective Legal Aspects of Bank Demand Guarantees). Highly awarded and extensively involved in legislative drafting, Michelle  has published widely in the fields of insolvency law, banking law and consumer credit law, and her research has been cited with approval by the South African courts, including the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal, and a Namibian High court on several occasions.

Michelle is a South African National Research Foundation-rated researcher with a B2 rating.

(See full CV at the CV button in right-hand column)

Teaching

Banking and finance law; consumer credit law and insolvency law.

Recent Publications

(full publications list in CV – see right-hand column)

Recent South African Books and Chapters in South African Books  

  1. Kelly-Louw, M “Consumer Credit” in the Law of South Africa Volume 5 Part 1, Second Edition, Replacement Volume (2010) (Title: Consumer Credit at 1–265).
  2. Kelly-Louw, M (with contributions by Stoop, PN) Consumer Credit Regulation in South Africa (2012) (19 Chapters sole-authored).
  3. Scott, J, Cornelius, S (eds), Baqwa, D, De Stadler, E, Eiselen, S, Evans, R, Humby, T, Kelly-Louw, M et al The Law of Commerce in South Africa 2 ed (2014) (Co-author) (Chapter 4: The Law of Consumer Credit Agreements at 169–216).
  4. Visser, C, and Pretorius, JT, Essays in Honour of Frans Malan (2014) “Limiting exceptions to the autonomy principle of demand guarantees and letters of credit” at 197–218.
  5. Kelly-Louw, M “Consumer Credit” (at 1–375) in Joubert, WA et al The Law of South Africa Volume 8, Third Edition, (2014).
  6. Hugo, C and Kelly-Louw, M (eds) Jopie: Jurist, Mentor, Supervisor and Friend – Essays on the Law of Banking, Companies and Suretyship (2017) (editor and co-author) “Construing whether a guarantee is accessory or independent is key” at 110–128.
  7. Bertelsmann, E et al Mars: The Law of Insolvency in South Africa 10 ed (2019) (Co-author) (Chapters 20 and 29 at 468–516 and 707–728).
  8. Kelly-Louw, M and Pretorius JT Chapter 6: “Unlimited suretyships and the National Credit Act” in De Serie Legenda: Developments in Commercial Law Volume I: Law of Specific Contracts and Banking Law (2019) at 97–119.
  9. Scott, J, Cornelius, S (eds), Baqwa, D, De Stadler, E, Eiselen, S, Evans, R, Humby, T, Kelly-Louw, M et al The Law of Commerce in South Africa 3 ed (2020) (Co-author) (Chapter 4: The Law of Consumer Credit Agreements at 183–240).
  10. Van der Merwe, D (ed) Magister: Essays vir/for Jannie Otto (2020) (co-author of Kelly-Louw, M and Stoop PN Chapter 4: “Alternative methods of validating unbanked consumers’ income and assessing their “creditworthiness” and “affordability” of repayments” at 50–77).
  11. Hugo, C (ed) Annual Banking Law Update 2021: Recent Legal Developments of Special Interests to Banks (2021) (Co-Author) Kelly-Louw, M “Validity of the underlying contract and the independence principle of demand guarantees” at 110–128.

Recent Chapters in International Books

  1. Kelly-Louw, M and Nehf, J and Rott, P (eds) The Future of Consumer Credit Regulation (2008) (editor and co-author) (Chapter 8 at 155–164).
  2. Ramsay, I, Whitford, WC and Niemi-Kiesilainen J (eds) Consumer Credit, Debt and Bankruptcy: Comparative and International Perspectives (2009) (Co-author) (Chapter 9 at175–197).
  3. Backert, W, Block-Lieb, S and Niemi, J (eds) Contemporary Issues in Consumer Bankruptcy (2013) (Co-author) (Chapter 5 at 89–108). 

Recent Articles (peer-reviewed & accredited)  

  1. Kelly-Louw, M “Protection for homeowners against various interest rate hikes” (2010) 22 South African Mercantile Law Journal 27–49.
  2. Kelly-Louw, M “The default notice as required by the National Credit Act” (2010) 22 South African Mercantile Law Journal 568–594.
  3. Kelly-Louw, M “The law applicable to demand guarantees and standby letters of credit” (2010) 24(2) Speculum Juris 1–40.
  4. Kelly-Louw, M and Stoop, PN “The National Credit Act regarding suretyships and reckless lending” (2011) 14(2) Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal 67–96.
  5. Kelly-Louw, M “The statutory in duplum rule as an indirect debt relief mechanism” (2011) 23 South African Mercantile Law Journal 352–375.
  6. Kelly-Louw, M “Categorising credit agreements, particularly credit guarantees, as small, intermediate or large agreements in terms of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005” (2012) 24 South African Mercantile Law Journal 211–217.
  7. Kelly-Louw, M “Should all natural persons standing surety be protected by the National Credit Act 34 of 2005?” (2012) 24 South African Mercantile Law Journal 298–322.
  8. Kelly-Louw, M “Construction of demand guarantees gone awry” (2013) 25 South African Mercantile Law Journal 404–417.
  9. Kelly-Louw, M “A credit provider’s complete defence against a consumer’s allegation of reckless lending” (2014) 26 South African Mercantile Law Journal 24–59.
  10. Kelly-Louw, M “The overcomplicated interpretation of the word ‘may’ in sections 129 and 123 of the National Credit Act” (2015) 132 South African Law Journal 245–257.
  11. Kelly-Louw, M & Locke, N “Exclusion of an instalment agreement as defined in the National Credit Act from the landlord’s hypothec in terms of the Security by Means of Movable Property Act” (2015) 78 Tydskrif vir Hedendaagse Romeins-Hollandse Reg 293–306.
  12. Kelly-Louw, M “The 2014 credit-information amnesty regulations: What do they really entail?” (2015) De Jure 92–115.
  13. Kelly-Louw, M “The doctrine of strict compliance in the context of demand guarantees” (2016) 49(1) The Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa 85–129.
  14. Kelly-Louw, M “Must all the required documents for a demand guarantee be presented at the same time? (2017) 80 Tydskrif vir Hedendaagse Romeins-Hollandse Reg 148–164.
  15. Pearson, G, Stoop, PN and Kelly-Louw, M “Balancing responsibilities – financial literacy” (2017) 20 Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal.
  16. Govender, S and Kelly-Louw, M “Delivery of the compulsory section 129(1) default notice as required by the National Credit Act of 2005” (2018) 21 Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal.
  17. Kelly-Louw, M and Stoop, PN “Prescription of debt in the consumer-credit industry” (2019) 22 Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal.
  18. Geldenhuys, J and Kelly-Louw, M “Jurisdictional and procedural technicalities in hate speech cases: South African Human Rights Commission v Khumalo 2019 1 SA 289 (GJ)” 23 (2020) Potchefstroom Law Journal.
  1. Geldenhuys, J and Kelly-Louw, M “Demystifying hate speech under the PEPUDA” 23 (2020) 23 Potchefstroom Law Journal.
  2. Geldenhuys, J and Kelly-Louw, M “Hate speech and racial slurs in the South African Context: Where to start?” (2020) 23 Potchefstroom Law Journal.
  3. Lupton, C and Kelly-Louw, M “Emergence of illegality in the underlying contract as an exception to the independence principle of demand guarantees” (2020) 53(3) Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa 1–37.
  4.  Kelly-Louw, M and Fayers R “The ‘breach of a negative stipulation’ as an exception to the autonomy principle in England and South Africa” (2021) 84 Journal of Contemporary Roman-Dutch Law 515–542.

Other Publications, Reports and Contributions

Recent Published conference proceedings

  1. Hugo, C (ed) Annual Banking Law Update 2016: Recent Legal Developments of Special Interests to Banks (2016) (Co-Author) Kelly-Louw “General update on the law of demand guarantees and letters of credit” at 43–69.

Recent Publications in international journals and other compilations

  1. Four case abstracts and two case notes published in Byrne, JE & Byrnes, CS (eds) 2014 Annual Review of International Banking Law and Practice (2014) Institute of International Banking Law & Practice Inc (USA) at 408–410, 420–423, 433–436, 444–447, 451–452 and 465–470.
  2. Kelly-Louw, M “Sulzer Pumps (South Africa) (Proprietary) Limited v Covec-MC Joint Venture” (1672/2013) [2014] ZAGPPHC 695 (2 September 2014) [South Africa] (May 2015) Vol 19(5) Documentary Credit World 17–22.
  3. Two case abstracts in Byrne, JE & Byrnes, CS (eds) 2015 Annual Review of International Banking Law and Practice (2015) Institute of International Banking Law & Practice Inc (USA) at 480–486 and 488–492.
  4. Two case abstracts in Byrne, JE & Byrnes, CS & Berger, JB (eds) 2016 Annual Review of International Banking Law and Practice (2015) Institute of International Banking Law & Practice Inc (USA) at 400–406; and 459–461.
  5. Kelly-Louw, M & Marxen, K “General update on the law of demand guarantees and letters of credit” published in Byrne, JE, Byrnes, CS, & Berger, JB (eds) 2016 Annual Review of International Banking Law and Practice (2016) Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc (USA) at 69–86.
  6. Three case abstracts and one case notes and one article “General update on the law of demand guarantees and letters of credit” published in Byrne, JE & Byrnes, CS (eds) Annual Review of International Banking Law and Practice (2017) Institute of International Banking Law & Practice Inc (USA) at 544–548; 571–575; and 604–607.  
  7. Kelly-Louw, M “Mutual and Federal Insurance Company Limited v KNS Construction (Pty) Limited (unreported) (208/2015) [2016] ZASCA 87 (31 May 2016)” (January 2017) 21(1) Documentary Credit World 16–20.
  8. Two case abstracts (ie, Bryte Insurance Company Limited v Raubex Construction (Pty) Limited; and Karibib Construction CC v Standard Bank Namibia Limited) in Byrne, JE & Byrnes, CS (eds) Annual Review of International Banking Law and Practice (2018) Institute of International Banking Law & Practice Inc (USA).
  9. Kelly-Louw, M “Bryte Insurance Company Limited v Raubex Construction (Pty) Limited unreported, case number13787/2015) [2017] ZAGPJHC 373 (8 December 2017) [South Africa]” (October 2018) 22(9) Documentary Credit World 18–23.
  10. Kelly-Louw, M “Group Five Power International (Pty) Limited v Cenpower Generation Company Limited and Others (2008/41068) [2018] ZAGPJHC 663 (16 November 2018) [South Africa]” (February 2019) 23(2) Documentary Credit World 18–23.

International research reports

  1. Goodwin-Groen, RP (with input from Kelly-Louw, M) The National Credit Act and its Regulations in the context of access to finance in South Africa (November 2006) (research done for FinMark Trust, South Africa) (available at https://finmark.org.za/system/documents/files/000/000/298/original/NCA_AccesstoFinance_2006.pdf?msclkid=65b9e546d04911ec83a9a2fd289ea7b8 (last accessed on 10 May 2022)).

Additional Research Outputs: Technical/Policy Reports

  1. Kelly, M “Investigating the preferential rights of the Land Bank: Comparing sections 34, 55 and 56 of the existing Land Bank Act with clauses 29 and 30 of the Land and Agricultural Development Bank Bill 12 of 2002”. The South African Land and Development Bank requested a research report investigating the constitutionality of certain clauses in the proposed Land Bank Bill 12 of 2002 (as it was then). A comprehensive research report was compiled and it formed the basis for amending/introducing new clauses in the final act (Act 15 of 2002). The research report was also submitted to the drafting team of the Act, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and their Minister.
  2. Kelly-Louw, M “Consequential amendments for the National Credit Act”. Prof Kelly-Louw was requested by the South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the South African Micro Finance Regulatory Council (as it then was) in 2005 to analyse the areas in the legislation that would be affected by the enactment of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 and to draft the necessary consequential amendments.
  3. Deloittes (with Kelly-Louw, M and Krull, W and Mostert, W) “Revision of the Deeds Registries Act (Act No. 47 of 1937) and other land registration legislation for the Chief Registrar of Deeds: Department of Land Affairs” (April 2005). A detailed report was submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development during April 2005 containing proposed changes to both acts.

Other South African articles

  1. Kelly, M “Increased public protection results in high costs for banks” (2000) 8(3) Juta’s Business Law 121–124.
  2. Kelly, M “Constitutionality of executions by agricultural banks without debtors having recourse to a court” (2000) 8(4) Juta’s Business Law 167–171.
  3.    Kelly, M “Onderhoud — eers weeskind, nou stiefkind” Codicillus XXXXI No 1 (May 2000) 53–58.
  4. Kelly, M “Who’s more to blame?” (2001) 9(2) Juta’s Business Law 56–62.
  5. Kelly, M “May the directors throw in the towel themselves?” (2001) 9(4) Juta’s Business Law 163–167.
  6. Kelly, M “The new Land Bank Act” (2003) 11(2) Juta’s Business Law 99–103.
  7. Kelly, M “More about the new Land Bank Act” (2003) 11(3) Juta’s Business Law 182–188.
  8. Kelly-Louw, M “Owners liable for tenants’ arrear water and electricity consumption charges” (2004) 12(3) Juta’s Business Law 132–188.
  9. Kelly-Louw, M “Collection of levies by a body corporate” (2004) 12(2) Juta’s Business Law 94–99.
  10. Kelly-Louw, M “Municipal debts – are they killing mortgage bonds?” (2005) 13(3) Juta’s Business Law 121–128.
  11. Kelly-Louw, M “The Land Bank – Out with the old and in with the new!” (2006) 14(2) Juta’s Business Law 69–73.
  12. Kelly-Louw, M “The common-law versus the statutory in duplum rule” (2006) 14(2) Juta’s Business Law 141–144.
  13. Kelly-Louw, M “Levelling the playing field between the Land Bank and commercial banks” (2007) 15(1) Juta’s Business Law 11–16.
  14. Kelly-Louw, M “The right of access to adequate housing? Does it prevent an execution order?” (2007) 15(1) Juta’s Business Law 35–39.
  15. Kelly-Louw, M “Introduction to the National Credit Act” (2007) 15(4) Juta’s Business Law 147–159.
  16. Kelly-Louw, M “Sometimes bank guarantees need to be similar to cash” (2007) 15(4) Juta’s Business Law 177–179.
  17. Stoop, PN and Kelly-Louw, M “The National Credit Act as a tool to protect and educate” (Edition 6: September 2017) The South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s The Regulatory Debates 10–12.