The relationship between legal pluralism and the rule of law in South Africa and Timor-Leste

The re/establishment of the ‘rule of law’ in transitional countries has become a mantra of the international community. At its core, the rule of law assumes that the state enjoys a monopoly of law. This thesis argues that the promotion of the rule of law in transitional countries gives insufficient attention to whether a strong level of legal pluralism exists, in that forms of non-state law, such as customary law, operate in parallel with state law and are preferred by a large proportion of the population. A strong level of legal pluralism is the norm in many regions of the world, particularly in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, where between 80 to 90 per cent of disputes are taken to non-state legal mechanisms for resolution. This study examines two transitional countries, South Africa and Timor-Leste, which are attempting to re/establish the rule of law and where legal pluralism is strong. ..