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From: "Johan Venter" <>
Subject: Re: [SOUTH-AFRICA] Occupation: BALJU
Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:22:05 +0200


Hi Keith,

"Balju" is the Afrikaans term for a "Sheriff of the Court". In the SA legal system, the sheriff's job is to enforce court orders, ie delivering summonses, court orders, etc. and also confiscate a person's property, if such confiscation was ordered by a court. Not a very popular job, indeed.

As to the exact origin of the word, I am not very clear, but I am sure that, like "landdrost" (magistrate), it originates in Roman-Dutch Law.

Johan.


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