摘要:There are many uncertainties pertaining to the law of liens in South Africa. These include the real operation of a lien, the question whether a mala fide possessor can rely on a lien for money spent or work done on a thing which he knew he controlled unlawfully, the circumstances under which the lienholder has sufficient physical control over an immovable thing, the effect of involuntary loss of control over the thing by the lienholder and, finally, the influence of section 25 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 on the validity of a lien in specific instances.