Debarments reveal systemic issues within the financial services industry

[Jean-Paul Rudd] Dishonest conduct by representatives of financial service providers (FSPs) continues to plague the sector. This is evident from an analysis of the most recent rulings of the Financial Services Tribunal...

#YouthMonth: Striving for equity - Linda Shwana

[Shan Radcliffe] Linda Shwana describes herself as a strong-willed and opinionated woman from Gugulethu who loves to know...

#YouthMonth: Harness your power to effect change - Charlise Finch

[Shan Radcliffe] For years, Charlise Finch has dreamed of becoming a legal professional...

#YouthMonth: Continuing the progress for equality and inclusion - Bukhobethu Matyeni

[Shan Radcliffe] Bukhobethu Matyeni pursued an education in law because of the social injustices she witnessed...

Are virtually commissioned affidavits valid?

[Graeme Palmer] The Covid-19 pandemic caused a rapid and widespread adoption of video conferencing platforms such as Teams and Zoom. As governments worldwide implemented social distancing measures and encouraged remote work, organisations swiftly turned to virtual collaboration tools to maintain productivity and connectivity...

Court rules in favour of insurer in dispute over towed vehicle

[Jean-Paul Rudd] A judgment from the High Court serves as a timely reminder that a lien (right of retention) can be defeated by providing adequate security for the debt alleged to be due...

#YouthMonth: Be a responsible inspiration - Kamogelo Mashigo

[Shan Radcliffe] Kamogelo Mashigo, a candidate attorney at Baker McKenzie, talks about the rights of young people...

Selling shares at a discount for B-BBEE benefits is not a donation

[Graeme Palmer] Where any asset is disposed of for a consideration which, in the opinion of Sars, is not an adequate consideration, that asset is deemed to have been disposed of as a donation...

Pitfalls of failing to follow rules of court

[Jean-Paul Rudd] A judgment from the High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division, Bisho, serves as a timely reminder for legal practitioners to diligently consult the rules of court before instituting proceedings to avoid the pitfalls that may arise from failing to follow a rule correctly...

Ruling clarifies discrimination due to criminal history in the employment process

[Johan Botes] An April 2024 decision by the South African Labour Appeal Court in O'Connor v LexisNexis serves as a reminder to employers that the statutory protection against unfair workplace discrimination extends to employment applicants, and that employers should carefully consider the grounds for making decisions regarding the recruitment of staff...

President to puff, puff, pass Cannabis Bill into law

[Ramon Pereira] In September 2020, the relevant parliamentary committee published the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill and following some amendments, the Bill recently passed through the two houses of parliament and is expected to soon be gazetted by the President into law...

Unitrans tax deduction appeal dismissed: What went wrong?

[Joon Chong] The Gauteng High Court recently dismissed the appeal of Unitrans Holdings against the Tax Court judgment which had denied a tax deduction for interest incurred...

Employee confessions - are they valid? LAC ruling

[Chloë Loubser] In its first judgment of the year, in the matter of Brauns and Others v Wilkes N.O and Others, the Labour Appeal Court (LAC) dismissed an appeal by former employees of the South African Police Service who had challenged their dismissals for dishonesty relating to overtime claims...

#BizTrends2024: Potholes and prosperity in store for employment law

[Tracy van der Colff] Last year was undoubtedly a challenging one for employers and employees. This article explores the road ahead in 2024 and some of the challenges and opportunities that employers may face...

#BizTrends2024: Trends shaping the corporate governance landscape

[Ricci Hackner] In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, amid prevalent corruption and public distrust, maintaining strong, transparent corporate governance is vital...

#BizTrends2024: Dispute resolution trends - rising demand for legal compliance and due diligence

[Kylie Slambert] Business disputes are becoming more frequent and costly, as organisations grapple with rapidly evolving risks...

#BizTrends2024: Adapting to change and the growing call for DEI

[Johan Botes] Legislation regulating local and international employer-employee relationships, increasing focus on DEI, and a crackdown on employees abusing their rights - these are a few of the employment trends we'll unpack in this article...

#BizTrends2024: Shaping the future of IP law in 2024 and beyond

[Dina Biagio] A plethora of micro, macro, and mega IP law trends have emerged over the past few years, which affect not only how we practice on a day-to-day basis but are also likely to transform the broader industry in South Africa and abroad...

#BizTrends2024: Key legislative developments and their impact on employment

[Chloë Loubser] The workplace is a dynamic environment. Employers are constantly adapting to keep up to date with changes to employment laws and developing workplace trends...

#BizTrends2024: Africa's growing role in global trade dynamics

[Virusha Subban] Africa's role in global trade is trending. According to a recent report by Standard Chartered - Future of Trade: Africa, Africa's total exports will reach almost $1tn by 2035...