Blog

On Monday, 25 September 2018, the Minister of Home Affairs (the Minister), Mr Malusi Gigaba, announced a number of amendments to immigration legislation that will be implemented in the coming months. These reforms are aimed at promoting foreign investment, encouraging the migration of critically skilled labour into South Africa and increasing tourism. Ultimately, the immigrationRead more

“A company must keep minutes of the meetings of the board, and any of its committees…” (Extract from the Companies Act) Steinhoff and other high profile corporate scandals both here and overseas highlight the need for directors to ensure that their board and committee meetings (and the decisions taken at them) are correctly and accuratelyRead more

The media has been awash with reports (sometimes conflicting, often vague) of what the recent Constitutional Court ruling actually means in practice. Whether you agree with the ruling or not, and whether or not you personally have ever had (or intend to have) anything to do with cannabis/marijuana/weed/dagga, we all need to be aware ofRead more

In a bid to increase tourism, the Department of Home Affairs has relaxed travel rules for foreigners visiting South Africa with minors. Read the full article on The Daily Maverick.Read more

“Honesty is the best policy” (Benjamin Franklin) A recent High Court decision again confirms that when it comes to selling your house, honesty is indeed the best policy. Specifically, disclose all defects you know of to potential buyers, or risk expensive litigation and damages claims. Defects and Defences The buyers of a house, who hadRead more

“The general rule of our law is that cohabitation does not give rise to special legal consequences, no matter how long the relationship has endured” (From a 2010 High Court judgment and still applicable) One of the more pervasive myths in South Africa is that, if you live together for long enough as “life partners”,Read more

You want to charge one of your employees with serious misconduct so you institute disciplinary proceedings. To avoid a possible dismissal the employee resigns “with immediate effect”. Can you go ahead with disciplining the employee? Until recently the answer was no, the Labour Court having decided in such a matter that immediate resignation brings anRead more

Here’s one more reason to never ever allow yourself or anyone else to drive when over the legal limit (for non-professional drivers, a breath alcohol content of 0.24mg per 1,000ml or a blood alcohol limit of 0.05g per 100ml). If you are caught by the police (statistically, a regular offender will be caught sooner or later –Read more

“Buy land – they’ve stopped making it” (Mark Twain) So you’ve decided to buy your first house – exciting! There’s nothing like owning and living in your very own dream house, and if you choose wisely your home could well be one of your most important investments ever. Get started with these tips – First,Read more

“A man who dies without a will has lawyers for his heirs” (Anon)   It’s natural not to want to make plans for our own mortality, but we owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to do exactly that, and to do it without delay. Why? Sooner or later we all die. No oneRead more