Latest Legal Briefs
Friends And Family May Turn To Foes – Be Careful Who You Appoint As An Executor
There are only two things in life that are inevitable, death and taxes. Taxes are debatable however death will come knocking on each and every one of our doors at some point in our life. This article is about making wise and responsible decisions prior to your death to ensure that you appoint an...
South Africa: Next steps for designated employers following publication of the Employment Equity regulations and sectoral targets
The new Employment Equity Regulations, 2025 (General Administrative EE Regulations) and final sectoral numerical targets (collectively, the 2025 EEA Regulations) published in terms of the Employment Equity Act, 1998 (EEA) have brought about additional obligations on designated employers and...
New asthma compensation regulations: Ensuring adequate treatment for affected workers
In 2024, the Minister of Employment and Labour officially promulgated two significant sets of regulations aimed at protecting workers affected by respiratory conditions. These are the Regulations on Irritant-Induced Asthma for the Compensation Fund (Irritant-Induced Regulations) and the...
Key considerations and compliance challenges as South Africa nears implementation of groundbreaking "Failure to Prevent Corrupt Activities Offence"
Arguably one of the most far-reaching recommendations of the State Capture Commission, the introduction of a failure to prevent corruption offence, is on the cusp of being introduced in South Africa. The Judicial Matters Amendment Bill (the “Bill”) which is due to be considered by the National...
Residential Tenant, Landlord Rights Under Lockdown
In the economic turmoil caused by Covid-19 lockdown, many people have not been able to pay their residential rent. Under government lockdown regulations – which try to ameliorate this problem – where do tenants and landlords stand legally? Two main scenarios emerge in the regulations passed by...
Eric Bonnet-Maes appointed Chief Executive Officer of LexisNexis (RELX Group) for Continental Europe, Middle East and Africa
Eric Bonnet-Maes joined LexisNexis France in 2007 as Sales and Operational Marketing Director before becoming Chief Operating Officer from 2014. Since 2018, he led LexisNexis' Asia region, steering the development of Greater China, Japan, South Korea, India and Southeast Asia from Hong Kong. "I...
Don’t rely on prescription of backpay orders
I recently warned employers not to rely on technicalities in trying to win labour law cases. At the core of the purpose of labour legislation is the need to ensure that unfairly treated employees receive redress with a minimum of time wasting and technicalities. Unfair dismissal refers to a...
South Africa’s evolving mineral and petroleum industries
South Africa’s mineral and petroleum industries faced significant changes in 2024 in view of the establishment of the Government of National Unity and legislative developments in these industries. In May 2024, South Africa had its seventh general election the results of which paved the way for...
Wrapping up lives, not estates
No matter how busy life gets, it’s important to prioritise what we love. This includes making time to spend with the people we care about. But have you thought about your loved ones’ future and whether they’ll be looked after if you are not able to? No-one enjoys facing their own mortality, but...
How Policy Commons: Global Think Tanks supports the work of leading South African research agencies and think tanks
Case study: Supporting a leading social science research institute in South Africa Social science research agencies, like their counterparts in the natural sciences, require access to policy reports, social science trends, and effective policy solutions from various regions. They need to access...
Consistency in Workplace Discipline: Balancing Fairness and Discretion
Consistency in workplace discipline is a fundamental element of substantive fairness. Employers must enforce rules and impose disciplinary actions without bias or arbitrariness. The principle of consistency ensures that disciplinary decisions are justifiable on objective, operational grounds,...
Counterfeit Crackdown: Fake Pots Boiled Over in R1-million Bust
In a significant victory for brand protection and consumer safety, Spoor & Fisher’s anti-counterfeiting department supported a police bust in March 2025, to dismantle a major counterfeit distribution network in Johannesburg, resulting in the seizure of more than R1-million worth of Hart pots....
The MTBPS needs to focus on easing the cost of doing business
The Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has committed himself to the task of pursuing his predecessors’ structural reform agenda and reducing red tape, the progress of which will be keenly noted in the Medium Term Budget Policy (MTBPS) on the 11th of November. Angelika Goliger, EY Africa’s...
Under pressure: Navigating financial regulatory heat in South Africa in 2025
"Pressure pushing down on me, pressing down on you..." the iconic line from Bowie and Queen’s anthem feels prophetic for South Africa’s financial sector in 2025. With regulatory heat intensifying from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and Prudential Authority (PA), heightened global...
Court Orders Gauteng Department of Health to Provide Cancer Treatment to Patients Awaiting Care
On 27 March 2025, the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court, Johannesburg, granted urgent interim relief in the matter of Cancer Alliance v Member of Executive Council for Health Gauteng Province and Others 2025 ZAGPJHC 136 (27 March 2025) (“the Cancer Alliance matter”), ordering the Gauteng...
