NEWS
11 POPIA Questions to Ask Yourself Before 30 June 2021
Note: This is a complex topic and there is no substitute for tailored professional advice. What is set out below is of necessity no more than a simplified summary of some practical highlights. You and your business are at substantial risk if you aren’t fully compliant...
When Bond Clauses Sink Sales
“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success” (Alexander Graham Bell) You sell your house, give the signed sale agreement to your attorney, and wait to get paid out as soon as the property is transferred in the Deeds Office. What could possibly go wrong?...
Dismissed: The Butcher Who Went to Work With COVID-19
“The facts of this case are indeed extraordinary. They are indicative of the need for more to be done at both the workplace and in our communities, in ensuring that employers, employees, and the general populace are sensitised to the realities of this pandemic, and to...
Can You Change Your Marital Regime After Marriage?
“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it” (John Steinbeck) One of the most important decisions you must make before you marry is what “marital regime” (“matrimonial property system”) you want to apply to your marriage. To...
Your Website of the Month: Teamwork Tips from My Octopus Teacher
“So, you thought that My Octopus Teacher was there to teach us about cephalopods; its real message is about the value of teamwork and what we can achieve if we work together.” Read “Teamwork Tips from My Octopus Teacher” on the Catalyst website, and watch an...
Landlord Liable for a Tragic “Freak” Flood Drowning
“Nature has the ability to spring a surprise when least expected” (extract from the judgment below) A recent High Court decision dealing with the tragic drowning of a toddler highlights once again the legal dangers faced by property owners who let out accommodation to...
Employers: Beware the “Casual Worker” Myth!
Employees in South Africa enjoy strong protections under a raft of laws such as the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and the Employment Equity Act (EEA). Failure to comply with these Acts, whilst perhaps tempting to many...
Companies: Are Restraints of Trade Valid in a Time of Covid?
“For him to be forced out of a career of choice to start working in a different field at a time when many businesses are closing down, retrenchments and lay-offs being commonplace and individual[s] doing everything possible to survive and cope with the health and...
Extended: The Rights of Grieving Parents to Choose Burial After Pregnancy Loss
Expectant parents who lose a pregnancy before 26 weeks (the age set by the Births and Deaths Registration Act (BADRA) in its definition of “still-born”) have until now had no right to bury their foetus, which had to be incinerated as “medical waste”. That has changed...
Your Website of the Month: Protecting Yourself and Your Business in Flu Season 2021
Flu season is upon us again, and it is not to be underestimated with between 7,000 and 12,000 flu-related deaths historically reported in South Africa every season. Whether or not this year’s lockdown precautions will reduce infection levels to the same extent that...