The Name You’ve Built, the Rules That Protect It: Navigating CIPC Name Disputes
For most business owners, your company name is far more than a formality. It is how your market recognises you. It reflects your work, your relationships, and the trust you have built with your clients. The question is: what happens when another business starts trading under a name that looks or sounds like yours? This […]
Transfer Duty in South Africa: Key Facts for Property Buyers
Transfer duty is the tax you pay when buying property in South Africa, governed by Section 2 of the Transfer Duty Act 40 of 1949 (TDA). It applies to immovable property and certain real rights, like long-term leases. As the buyer (transferee), you’re responsible for paying it within six months of signing the offer to […]
Running a Business from Home? Municipal Approval Isn’t Enough
Getting permission from the municipality to run a coffee shop on a residential property might seem like the green light to go ahead. The plans are signed off, the doors open, and business starts to pick up. Then the complaints begin. Neighbours object to the noise and traffic, and a year later, the business is […]
Small Claims Court vs Magistrate’s Court: Which One’s Right for Your Case?
When a dispute turns serious enough to head to court, one of your first decisions can make all the difference: where to take your case. In South Africa, most civil disputes end up in either the Small Claims Court (SCC) or the Magistrate’s Court. Both are designed to make justice accessible, but they operate very […]
Legal Distinction Between Private and Public Roads
A private road is defined as one that is not open to the public and is intended for the use of specific individuals, such as the owners or occupiers of the properties it serves. The term “private” inherently excludes public access, as established in Berdur Properties (Pty) Ltd v 76 Commercial Road (Pty) Ltd, where […]
Who Is Liable When an AI-driven Vehicle Causes Harm?
As autonomous vehicles (AVs) evolve from concept to real-world use, South Africa faces pressing legal questions: if an AI-driven vehicle causes harm, who bears liability? Under current South African law, liability for road accidents is largely governed by the Road Accident Fund Act 56 of 1996 (the RAF Act). The RAF is a statutory insurance […]
Why South African Business Owners Must Plan Their Succession
With only 30% of family businesses surviving to the second generation, the time to act is well before you’re ready to step away. Every business owner reaches a point where the question shifts from “how do I grow this?” to “what happens when I’m gone?” For South African entrepreneurs approaching retirement or considering succession in […]
Paws and Policies: Pet Ownership in Sectional Title Schemes
For the millions of South Africans who call a sectional title unit or gated community home, the question of whether you can keep a pet is far more nuanced than a simple “yes” or “no”. As urban living becomes increasingly dense, the legal landscape governing pets in shared residential spaces continues to evolve, and both […]
Where to Invest R1 Million in Today’s Property Market
Finding value in South Africa’s property market used to mean stretching beyond major metros or compromising on space. Today, with interest rates easing and demand patterns shifting, R1 million can still unlock meaningful investment opportunities. When investing in this price bracket, you need to know where to look – and how to structure your purchase […]
Are Electronic Wills Valid?
We live in an age where agreements are concluded by email, documents are signed electronically, and important records are stored in the cloud. It is therefore not surprising that clients often ask: “Can I sign my will electronically?” or “Is the will saved on my laptop valid?” The short answer is that South African law […]