Succession Reviews: Why Your Business Plan Needs a Regular Check-Up
Protecting a family business requires a succession plan that evolves alongside changing tax legislation and family dynamics. However, according to a feature published in March 2026 in Accountancy SA, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants’ publication, a reported 60% of South African family-owned businesses still have no formal succession plan. Even when succession plans […]
Planning Beyond the Founder of the Family Business
When a family business runs without any concern, planning for a change in leadership can seem less urgent than managing the work at hand. The founder is still involved, the next generation is finding its place, and clients continue to receive the service they expect. Yet this apparent stability can leave important questions about ownership, […]
Beyond Compliance: The Business Case for B-BBEE Success
Compliance is an important foundation for business growth, and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) should form part of that vision. Many South African businesses see B-BBEE as a complex hurdle to cross. But when implemented properly, it can become your greatest competitive advantage. Transformation should do more than improve a scorecard. Businesses that view B-BBEE […]
What Does Being a Trustee of a Body Corporate Entail (Part 2)
In Part One of this article, we explained that a replacement trustee may be appointed by the remaining trustees when a trustee ceases to hold office, or, if all trustees have vacated their positions, by the members in a general meeting. The appointment is for a specified period, for example, six months or usually until […]
Choosing the Right Company Structure in 2026
When you launch or restructure a business in South Africa, most SMEs and investors choose between three options: a private company (Pty Ltd), a trust, or a hybrid structure, which combines the two. This decision determines how your business is taxed, how risk is managed, and how easily you can raise funding or scale. With […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Knowledge Is Power – If You Can Find It
The real threat to your business is old habits. In July 2025, a mid-sized South African business lost one of its most experienced employees. The impact was catastrophic. This was not because of his seniority, but because he was the only one who knew how everything worked. Systems, processes, and compliance routines were all inside […]
Time Is, Indeed, Money!
How to make time work for your money. It’s often said that time is money, and when it comes to your finances, that’s absolutely true. The principle of the time value of money is simple: money available today is worth more than the same amount in the future, because it has the potential to earn […]