Legal news and commentary from the offices of Simon Dippenaar
White collar crime can do as much damage to society as violent crime Commercial crime, also called “white collar crime”, is often called a victimless crime, because it is not perpetrated against an individual. But it is anything but victimless. And with more and more of our lives conducted online, along with the growth in […]
The Protection Against Harassment Act of 2011 is there to help Attention is sharply focused on violence against women right now, as the world observes 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. This campaign has its roots in protests about the use of physical violence against women. But violence and abuse […]
Reclaiming your life after an abusive relationship Throughout 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, we’ve been looking at breaking free of an abusive relationship. It’s shocking how many women live with abuse, sometimes for decades. The problem is not unique to South Africa. It is global, oblivious to social class […]
Planning for the future after leaving an abusive relationship Key points: Establishing a support network: The role of friends, family, and domestic violence support organisations Safety precautions when confiding plans Using prepaid phones and alternative internet access to maintain secrecy Legal considerations: Prioritising legal aspects, such as obtaining protection orders and understanding custody rights Securing […]
The Children’s Act allows children to be relocated after divorce – but only with consent The mid-year school break and winter holiday is nearly upon us. For divorced families it can be a stressful time. One or other parent may wish to take the child or children away on holiday, either to another South African […]
Largest analysis of its kind finds one in seven globally said they had experienced violence in the last year We know we have a problem with gender-based and domestic violence in South Africa, and we know it is a global phenomenon, as reports that have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic have shown. But this study, […]
What does the new Cybercrimes Act 2020 cover? We wrote recently about the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). The need for such privacy legislation came about because of the explosion in electronic storage of personal information over the past two decades. Historically, personal information was held mostly by financial services companies, in paper records. […]
Family finds closure after 17 year battle to get justice for their slain daughter Reprinted from the Cape Argus, by Mwangi Githahu – 2022-01-17 Cape Town – A Pietermaritzburg family whose daughter was killed in 2005 say they have finally gained closure after two Western Cape High Court judges last week upheld the killer’s 15-year […]
POPIA – why you should care The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) was enacted on 1 July 2020, but only became fully enforceable on 1 July 2021. Businesses enjoyed a 12-month grace period to comply with all the requirements. Since 1 July 2021 significant penalties for non-compliance have been in place. However, we are […]
Stay safe this festive season It’s December, and Omicron notwithstanding, South Africans are beginning to celebrate the festive season. The public holiday on the 16th of December will herald the annual leave season, and drinking and driving will once again be an issue. Curfew This year there are a few new factors to keep in […]
As we currently observe 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, this article from the UK’s Guardian newspaper gives voice to the experience of a child raised in a home where domestic violence was a frequent and unwelcome guest. Although the author was not the direct victim of the abuse – […]
Civil society organisations’ lawsuit argues the country’s energy policy is incompatible with the constitution The recent upsurge in load shedding is proof – if proof were needed – of South Africa’s shortage of electricity generating capacity. One breakdown anywhere in the fragile system and the lights go off. So the need for additional power stations […]
