Legal news and commentary from the offices of Simon Dippenaar
Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies vs. Thomas Leyland Torr We all value free speech. As a nation, we don’t condone hate speech. Section 16 of the Constitution provides the right to freedom of expression, which includes freedom of the press and other media; freedom to receive or impart information or ideas; freedom of […]
Understanding gamete ownership You may have seen the Netflix film “Joy: The Birth of IVF”. It tells the story of Louise Brown, the first “test-tube baby”, and the scientists as well as brave women who helped to bring about this breakthrough in reproductive science. We take fertility treatment for granted now, but procedures like IVF, […]
Why your attorney might use AI to prepare your case The legal profession is often perceived as resistant to change. Traditional values are important to law firms, as we have a duty of care to our clients and trust is essential. However, advancements in technology are bringing about a transformation in how we serve our […]
How AI is revolutionising legal disputes Artificial intelligence (AI) has been around for years, but most of us only became consciously aware of it with the launch of ChatGPT in November 2023. Since then, the prominence and use of AI have spiralled. Recently we heard about the Chinese-made AI chatbot called DeepSeek, which overnight hit […]
Reprinted from Mondaq.com, by Mtho Maphumulo – 2024-10-22 Cybercrime remains rife, despite the efforts to combat it. In a recent court case, the court reaffirmed the legal position as to who bears responsibility for payment… Cybercrime remains rife, despite the efforts to combat it. In a recent court case, the court reaffirmed the legal position […]
Compensation for work-related injuries There are 869,000 domestic workers in South Africa, comprising 5.2% of the population, as at the end of March, 2024. Many of us rely on domestic workers to relieve us of the burden of cleaning our own homes, looking after our children, and perhaps cooking our meals. For many workers, women […]
After many revisions, the Land Court Act is finally enacted The Land Court Bill has been occupying legislators for some time now. Last year, it was finally enacted and became the Land Court Act No. 6 of 2023. The Land Court Act is an attempt to right some of the wrongs of the past, and […]
High Court ruling spells changes to parental leave provisions in BCEA A landmark judgment was handed down by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg within the last week, which heralds a significant change to the provisions for parental leave after the birth of a child in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of […]
Whose duty is it to check consent has been given? When couples are married in community of property, which is still the most common matrimonial regime in South Africa, both spouses are equally responsible for the management of their joint estate. Therefore, certain transactions require consent from the other spouse and both parties need to […]
Reprinted from the Daily Maverick, by Geoffrey Allsop – 2022-09-27 We explain in detail what the courts have ruled Since the Covid pandemic began, occupations of public land by destitute people have increased in various parts of the country. Below, we explain what the law currently says about when the government can lawfully remove people from […]
Court rules grow clubs do not constitute “private use” The Haze Club is – or was – a cooperative-type arrangement whereby individuals brought their own seeds to the club to be cultivated by horticulturists, in return for the harvested and dried plant for their private use when ready. Grow clubs like this, claims owner Neil […]
Four new laws have been approved by Cabinet, to address gaps in South African legislation. This article from BusinessTech explains. Reprinted from BusinessTech – 2022-09-01 Cabinet has recently approved a number of new bills that have subsequently been submitted to parliament, including new legislation which focuses on financial crime, divorce and substances. There are over […]
