Roadblocks and traffic fines – the festive season is here!

Know your rights around these seasonal hurdles As predictable as tourists in Cape Town, roadblocks are a festive season feature. Recently, an email has made the rounds advising recipients to check their traffic fines and pay them to avoid being arrested in a roadblock. There is a lot of misinformation in circulation about this topic, […]

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Parental responsibility for a young offender

Child Offence

Can a parent be held criminally liable for their child’s crime in South Africa? Earlier this year, Jennifer and James Crumbley became the first parents in US history to be convicted of involuntary manslaughter for a mass shooting committed by their child. They were each sentenced to 10–15 years in prison, the maximum penalty for […]

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Driving under the influence

Driving under the influence

What is a fair sentence? A driving under the influence (DUI) case was recently appealed in the Western Cape High Court, not because the appellant wished to challenge the conviction, but because he felt the sentence was inappropriately severe. It is an interesting case from a legal perspective, because it deals with the nature and […]

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Non-payment of traffic fines

Traffic fines

Can you be arrested? Can you be arrested for non-payment of traffic fines? There is a lot of confusion around AARTO – the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act. It was declared unconstitutional and invalid by the Pretoria High Court in January, but the Road Traffic Infringement Agency warned that it remains valid until […]

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Harsh Sentence for a Minor Crime

We came across an interesting case recently where the punishment most definitely did not fit the crime. A petty criminal received an unduly harsh sentence. Furthermore, there were minor children involved who might have been left without their caregiver if the sentence had been carried out. An accused appeared before a magistrates court for the […]

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Will it be bail or gaol for convicted killer Jason Rodhe?

Why bail is not always granted In November 2018, Jason Rohde was convicted of killing his wife Susan and defeating or obstructing the course of justice by covering up her murder to make it look like a suicide. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence. Rohde has now asked the courts to grant bail so […]

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Oscar Pistorius – A Knife Edge For The Blade Runner?

Oscar Pistorius, just when freedom seemed so close the Supreme Court of Appeal had other ideas. As has been widely reported in the news, the verdict of culpable homicide in the case of the State versus Oscar Pistorius has been overturned on appeal and instead a verdict of murder has been returned.

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