Legal news and commentary from the offices of Simon Dippenaar
This Father’s Day/Youth Day, we reflect on fatherhood and young fathers Father’s Day coincides with Youth Day this year, and this provides an opportunity to reflect on the role…some would say plight…of young fathers, over 90% of whom are unmarried and not living with the mother of their child, as well as on the rights […]
The law is very clear on when dismissal is considered unfair. What can you do about it? South Africa’s Labour Relations Act (LRA), like all of our legislation post-1994, aims to protect the rights of all parties, ensuring no discrimination or bias and maintaining a balance of power between stakeholders. Workers’ dignity and rights, so […]
When is a spouse not entitled to half a pension on divorce? A recent case challenged the matrimonial property regime “out of community of property without accrual”, because on divorce a wife was unfairly denied a share of assets she had helped to accrue through her unpaid contribution to the household (raising children, building her […]
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 […]
How your lawyer might use AI and why this is nothing to worry about The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has had a disruptive influence on society. AI is a very broad term that describes the ability of machines to perform tasks that previously required human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, and decision-making. Types of […]
What is an application to compel and when would you use one? Are you going through a hostile divorce and your spouse’s attorneys are not being completely transparent in the discovery phase? Do you think your employment has been wrongfully terminated but your employer is withholding documents you need to make your case? In these…and […]
Understanding the subpoena process in South African law Have you been summonsed to appear in court (subpoenaed) and give evidence in a trial? If so, you may be frightened, or at least a bit anxious. As lawyers, we attend court all the time. It’s a familiar environment for us. But we know that for the […]
How to recognise police impersonation scams and what to do about them Dressing up as a police officer has long been an act for male strippers. It’s a bit of fun and no one would mistake them for real law enforcement officers. But impersonating a police officer for financial gain is a serious issue. Extortion […]
What to do if you are trashed on Tiktok Trashed on Tiktok? Insulted on Instagram? Excoriated on X? Social media platforms allow anyone to publish information with a few taps on a phone screen. While social media has facilitated unfettered freedom of expression, many people have fallen prey to the more nefarious side of these […]
Where law and culture intersect Muslim marriage has been in the news recently. In June 2022, the Constitutional Court declared the Divorce Act unconstitutional because it failed to recognise Muslim marriages that have not been registered as civil marriages as valid marriages. Parliament was ordered to rectify the legislation to comply with the Constitution within […]
The payments can be used for rent, study or household essentials to help them start new lives. Reprinted from Sky News, by Tamara Cohen – 2024-01-09 Regular readers will know that we like to keep abreast of legal developments around the world as well as here in South Africa. Often we find that South African […]
Understanding domestic violence and protection procedures Domestic violence is a pressing social issue in South Africa, affecting individuals and families across all communities. It does not discriminate according to educational status, economic standing, or social class. Defined as a pattern of abusive behaviours perpetrated by one against another, it encompasses various forms of abuse, including […]
