Legal news and commentary from the offices of Simon Dippenaar
What happens if the terms of your will change? We recently wrote about the risks associated with intestacy. If you die intestate – without a will – your estate is subject to the provisions of the Intestate Succession Act 81 of 1987, which we outlined in the article mentioned. A client asked us what would […]
Reprinted from timeslive.co.za, by Rorisang Kgosana – 2024-05-13 A father is in danger of losing custody of his children after pleading guilty to spanking them, saying he was unaware that chastisement was now regarded as a crime. The Centurion father, 36, is awaiting sentencing after admitting to the court that he hit his children, aged […]
Should I stay or should I go? Recognising narcissistic personality disorder and making an informed choice about your relationship Even the healthiest of relationships have their challenges, because humans are complex creatures and our emotional states are not always in sync with our partner’s. If you suspect your partner is a narcissist your situation may […]
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 […]
Unmarried needn’t mean unprotected We write a lot about the financial consequences of divorce, which is to be expected as we are divorce lawyers. But we are also family lawyers, and families come in many different shapes and sizes. Sometimes our role is to help keep families together, or to help people navigate issues they […]
Why you need to appoint a legal guardian for your children in your will If you have children, you need a will. If you die without a will, this is known as dying intestate or in a state of intestacy. Nearly 75% of South Africans die without having a valid will. If this happens, your […]
Reprinted from the Guardian, by Anna Moore – 2022-05-09 Can men who assault or intimidate their partners be taught to respect women? We talk to campaigners and perpetrators – and sit in on one of their classes In this Zoom call, four men are looking at a list of family duties and marking which they […]
What is the Hague Convention and what does it do? You might have heard of the Hague Convention but you’re not sure what it is. If you have children, particularly if their other parent is not South African and/or you are divorced, it may at some point become relevant to you. The International Hague Convention […]
Addicted parents – balancing rights with responsibilities With every right comes a responsibility. In no sphere of life is this more true than when it comes to parenting. Do parents have a right to see their children? Yes, they do. But the rights and best interests of the child take precedence. There are circumstances in […]
At SD Law, we strongly advocate for effective estate planning. We encourage all our clients to draft a will if they don’t have one and revise it with every major life event – marriage, divorce, addition of a child to the family. This article from BizCommunity, written by Capital Legacy, specialist will provider, outlines four […]
We welcome new legislation aimed at tackling our gender-based violence epidemic. This article, reprinted from Business Tech, explains the terms of three new laws, signed into effect by President Cyril Ramaphosa recently. Reprinted from Business Tech – 2022-01-31 President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law three new pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening efforts to […]
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, […]
