The Future of Platform Work in South Africa Needs a New Rulebook
The digital world is spinning faster than ever, and in South Africa, that rotation is powered by algorithms, online app orders, and the hum of delivery bikes. From catching an Uber to buying your weekly groceries via Checkers Sixty60, the “Platform Economy” has officially moved from a futuristic trend to our daily reality. But behind […]
How to Clear Your Name After a Default Judgment Against You: Rescission of Judgments
Most people only become aware that a default judgment has been granted against them when the sheriff arrives with a warrant of execution or when their credit applications are unexpectedly declined. A default judgment is usually issued when a defendant fails to enter an appearance to defend or does not attend trial, and in the […]
South Africa’s Parental Leave Rules Have Been Updated
On 3 October 2025, the Constitutional Court delivered a landmark decision in Van Wyk and Others v Minister of Employment and Labour & Others (CCT 308/23) [2025] ZACC 20, fundamentally reshaping the law on parental leave in South Africa. The Judgment The court declared that the existing provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act […]
High Court Validates Electronic Will of Late Constitutional Court Justice
In an important judgment that addresses the intersection of modern technology and traditional legal formalities, the Northern Cape High Court in Kimberley has ordered the Master of the High Court to accept an electronically signed will as the valid last will and testament of the late Constitutional Court Justice Mokgoro. Justice Mokgoro, who passed away […]
Small Claims Court vs Magistrate’s Court: Which One’s Right for Your Case?
When a dispute turns serious enough to head to court, one of your first decisions can make all the difference: where to take your case. In South Africa, most civil disputes end up in either the Small Claims Court (SCC) or the Magistrate’s Court. Both are designed to make justice accessible, but they operate very […]
Recognising Intimate Relationships: Civil Union Act and the Marriage Act
Within the South African context, our legal framework for recognising intimate relationships is unique. Our legislative framework offers various legislative pathways for couples to formalise their unions. The two most prominent Acts are the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act 25 of 1961) and the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act 17 of 2006). Both Acts, while governing […]
Can You Record the Police? The Jacobs Ruling Says Yes
In a recent ruling by the Johannesburg High Court – Jacobs v Minister of Police and Others (2021/6576) [2025] ZAGPJHC 722 (12 June 2025) – South Africans’ legal right to film and question police officers has been affirmed. The case brought much-needed clarity on the everyday interactions between citizens and law enforcement, confirming that recording […]
Attorneys v Advocates – What is the Difference? Part 2
In terms of the Legal Practice Act of 2014, an advocate is “a legal practitioner who is admitted and enrolled as such under this Act”. This means that a person with an LLB degree first needs to be admitted and enrolled before they are considered and allowed to practice as an advocate. The abovementioned legislation […]
Supporting Elderly Parents: The Legal Duty of Adult Children
We often focus our compassion on vulnerable children and their needs, but what about the elderly? In South Africa, too many parents spend their final years in destitution while their adult children live in comfort. This raises a difficult but important question: can parents claim maintenance from their children? The Law: A Reciprocal Duty of […]
Children’s Status and Their Right to Inherit
Within the framework of South Africa’s law of succession, constitutional values such as equality and non-discrimination have elevated children’s rights to inherit significantly. Our legal position currently has impacted both the status and inheritance rights of extramarital children, children conceived through artificial insemination, children born of surrogacy, and adopted children. The Children’s Act 38 of […]
