Legal

Unprotected strikes will often merit dismissal where the employer has not provoked them. However, even where there has been no provocation, such dismissal can be found to be unfair.

South Africa’s online betting industry has entered a needless panic after headlines claimed that online gambling is banned. Those headlines are wrong and dangerously misleading. This online betting controversy shows how misinformation can destabilise an entire sector.

When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement, it didn’t just make headlines. It scored a pop culture touchdown. A pop icon met the NFL’s charismatic star player. The pairing set the internet ablaze. With two global superstars joining forces, the commercial possibilities extend far beyond headlines and hashtags.

South Africa's construction industry is in a tough spot. Output shrank by 4.2% in 2024, capping a decade-long slide that began around 2009, with the sector's GDP contribution down over 30% since then. Like the broader economy, it is battling low growth and inflation. But as one of the nation's top carbon emitters, buildings and construction alone risk doubling emissions by 2050 without action.

Africa sits at a crossroads. The continent is rich in natural resources, faces growing energy demand and urgently needs modern infrastructure. Yet translating this potential into sustainable, long-term development is rarely straightforward. For developers, oil and gas operators, governments and financiers, success depends on more than mere resource availability.

A recent judgment from the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court provides a crucial interpretation of Section 35(1) of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA). The decision explores the limits of employer immunity under COIDA when tragic incidents occur during employment, but not necessarily arise from it.

Short-term rentals have become a topical and sometimes contentious issue, particularly in the City of Cape Town. Recent media reports show that listings in Cape Town exceed many international cities, including San Francisco and Sydney. Inside Airbnb, a non-profit data project, reported approximately 26,304 active listings in Cape Town as of 25 June 2025.

The law entitles charged employees to a fair and sufficient opportunity to prepare for the disciplinary hearing. They must also be allowed to testify on their own behalf, bring corroborative evidence and cross-examine the employer’s witnesses. In addition, employees have the right to use an interpreter, receive representation and have an impartial chairperson preside over the matter.

Many South Africans working from home are asking which home office expenses they can claim as tax deductible items. They also want to know how to claim them correctly. This question is especially relevant for the growing number of South African employees working remotely for global companies. Increasingly, these employees are turning to tax practitioners for guidance regarding home office tax claims.

When a trust suffers a loss through negligence, misconduct or mismanagement, can the beneficiaries take legal action directly against a third party? The answer is nuanced. Recent legal developments, such as the McCann vs McCann case in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, are bringing new clarity to the rights and remedies available to trusts and their beneficiaries.