Legal

People are the beating heart of every business. They bring perspective, ingenuity, skills and experience that help organisations excel and deliver results. However, employment relationships do not always work out. A person may not suit their role and responsibilities. They may also fail to align with the company culture or behave poorly in the workplace.

Excitement will abound on 11 June 2026 when the South Africa national soccer team takes on the Mexico national football team in the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup opener in Mexico City. This match will serve as a rematch of the opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It also marks South Africa’s return to the World Cup stage after failing to qualify for the previous three tournaments.

Whether you are a business owner or responsible for Human Resources (HR), the issue of cannabis use among employees will likely arise at some point. According to research released by the United Nations in 2020, about 3% of the South African population reported Cannabis use. That equals roughly 2 million people.

The proliferation of counterfeit goods continues to present legal and commercial risks across multiple sectors. Increasingly, this extends beyond traditional high-value items to functional tools such as calculators. As counterfeiters target price-sensitive markets, businesses and consumers face growing exposure to products that undermine both performance and intellectual property rights.

Can employers pay bonuses to non-strikers during a protected strike? During a protected strike, tensions rise and both sides make difficult choices. This Alert explores the legal position by examining Solidarity obo C J Arendse and 38 Others vs Heineken Beverages (Pty) Ltd, a recent Labour Court judgment.

When arbitrators and judges assess whether a dismissal was fair, they must apply the objective test. In simple terms, they must decide whether a reasonable person would conclude that the conduct justified dismissal. This assessment must remain unemotional and evidence-based. However, misunderstanding the objective test often leads to incorrect conclusions.

Since the Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Harassment in the Workplace (Code) came into effect, harassment claims have increased. These include sexual harassment, racial discrimination and gender-based bullying. They also include harassment based on arbitrary or prohibited grounds.

Two recent Tax Court judgments produced markedly different outcomes. These outcomes raised questions about condonation in the court. In particular, they highlighted uncertainty in how condonation principles apply. Practitioners often recognise this tension. However, case law rarely states it so directly.

It has been widely reported that the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill (the Tobacco Bill) aims to tighten regulations on smoking and vaping. Specifically, the bill seeks to introduce plain packaging. This refers to standardised packaging without branding, including logos and trademarks, and directly affects packaging and vaping controls.

Why does the government think it can clamp down on a budding sector? This sector allows ordinary people to exchange ideas freely. We strongly condemn Parliament’s exploration of regulatory measures. These measures target South Africa’s rapidly growing podcasting sector. Such intervention poses a direct threat to freedom of expression and democratic discourse. In this context, concerns about a potential podcast crackdown continue to intensify.