Tag: accountability

If something strange seems to be happening in your payroll and HR department, and your company’s profits are vanishing into thin air, chances are you have ghost employees in payroll draining your bottom line. From my experience, the presence of ghost employees on a company’s payroll system ranks among the most difficult types of payroll fraud to detect.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered transcription tools has transformed how businesses document meetings and conversations. These tools now offer a full record of every word spoken. From Zoom’s real-time captions to Otter’s detailed transcripts, companies have a wide range of options. Meet and Teams also provide similar functionality, along with many other platforms.

It’s often said there are three tiers of government in South Africa: national, provincial and municipal. However, there is an unspoken fourth tier, namely residential governance through Homeowners Associations (HOAs). On paper, HOAs appear straightforward.

In South African corporate law, shareholders enjoy extensive rights - but face remarkably few obligations when exercising them. Directors, in contrast, are tightly bound by fiduciary and statutory duties, accountable for every decision they make on behalf of the company. This imbalance raises a critical question: Should shareholders also bear some responsibility - especially when their actions directly shape the strategic direction of a company?

In a world marked by heightened economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and shifting regulatory landscapes, the demand for integrity and transparency in business has never been greater. As professionals charged with stewardship over financial information, governance frameworks and assurance practices, chartered accountants are not merely working with numbers.

The new employment equity regulations have ushered in a new era of transformation and accountability for South African businesses. These regulations officially came into effect on 15 April 2025. Employment equity plans must now cover the period from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2030.

In a landmark moment for South Africa’s financial services sector, Investec and other SA stakeholders officially launched and handed over the new Market Surveillance Code of Conduct to the South African Institute of Stockbrokers (SAIS).

In today’s fast-paced and complex governance environment, the traditional annual board work plan remains a useful tool. The traditional annual board work plan structures routine responsibilities, such as scheduling board evaluations, reviewing policies, and approving annual financial statements and budgets. However, the board work plan’s largely static nature often fails to capture the fluid realities of modern governance.

In a decisive move, the judiciary reaffirmed its role in safeguarding constitutional rights. The Gauteng Local Division of the High Court in Johannesburg recently issued an urgent interim relief order against the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) in a case of right to health enforcement.

Four years after a seemingly ordinary dinner ended in emergency surgery, the Western Cape High Court has served up a stern warning to the hospitality industry. If a hazardous object reaches a diner’s plate, negligence may be inferred unless the restaurant can prove otherwise.