Tag: Webber Wentzel

In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) reaffirmed the principles governing pleadings and settlement finality. The court focused on the withdrawal of admissions and compromise. In Road Accident Fund vs Sarah Wilson Lewis ([2025] ZASCA 174), the SCA confirmed the strict standards courts apply when parties seek to reopen settled issues. These standards protect the integrity of the litigation process.

Health data is one of the most valuable assets in modern healthcare. The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) places strict requirements on its use. POPIA compliance for health data is therefore critical for all healthcare stakeholders.

December is here, and malls and shopping centres are already overflowing with festive shoppers. The atmosphere feels lively, but it also becomes crowded. As foot traffic increases and trading hours extend, the risk in slip-and-fall claims rises significantly. Summer rains create wet floors. Staff misplace merchandise. Shoppers move quickly and often without caution.

When the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) hears the Standard Bank vs SARB appeal in 2026, the court will decide whether the 1961 Exchange Control Regulations can stretch to cover Bitcoin. This moment will define whether a borderless digital asset fits inside legislation written before computers existed. The stakes sit high, especially as the crypto crackdown intensifies across South Africa.

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has published Conduct Standard 2 of 2025 (the 2025 Standard). It sets out reformed conditions for pension fund benefit administrators under section 13B(1) of the Pension Funds Act, 1956. The 2025 Standard aligns with the FSCA’s Statement of Need and Impact. In doing so, the FSCA ushers in a new era for pension fund regulation by formally replacing the outdated Board Notice 24 of 2002 (BN24 of 2002).

If South African tax were a fable, it would feature three enduring characters: the weary taxpayer, the watchful SARS, and the elusive concept known as certainty. All three appear in our legislation, but only one consistently shows up in practice - SARS.

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.

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.

On 6 August 2025, the cabinet approved the National Water Amendment Act to be tabled at Parliament. This will mark the third amendment to the National Water Act, 1998. The first amendment was in 1999, and the second in 2014. Across South Africa, the government is keenly aware of the issues facing the water sector and is taking decisive action.

National Treasury has proposed three major amendments affecting portfolios of Collective Investment Schemes (CISs) in the draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill, 2025 (TLAB). The National Treasury’s vicious crackdown aims to close several tax loopholes and strengthen compliance within the CIS framework.