Is an e-will valid in South Africa?

Legal Validity of Wills in South Africa: Electronic vs Traditional Formats In terms of South African law, for a will to be accepted as valid by the Master of the High Court (a statutory body to which deceased estates are reported), it must comply with the legal formalities as set out in section 1(a) of the Wills Act, […]

Rental considerations for landlords

Tips for Maximising the Value of Your Rental Property Investment Investing in a property can be one of the best decisions you make. It is also one of the investments you need to consider most carefully to make sure you continue reaping its benefits when the market shifts.The key to an informed purchase and continuing […]

Don’t light that short fuse

Can Provocation Justify an Assault Charge in South Africa? A client poses a question to their attorney: My ex-boyfriend (Y) saw me and my new love interest (X) at a restaurant. Y aggressively confronted me and wanted to know why I have moved on so quickly. X then nicely asked him to leave me alone, […]

Corporate Governance – Financial year-end of a company

Understanding Financial Year-End for Companies Every company has a financial year. A company’s financial year is any 12-month period that the company uses for accounting purposes. The financial year-end of a company is usually the end of any quarter, such as the end of February, June, September or December. Even though the financial year of a company […]

Valuation Methods

Understanding Business Valuation and Its Importance A business valuation is a process whereby a value is placed on a business or a business unit, based on the historical and projected financial performance of the business. It is critical, as a shareholder or business owner, to know what your business is worth in order to make […]

Identification parades: Fair or unfair?

Cautionary Approach in Identification Parades The cautionary approach is effectively summed up in the case of S v Mthetwa where the presiding officer noted that the honesty of the identifying witness should be considered in isolation. The identification of a witness depends on the lighting, visibility, eyesight, proximity of the witness, the extent of his prior knowledge […]

Internal vs External Marketing

Understanding Internal and External Marketing What is internal marketing and what is external marketing?  Why is it important for companies to understand these concepts? Because happy internal clients mean happy external clients! What is internal marketing? Internal marketing refers to the process of motivating and empowering employees to work as a team for the overall wellbeing […]

Professionalism Goes a Long Way

Understanding Professionalism in the Workplace What is Professionalism? Professionalism is defined as a person’s conduct at work. It refers to the level of competence or excellence that is expected of a professional. One should never apologise for having high standards and rather provide the level of expectation. It is the employer’s duty to ensure good […]