No easy passage for Secrecy Bill

Posted 23 April 2013

The so-called Secrecy Bill remains one of the most controversial and divisive pieces of legislation to come before the National Assembly. Despite improvements, the current version remains an affront to individual rights and could end up in the Constitutional Court.

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When is a bank not a bank

Posted 19 April 2013

The Reserve Bank has sweepingly wide powers when it comes to determining when a bank is - or is not - a bank. The case of U Care versus the Registrar of Banks was an opportunity to test the constitutionality of these powers, but the opportunity was squandered, writes Sageer Pansari, a candidate attorney with Schoeman Attorneys, Conveyancers and Notaries Public.

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Licensing of Businesses Bill skewered for reprising apartheid-era law

Posted 15 April 2013

The ostensible purpose of the Licensing of Businesses Bill is to help control illegal imports, counterfeit goods, and poor quality products. But it looks, feels and smells like something from the apartheid era.

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Consumer Protection Act now on a roll

Posted 11 April 2013

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) had a troubled birth, but now appears to be making steady progress in fulfilling its mandate to safeguard consumer rights by overseeing the formulation of new industry consumer codes.

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We are all tax collection agents now

Posted 07 April 2013

South African Revenue Services (SARS) has the power to appoint anyone as its collection agent. It has done it to employers, banks and now retirement funds, writes Ciaran Ryan.

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New teeth for Competition Commission

Posted 01 April 2013

New powers granted to the Competition Commission are likely to be put to use in the healthcare sector, which government suspects has engaged in anti-competitive behaviour, writes Ciaran Ryan.

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Twitter your way to a world of trouble

Posted 26 March 2013

There are reckoned to be 55 million tweets a day gushing forth from an army of 500 million citizen journalists and commentators. Many are now finding themselves subject to the same legal rigours as traditional newspapers.

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Budget 2013 Procurement and combating corruption

Posted 28 February 2013

Budget Speech 4The 2013 budget is about delivering "value for money" said finance minister Pravin Gordhan. That means getting serious about stamping out corruption.

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Budget reaction: good job Pravin, but how are we going to get growth above 5%?

Posted 27 February 2013

Budget Speech 3Economists and tax specialists were generous in their praise of finance minister Pravin Gordhan’s 2013 budget delivered yesterday, but the big question remains: where is the growth?

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Personal tax relief of R7 billion announced in 2013 Budget

Posted 27 February 2013

Budget Speech 2Finance minister Pravin Gordhan has announce personal tax relief of R7 billion over the 2013 tax year. Adjustments to the medical tax credit and other relief will add R350 million in relief to South African tax-payers.

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2013 Budget highlights

Posted 27 February 2013

Budget Speech

Finance minister Pravin Gordhan’s 2013 Budget proposals make modest concessions to demands for austerity while continuing to service the growing demands for social welfare. 


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What to expect in the Budget 2013

Posted 25 February 2013

Budget Speech 5There seems to be an emerging consensus among Budget watchers that finance minister Pravin Gordhan will announce tax increases – but not yet.

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State of the Nation Address 2013 News

Posted 18 February 2013

State of the Nation 2013President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address last night was a scorecard of government achievements over the last 12 months: nearly 200,000 households added to the electricity grid, 675 kilometres of electricity transmission lines rolled out, 85% (or 12,1 million) of households with access to electricity, 98 new schools and R47 billion invested in renewable energy projects.

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Anglo mining rights under threat

Posted 19 January 2013

Anglo American LogoMineral resources minister Susan Shabangu has promised to subject the “entire Anglo American portfolio of mining rights to regulatory scrutiny”...

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Proposed amendment to Minerals Bill gives minister wide discretionary powers

Posted 19 January 2013

Mining PhotoAccording to the latest Mining and Energy E-Alert from Webber Wentzel, proposed amendments to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act of 2002 vests the minister with wide discretionary powers.

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