Research Articles (Mercantile Law)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/2607

For inquiries regarding this collection or items in the collection, please contact Liana Viljoen
Tel.: +27 12 420 4558

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 490

The capital buffer regime for SIFI-banks (D-SIBs) in South Africa
Lichaba, Mamofana Florina; Van Heerden, C.M. (Corlia) (Pretoria University Law Press, 2025)
This contribution examines the potential harmful effects of adopting the international rules known as the Basel Accords on small local banks in developing countries. It argues that while these uniform global financial stability rules may be tenable for larger, often foreign-owned banks, they often place a heavy burden on small financial institutions with limited capital and weak financial resources. This is important because small banks play a vital role in economic growth and financial inclusion in developing nations, particularly in underserved communities in Zambia and other developing countries. The strict capital requirements and increasing regulatory complexity mandated by the Basel Accords risk forcing small banks to either consolidate their market position by merging with larger banks to survive or risk falling into insolvency, thus reducing the number and the role of small banks in an economy. To address this issue, the contribution suggests pragmatic, alternative regulatory frameworks. Key recommendations include, amongst other things, implementation of tiered capital requirements that reflect a bank's size and risk profile, offering targeted government support like “infant industry” support, and fostering a regulatory environment suited to the specific challenges faced by smaller institutions. By adopting customised policies, regulators can safeguard the sustainability of small banks and ensure they remain a crucial driver of economic development.
Some comparative notes on anti-discriminatory credit laws regarding rehabilitated and unrehabilitated insolvent debtors
Mabe, Zingapi; Boraine, A. (Andre), 1957- (Pretoria University Law Press, 2025)
During the sequestration process, an insolvent debtor is not only exposed to employment disqualifications but also to credit limitations, restricting the debtor from obtaining credit and participating in the economy. While these credit limitations may be justifiable during the sequestration process for public policy reasons, credit limitations that extend after the insolvent has been rehabilitated appear discriminatory against honest debtors. This is because the incentives for rehabilitation may include a debtor obtaining a fresh start through discharge from all pre-sequestration debts, the removal of insolvency disabilities, which include the restoration of full contractual capacity and, most importantly, the opportunity to start afresh, free to become an economically active member of society again. The question that will be addressed in this article is whether, in light of the international notion of a fresh start through discharge and the South African insolvency and credit laws, a rehabilitated debtor is indeed given a new opportunity to resume economic activity. More importantly, what does rehabilitation aim to achieve, and what ‘harm’ needs to be avoided to circumvent the discrimination of honest debtors once a debtor is rehabilitated? This article will address some of these questions by discussing the guidelines for an effective insolvency system according to the World Bank Report. Some comparative notes on anti-discriminatory credit laws in jurisdictions such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom will also be discussed. The antiquated rules of rehabilitation in South African insolvency law and credit limitations imposed on unrehabilitated and rehabilitated insolvent debtors in South Africa will be noted, and, lastly, the rationale for such limitations and the right to equality of rehabilitated debtors in South Africa will be analysed.
Abuse of process : its place in the criminal justice system, and remedy or remedies?
De Villiers, Wium P. (LexisNexis, 2025-11)
Die doel van hierdie aantekening is om ondersoek in the stel hoe die leerstuk van misbruik van proses in die bestaande Suid-Afrikaanse strafregstelsel inpas. Dit bespreek ook of opskorting van die vervolging steeds die enigste remedie in die strafregtelike verband is. Daar word aangevoer dat die leerstuk uitdruklik deur artikel 173 van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 getroef is. Daar word ook aangedui dat die beskerming van die Handves van Menseregt nie absoluut is nie en dat die beskerming van die leerstuk nie in artikels 12, 34 , of 35(3) van die Handves vasgele word nie. Die leerstuk bied nie beskerming waar die optrede van die Staat onregverdig is nie, maar waar daar wyer kommer oor die behoorlikheid van die strafverrigtinge is. Daar word daarop gewys dat die opskorting van die verrigtinge reed vir 'n geruime tyd nie meer die enigste remedie vir die misbruik van die proses is nie. In hierdie aantekening voer ek aan dat te veel tipes gedrag losweg as misbruik beskou word, en dat die hoer howe in hulle uitvoering van hulle inherente mag om sake te bestuur, die grense van die leerstuk oorskry het. Daar word ook aangevoer dat daar te maklik versoek word dat die verhoor nie moet plaasvind nie, of gestop moet word.
The legal implications of South Africa’s grey-listing for money laundering : analysis and recommendations
Ncube, Princess Thembelihle (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Law, 2025-04-08)
This article analyses the legal implications of South Africa’s grey-listing by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for money laundering in a concise manner. It examines the deficiencies in South Africa’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) regime, which led to its grey-listing, and the measures the country has taken to address them. The article evaluates the effectiveness of South Africa’s AML/CFT framework in combating money laundering, highlighting areas for improvement. It also considers the impact of South Africa’s grey-listing on the country’s financial system, including increased scrutiny from international regulators and potential reputational damage. The article recommends specific legal reforms and policy measures South Africa can adopt to strengthen its AML/CFT regime and enhance its compliance with international standards. These Recommendations cover regulatory oversight, law enforcement cooperation, risk assessment, customer due diligence, and sanctions enforcement. The article provides a practical and policy-oriented guide for policymakers and other South African stakeholders to better understand the legal and regulatory challenges of combating money laundering in a grey-listed jurisdiction and identify strategies for improving the country’s AML/CFT framework.
Interpreting conflicting statutory provisions – a closer look at merger provisions in the Companies Act and Income Tax Act
Meyer, Carolina (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Law, 2025-04-08)
It sometimes occurs that provisions of two separate national laws are in conflict with each other, or certain inconsistencies arise with the interpretation of the two provisions. When interpreting legislation where there is an inconsistency or conflict, these provisions must, in terms of the common law, be interpreted so as to be reconciled and to exist coherently. This is, however, not always possible. In this contribution, the author considers the rules of interpretation of statutes with reference to the merger and amalgamation provisions in the Companies Act 71 of 2008, and the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962. Although the aims of the two Acts differ, both may apply to the same transaction. Therefore, in order to ensure certainty for the merger parties, the two Acts should coincide in terms of their provisions governing the merger or amalgamation transaction. If a narrow interpretation is used to apply the provisions concurrently and the “mischief” is still not resolved (i.e., the provisions remain in conflict with one another), the question of the next step arises. In terms of the examples used, the Companies Act is the “dominant” Act (the prevailing Act), but what does that mean for the irreconcilable provisions in the Income Tax Act? The author attempts to address how best to approach the identified discrepancies where an outright conflict between the provisions has been identified.
Prescription and access to redress for consumers : a consideration of the prescription provisions under the consumer protection acts of South Africa and India
Scott-Ngoepe, Tshepiso (North-West University, 2025-05-30)
The limitation that is placed on the institution of legal proceedings is considered as being important for the purposes of ensuring legal certainty. Considering this, the Prescription Act 68 of 1969 has continued to co-exist alongside section 34 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to access redress. The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) also introduces a specific statutory limitation that applies to transactions that fall within its scope. However, the provision is less nuanced and does not consider instances in which prescription might be interrupted. In many instances this has been to the detriment of consumers. In alignment with the CPA's dispute resolution process, consumers generally initiate their complaints with alternative dispute resolution agents, such as the accredited industry ombuds. Alternatively, consumers might refer their matters to the National Consumer Commission. Unfortunately, cases before the Tribunal have exposed the fact that consumers experience inordinate delays that lead to their complaints prescribing in terms of section 116(1) of the CPA. This article considers how this might be remedied, bearing in mind the prescription provision under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 of India.
Reflections on the concept of informal social security and communal lifestyle in South Africa
Tshoose, Clarence Itumeleng; Letseku, Reuben; Van Eck, B.P.S. (Stefan) (Pretoria University Law Press, 2025)
This article investigates how the notion of informal social security and communal lifestyle has played a significant role in sustaining the livelihood of indigenous people in South Africa. Reflecting on various indigenous informal social security safety methods, the article demonstrates how indigenous communities have used these safety nets and indigenous knowledge systems in their quest to survive against all odds. Informal social security refers to self-organised family, community or informal sector coping mechanisms. The article argues that these tailor-made traditional informal social security practices play an invaluable parallel role in the formal social security systems in South Africa. It is submitted that in many instances, these traditional safety nets serve an important complimentary role to existing formal social security measures for poor communities. The article further contends that this is crucial for poor indigenous peoples’ well-being. Through informal social security initiatives, indigent households in South Africa have lessened the scourge of poverty, unemployment, inequalities, floods, and recently also the negative effects of HIV/AIDS and the COVID-19 pandemic. The article concludes by examining the challenges facing indigenous informal social security systems and makes some recommendations regarding these challenges.
Reflections on social justice and the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage Act and the Basic conditions of Employment Act
Van Eck, B.P.S. (Stefan); Maluleke, Foster (LexisNexis, 2025-11)
Die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge 44 van 1995, die Wet op Basiese Diensvoorwaardes 75 van 1997, en die Wet op Nasionale Minimum Loon 9 van 2018 is afgekondig om maatskaplike geregtigheid te bevorder. Maatskaplike geregtigheid behels dat alle individue gelyke ekonomiese geleenthede gebied word en dat elkeen op dieselfde maakskaplike regte aanspraak kan maak. Hierdie artikel voer aan dat arbeidsregbeskerming van beperkte waarde is indien geskilbeslegtingsprosesse omslagtig en duur is. In 'n logwaardige poging om geskilbeslegting vir laagbesoldige werknemers te vereenvoudig, is 'n vinnige en bekostigbare proses ingevolge artikel 73A van die Wet op Basiese Diensvoorwaardes ingestel. Hierdie artikel ondersteum die implementering van hierdie vereenvoudige prosedure en wys daarop dat, ten spyte van die positiewe aspekte daarvan, verskeie slaggate steeds die doelwitte van die bevordering van maatskaplike geregtigheid ondermyn. Die artikel sluit af met voorstelle wat moontlik sommige van die geidentifiseerde probleme kan aanspreek.
Advancing legal recognition and community-led reparations for indigenous rights in combating climate change and environmental degradation
Fehun Aren, Marie-Louise (Cambridge University Press, 2025-09)
Designing meaningful reparations for Indigenous communities requires grappling with the enduring effects of historical and contemporary injustices. Despite the existence of international legal frameworks such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and International Labour Organization Convention 169, Indigenous peoples around the world continue to experience systemic land dispossession, exclusion from decision making, and environmental harm tied to extractive and infrastructure projects. These harms are often compounded by the lack of formal legal recognition of Indigenous land rights and the failure to uphold principles like Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). Addressing these realities demands reparative frameworks that go beyond symbolic recognition, offering structural responses grounded in accountability, restitution, and the restoration of Indigenous autonomy over land and resources.
Reflections on proposed law reforms for unfair dismissal
Van Eck, B.P.S. (Stefan); Newaj, Kamalesh; Mashele, Zwivhuya (Juta Law Journals, 2025-10)
The NEDLAC social partners have been engaged in a process of formulating amendments to a number of key pieces of labour legislation and their accompanying codes. In an attempt to foster job creation, policymakers have, among others, published proposals with the view to relaxing the seemingly onerous requirements in respect of unfair dismissal law. Although the negotiating parties have not reached consensus on key aspects of the amendments, significant suggestions have been placed on the table regarding amendments to the Code of Good Practice: Dismissal, as well as important provisions of the Labour Relations Act. The proposed amendments seek to relax unfair dismissal provisions in respect of small employers; they exclude unfair dismissal protection during probation; they recognise incompatibility as a separate ground of dismissal; and they place a cap on the maximum compensation which higher earning employees might be eligible to claim. This contribution analyses these proposed amendments, focusing on their projected effects on the regulatory landscape of unfair dismissal in South Africa.
A legal conspectus of selected challenges affecting financial inclusion for the poor and low-income earners in South Africa
Magau, Phemelo (Juta Law Journals, 2023-12)
An inaugural lecture broadly entails an occasion for acknowledging and recognising the promotion of full professors for their contribution to knowledge through research and teaching conducted over the years. Put differently, an inaugural lecture is a ceremony to celebrate an academic staff member for showcasing their work and thus signifying a key milestone in their career for excellent innovative research, teaching, and professional methods applied in their career.
The agreement on fisheries subsidies and South Africa
Vinti, Clive; Brink, Gustav Francois (Emerald, 2025-09)
PURPOSE : The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS) is only the third agreement finalised after the establishment of WTO. Negotiations on the AFS started as part of the package agreed at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha in 2001. Negotiations gained impetus after the adoption of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2012, and the agreement was adopted unanimously at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in July 2022. Thus, it took 21 years to reach agreement on the most important issues to be included in the AFS, but negotiations are continuing on several outstanding issues. The AFS relates only to marine wild catch and does not relate to freshwater catch or to aquaculture. The AFS will only enter into force when two-thirds of all WTO Members have ratified it. Since the WTO at present has 166 Members, this means a total of 111 ratifications are required. As of 12 August 2025, there have been 107 ratifications. This means that another 4 ratifications are required. As this is the most recent WTO Agreement, and especially as it is not yet in force, very little has been written about it in the academic world, and nothing has been written about it from a (South) African perspective. This study is a first attempt at filling that void. This study will first consider the rationale for the AFS, before looking at the main features thereof. It will then consider the importance of the AFS for South Africa, before concluding. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the compatibility of South Africa’s current framework for subsidies with the AFS. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : The paper uses a desktop study assessing legislation, relevent literature, policy and case law. FINDINGS : The paper finds that South Africa’s framework for fisheries subsidies is fragmented and thus unsuited to complying with the AFS since the frameworks for sustainable fishing and countervailing measures are disconnected and administered by different functional authorities and legislation. Furthermore, the current framework for subsidies in South Africa does not provide for prohibited subsidies as envisaged under the AFS. Thirdly, this paper contend that there must be a subsidy reduction commitment that differentiates between developing and developed countries. Consequently, this paper argues that the principle of common but differentiated responsibility must be an express principle of the AFS guiding the interpretation of the obligations therein. In keeping with this ethos, this paper implores that the “due restraint” provision in Article 6 of the AFS applied when raising and exploring solutions for least developed countries must be expanded to include developing countries such as South Africa and other African countries whose waters have been pillaged by fisheries subsidies. Finally, this paper insist that the AFS must carve out an exemption for artisanal and substance fishers. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS : The paper would have liked to give a regional picture, but this is not possible because these legal systems are not readily available. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS : The paper offers a blueprint for South Africa to ready itself and to comply with its obligations from a legal perspective. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS : The paper advocates for the plight of small-scale fisheries and the pillaging of fish resources on the African continent without commenting on the applicable legal framework for the continent. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is a first attempt at explaining the legal implications of the AFS on South Africa.
Insolvency, employment disqualification, and precarity
Mabe, Zingapi; Maloka, Tumo Charles (LexisNexis, 2024-05)
Hierdie artikel ondersoek die diskwalifikasie van insolvente persone om sekere beroepe te mag beoefen en die uitwerking daarvan op hulle vermoë om 'n inkomste te verdien. Die gevolge van sodanige diskwalifikasie is beide voor die hand liggend en gevarieerd. Die eerste aspek om in ag te neem is dat sekwestrasie van 'n skuldenaar se boedel insolvente skuldenaars van sekere regte ontneem en hulle regsbevoegdhede om te kontrakteer en te litigeer, asook om sekere ampte te beklee of om sekere beroepe te volg, beperk. Die tweede aspek hou verband met die erodering van moontlikhede om 'n lewensbestaan te maak – asook van werksekerheid. Die vermoë om 'n inkomste te verdien is 'n sentrale anker van die sekuriteit van indiensneming en burgerskap. Sodanige diskwalifikasie vererger die onsekerheid van indiensneming en belemmer die uitbreiding van grondwetlike en statutêre indiensnemingsbeskerming. Alhoewel die sekwestrasie van die boedel van 'n persoon nie daardie persoon se dienskontrak noodwendig outomaties beëindig nie, word toegang tot statutêre onbillike ontslagremedies ingevolge artikel 186 van die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge 66 van 1995 verswak omrede diensbeëindiging as gevolg van insolvensie analoog is aan geagte ontslag. Die artikel voer aan dat sodanige diskwalifikasie en daaropvolgende uitdiensstelling onvermydelik aanleiding gee tot onsekerheid van 'n lewensbestaan vir die insolvent.
Same-sex marriages, customary law, and insolvency
Mabe, Zingapi (LexisNexis, 2024-11)
In hierdie aantekening word artikel 21 van die Insolvensiewet 24 van 1936, in die besonder soos dit toepassing vind op paartjies van dieselfde geslag wat hulle huwelik in ooreenstemming met hulle kultuur onderhandel en gesluit het. Die aantekening fokus veral daarop of artikel 21 van toepassing is op insolvente skuldenaars in ŉ burgerlike verbintenis ingevolge die Wet op Burgerlike Verbintenisse 17 van 2006, en wat begerig is dat hulle verbintenis of huwelik erken moet word ingevolge die Wet op Erkenning van Gebruiklike Huwelike 120 van 1998. Die aangeleentheid word bespreek of artikel 21 van toepassing is op insolvente skuldenaars wat nie in ŉ burgerlike verbintenis staan nie, maar wat ŉ gebruiklike huwelik aangegaan het deurdat hulle lobolo betaal het, geskenke uitgeruil, en hulle verbintenis ooreenkomstig die inheemse gewoontereg bevestig het. Laastens ondersoek ek of artikel 21 van toepassing sal wees op ŉ poligame selfdegeslag gebruiklike huwelik. My gevolgtrekking is dat die definisie van “gade” in artikel 21(13) van die Insolvensiewet nie tussen lewende gewoontereg en amptelike gewoontereg onderskei nie, en dat dit bloot na enige gebruik verwys. Die bedoeling blyk dus te wees dat artikel 21 bestem was om van toepassing te wees op alle huwelike wat ooreenkomstig enige gebruik in Suid-Afrika gesluit is, ingevolge wetgewing al dan nie. ŉ Moeiliker kwessie wat uitgelig word, is egter die hantering van ŉ poligame selfdegeslag gebruiklike huwelik.
The solvent spouse's obligation to claim release of property - revisiting section 21 of the Insolvency Act 24 of 1936 : Van Dyk v Donnovan Theodore Majiedt Inc (4070/2021) [2021] ZAFSHC 246 (22 October 2021)
Boraine, A. (Andre), 1957-; Roestoff, Melanie (LexisNexis, 2024-11)
Hierdie vonnisbespreking handel oor vrae wat voortspruit uit die uitspraak van die Vrystaatse Hoë Hof in Van Dyk v Donnovan Theodore Majiedt Inc (4070/2021) [2021] ZAFSHC 246 (22 Oktober 2021) waar die hof die voorlopige kurators se bevoegdheid ingevolge artikel 18(3) van die Insolvensiewet 24 van 1936, om bates van ŉ insolvente boedel te verkoop, bevestig het. Alhoewel die uitspraak nie in hierdie opsig gekritiseer kan word nie, laat dit sekere vrae ontstaan na aanleiding van punte in limine wat die applikant, ŉ skuldeiser wat tussenbeide getree het, en die gade van die insolvent wat buite gemeenskap van goed met hom getroud is, geopper het. Die applikant het, onder andere, beweer dat haar insolvente gade ŉ bedrag geld aan haar geskuld het op grond van ŉ leningsooreenkoms wat sy met hom gesluit het. Die hof het nie hierdie eis of skuldoorsaak op die feite aanvaar nie. Die uitspraak dui egter daarop dat die beweerde eis in die insolvente boedel van die man gevestig het en dat die solvente gade dus eers vrygawe daarvan van die kurator sou moes eis alvorens sy daarop sou kon staatmaak (a 21 van die Insolvensiewet 24 van 1936). In hierdie bespreking, en in die lig van kritiek teen artikel 21 en ontwikkelings elders, word aangevoer dat hierdie uitspraak nog ŉ voorbeeld van die kritiek teen die artikel daarstel. Daar word aan die hand gedoen dat artikel 21 onhoudbaar in ŉ moderne insolvensieregstelsel is en dat daar meer aanvaarbare maniere is om met die aangeleentheid wat artikel 21 wil aanspreek, te handel. Daar word ook aangevoer dat selfs die aanvanklike rede vir die invoering van ŉ artikel 21-tipe bepaling – om die bewyslas vir die kurator te vergemaklik in die aanval op gesimuleerde transaksies tussen gades wat daarop gemik is om skuldeisers te bedrieg – nie hierdie toepassing van artikel 21 sou ondersteun nie.
The taxpayer’s right to just administrative action and access to information : empowering the taxpayer through plain language standards
Van Zyl, Stephanus Phillipus (LexisNexis, 2024-11)
Om sowel die reg tot billike administratiewe aksie in artikel 33, as die reg tot inligting in artikel 32 van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 te laat geskied, bepaal artikel 42 van die Wet op Belastingadministrasie 28 van 2011 dat die belastingbetaler oor die aanvang, vordering, en gevolg van die oudit ingelig moet word. Artikel 80J van die Wet op Inkomstebelasting 58 van 1961 bepaal dat die kommissaris die belastingbetaler oor die redes moet inlig waarom daar op artikel 80B van die Wet staat gemaak word. Bykomend bepaal reël 6 van die Belastinghofreëls dat belastingbetalers wat deur ŉ assessering gegrief voel, die Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomstediens (SAID) mag versoek om voldoende redes vir die assessering te verskaf. Belastingpraktisyns gee te kenne dat die SAID se kommunikasie met belastingbetalers nie aan die statutêre verpligting voldoen nie. Om dié probleem verder te omskryf en moontlike oplossings te verken, oorweeg hierdie bydrae die omvang en toepassing van die wetlike verantwoordelikheid om die belastingbetaler ingelig te hou. Die artikel verwys onder meer na die beginsels van goeie etiese en praktiese kommunikasie binne die kader van gewonetaalpraktyke. Die artikel het verder ten doel om ŉ standaard te skep vir die inhoud, taal en vooruitsig van ŉ artikel 42-kennisgewing ingevolge van die Belastingadministrasiewet, ŉ artikel 80J-kennisgewing ingevolge van die Inkomstebelastingwet, en die verskaffing van voldoende redes ingevolge reël 6 van die Belastinghofreëls.
Circumventing Section 7(8)(a)(I) of the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 and Section 37D of the Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956 through strategic resignation : CNN v NN 2023 (5) SA 199 (GJ)
Maloka, Tumo Charles; Ramontja, Koma (Juta Law Journals, 2024-06)
Suppose that the High Court dissolved a couples’ marriage on 14 October 2022 and incorporated the parties’ signed settlement agreement in its order. Unbeknown to the divorce court and the wife, the husband had resigned from his employment and exited his retirement fund on 7 May 2021. This was roughly two months after being served with the divorce summons. For all practical purposes, when the court granted the divorce order, the husband was not a member of a retirement fund. Consequently, he did not have a pension interest from which the ex-wife could be allocated a portion (CNN v NN 2023 (5) SA 199 (GJ) para 4 (‘CNN’)). It transpired that at the time the divorce order was granted, the husband’s pension benefits were still held by the fund. Following the divorce order that assigned her 50 per cent of the husband’s pension interest, the ex-wife approached the fund with the aim of requesting payment of what she believed was due to her (CNN para 5). The fund advised her that the ex-husband’s pension benefit had accrued to him and that he was no longer a member of the fund. Furthermore, the fund informed her that the divorce order did not comply with the legislative prescripts and could not be enforced. In turn, the fund’s Divorce and Maintenance officer advised that for her to be assisted, she needed to provide the fund with a divorce order directing it to pay a pension benefit as opposed to a pension interest. Accordingly, what the fund was holding on behalf of the husband was his accrued pension benefit and his pension interest was nil. As a result, the divorce order could not be enforced (CNN para 5). The contents of the letter from the fund caused the ex-wife to launch an application to amend the divorce order which incorporated the settlement agreement by amending the phrase ‘pension interest’ and replacing it with ‘accrued pension benefit’ (CNN para 6).
Is the foreign business establishment lagging behind new business models? Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service v Coronation Investment Management SA (Pty) Ltd [2023] Zasca 10
Sengwane, Khodani (Juta Law Journals, 2023-12)
Controlled foreign company (CFC) rules are anti-avoidance rules to ensure the taxation of profits diverted offshore by South African residents (Van der Zwan, ‘Cross-border transactions’ in Stiglingh (ed), Silke: South African Income Tax (LexisNexis 2023) 889). The rules are concerned with avoidance schemes and are not meant to deter real cross-border transactions (Van der Zwan, ‘Cross-border transactions’ in Stiglingh (ed), Silke: South African Income Tax (LexisNexis 2022) 871–872). In terms of the rules, profits of a non-resident company may also be liable for tax in South Africa at the hands of its resident shareholder/s if the company is considered to be a CFC of such resident shareholder/s (s 9D of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (Act)). A company will be considered to be a CFC if it is a foreign company where more than 50 per cent of the total participation rights or voting rights in that company are directly or indirectly held or exercisable by one or more residents (except headquarter companies) or the financial results of that foreign company are reflected in the consolidated financial statements (prepared in terms of International Financial Reporting Standards 10) of a resident company (s 9D of the Act).
Dignity and the purpose of labour law
Orton, Ruben Joseph Charles (Juta Law Journals, 2024-10)
The article advances the notion in the context of South African labour law that the purpose of labour law is to protect the human dignity of employees. In doing so, it deviates from the accepted idea that the purpose of labour law in South Africa is to restrict the power of employers to impose their will in the employment relationship so that employees are treated fairly. Dignity is furthermore integrated and conceptualised in a manner that enhances its substantive use in labour law. This is achieved by adjusting the test for fairness of labour practices and by presenting a dignity framework. The framework consists of two dignity models: the ‘same-kind dignity model’ and the ‘self-fulfilment dignity model’. The framework furthermore harnesses the social justice rules that are applied in South African labour law to resolve the perceived tension between individualistic and communitarian facets of dignity.
The application of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act on impairment caused by sexual harassment
Newaj, Kamalesh (Juta Law Journals, 2023)
This article addresses the question of whether a sexually harassed employee has recourse to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993. This is dependent on whether injuries or diseases sustained as a result of sexual harassment can be regarded as injuries or diseases that arise out of and in the course of employment. A very restrictive test has been developed to answer this question, which is whether the act giving rise to the injury or disease, in this context sexual harassment, can be regarded as a risk inherent to the work performed by the employee. The test focuses on the duties performed by the employee and the risks that are ordinarily inherent in the performance of those duties. Sexual harassment will generally not be regarded as a risk inherent to the performance of a job and is therefore discounted as an occupational injury or occupational disease. However, the courts’ approach is criticised for failing to interpret important social security legislation in line with international standards and in a purposive manner that gives effect to the constitutional right afforded to everyone to access social security.

Browse

Recent Submissions