How to future-proof your business before the next crisis

While the possibility of a global pandemic was always at the back of our minds, its emergence still managed to catch us off-guard and wreaked havoc on every aspect of our lives, particularly the world of work. Therefore, it’s safe to say that Covid-19 has been a wake-up call for organisations to rethink their priorities […]

Constitutional rights and the limits of vaccination policies

The distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine is seen as a fundamental component to ending the pandemic. However, mandatory vaccinations in the workplace should be treated with caution by all employers. As it stands, there is currently no legislation in South African law that specifically requires an employee to be vaccinated against COVID-19. As a point of departure, the Occupational Health and Safety Act mandates […]

Employers’ remuneration obligations during COVID-19

Many employers were left in the dark after the President of the Republic of South Africa declared a national state of disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act, 2002, and implemented a national lockdown thereafter, as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19. Employers who did not provide “essential services” were in an extraordinary position and due to the uncertain future, a lot of […]

What to expect this tax season as an individual taxpayer

The tax season is swiftly approaching. For many people, it’s a time of the year that they dread. When it comes down to it, tax can become complicated mess that involves a lot of maths and calculations that just doesn’t come naturally to most. For those of us who don’t have PhDs in accounting or […]

Is it still a buyers’ market out there?

The property market for 2020 initially proved to be a buyers’ market. Though with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown’s effects on the economy, the question is whether it still is. The transfer duty threshold was lifted by R100 000, loan approvals were higher than they had been in years and […]

Relying on vis major clause in a contract in times of COVID-19

Vis major clauses Many businesses will seek to rely on the enforcement of vis major clauses to relieve their performance of certain obligations resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. The term vis major refers to an event or occurrence, which renders contractual performance impossible. These clauses allow a contracting party to escape the normal consequences of non-performance or late performance […]