You cannot lawfully use any surname in South Africa other than the one shown in the National Population Register (NPR), and trying to do so will land you in a lot of hassle and probably in legal trouble as well. So tread carefully when it comes to any event in your life involving a possible
Changing Your Surname – Your Choices on Marriage, Divorce and Widowhood Read More »
A recent Labour Court decision shows how dangerous it is as an employer, when attempting to dismiss an employee, not to draw a clear distinction between misconduct and incapacity. Disciplined for depression An employee, whose track record had originally been an excellent one, was charged at a disciplinary enquiry with four charges of misconduct
Depressed and Dismissed – A Hard Lesson for a Hard Employer Read More »
Your debtor owes you a fortune, but when his estate is sequestrated there is nothing in his own name. However you find out that he is trustee of a wealthy family trust with lots of assets that you think are really his – can you recover from his trust? The answer is yes, you can,
Suing an Insolvent Debtor – Can You Recover from his Trust? Read More »
“The Greatest Wealth is Health” (Virgil, Roman poet) We lead increasingly hectic lives, and in the business world in particular we desperately need to find efficient and effective ways to maximise our health. Probably the best and easiest way of achieving that is to set up and follow a good, healthy daily routine. Routines
Your Website of the Month: Science and Your Daily Routine Read More »
“There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch” (Wise old adage) You sign a two year lease for a nice little apartment (or a large family house if you have a spouse, 3 kids and a dog) but after 6 months your employer transfers you and you have to cancel early. “Fine” says your
“Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?” (Comedian George Carlin) We live in stressful times, and as our roads become busier and the pressures of modern life mount, expect more and more road rage incidents. YouTube clips of drivers brawling,
For many years now the “Whistleblower’s Act” (actually the Protected Disclosures Act or “PDA”) has been providing protection to employees who report unlawful or improper conduct by their employers or fellow employees. Recent updates to the PDA have extended protection to independent contractors, consultants, agents and workers employed by labour brokers. There is also a
Whistleblowers: What If Your Disclosure is Factually Wrong? Read More »
“The general rule of our law is that cohabitation does not give rise to special legal consequences, no matter how long the relationship has endured” (From a 2010 High Court judgment and still applicable) One of the more pervasive myths in South Africa is that, if you live together for long enough as “life partners”,
Life Partners: Beware the “Common Law Marriage” Myth! Read More »
Whether your offices are big or small, their layout is critical to promoting (or harming) your employees’ mental and physical health. Boost your team’s happiness and productivity by casting a fresh eye over your current office layout with “5 Office Design Hacks That Will Increase Employee’s Productivity” on the Dumb Little Man website. And don’t forget
Your Websites of the Month: Boosting Health, Happiness and Productivity in Your Office Read More »
You are engaged in a bitter dispute – perhaps it’s a fight over money, a family feud or a messy divorce, a disaffected employee or a vengeful neighbour. You decide to resort to Social Media “to tell the truth” about your nemesis. You feel totally safe doing so – after all, our Constitution protects our
