General Interest

29
Oct

Your Websites of the Month: Buying or Selling Anything? How to Use Facebook Marketplace

By all accounts Facebook Marketplace is giving Gumtree, OLX and other online classifieds a real run for their money in both the personal and business markets. It is now used every month by 800 million people in 70 different countries. Have a look at Facebook’s “How Marketplace Works” guide here for a step-by-step guide on buying and selling anything, sorting by distance

Read more

29
Jul

Can Your Bank Take Your Money Without Permission?

Article courtesy of Law Dot News Can Your Bank Take Your Money Without Permission? “A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it” (Bob Hope) A recent High Court decision has settled the knotty question of whether your bank can take money it holds for you in one account to
Read more
29
May

Tax Freedom Day 2019 Has Arrived!

“Untold Wealth: That which does not appear on income tax returns” (Anonymous) “Tax Freedom Day” is the first day of the year that we South Africans (as a whole) have earned enough to pay off the Tax Man and to finally start working for ourselves. It arrived this year on 18 May. That’s five days later than in 2018, and

Read more

29
Apr

Accidentally Paid the Wrong Person? Lessons From a R862k Banking App Error

Article courtesy of Law Dot News Online Banking & Electronic Payments - Payments in Error! “There’s no such thing as a free lunch” (Economist Milton Friedman) In these days of online banking and electronic payment, it’s not uncommon to find out to your horror that you have made a payment to someone in error, either to the wrong recipient or
Read more
29
Apr

Your Website and Video of the Month: Before You Enter an Uber…

Ridesharing services like Uber are convenient and popular, but you will have read of the “fake Uber” attacks and other safety concerns so on the principle of “safety first” always take a few common sense precautions when using them. Before you get into your next Uber have a good read of their “Driving safety forward” page here. Pay particular attention

Read more

27
Mar

Losing Your Licence with AARTO Demerits: More Danger than You Thought, and The Wheels are Turning

“The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we all believe that we are above-average drivers” (humourist Dave Barry)  AARTO (the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act) has been partially in force for years, but its demerit provisions have been on ice for so long

Read more

27
Mar

Your Website of the Month: Music for Productive Work

“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” (Albert Einstein) Music, science tells us, really can help us work, and learn, and be creative.  Earphones mean you can listen to your favourite tunes all day with zero

Read more

27
Mar

Your Dog, Cat or Cow (Even Your Bees) Could Cost You Millions

Article courtesy of Law Dot News Animal Law - Your Dog, Cat or Cow Could Cost You Millions! “Ignorance is Bliss Dangerous” (Internet meme) Our law will generally hold you liable for damages only if someone else can prove that you caused them loss/damage/injury through your “fault” (intent or negligence). That seems fair and logical – if it’s your fault, you pay.
Read more
27
Feb

Traffic Fines and Admissions of Guilt – Will They Earn You a Criminal Record?

“We must not make a scarecrow of the law” (Shakespeare) A criminal record, even for a minor offence from decades back, comes with very serious and lifetime consequences. It will hang around forever, just waiting to ambush you when you apply for a job, or a travel visa, or a firearm licence.  So acquiring a record inadvertently is the stuff

Read more

30
Jan

Private Schools and Parents Behaving Badly – the Expulsion Option

“…it can hardly be in the best interests of all concerned for this family to remain at the School” (Extract from judgment below) With the new School Year now well under way, let’s have a look at a recent court decision of interest to all schools, parents and learners. Importantly, this case involves not a state-controlled public school but a

Read more