Essential contracts for SMMEs
As proud owner of an SMME, there are some essential contracts that you will encounter, and we will be discussing four of them today. Section 29 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act no. 75 of 1997 states that: (1) An employer must supply an employee, when the employee commences employment, with the following particulars […]
Small, Micro and Medium-Sized Business Block Exemption Regulations 2024
Collaboration is one of the key pillars for the survival of small businesses. However, collaboration between businesses in some areas may lead to the violation of competition laws. For this reason, former Minister of Competition, Trade and Industry at the time, Ebrahim Patel, introduced new regulations that would enable small businesses to collaborate and subsequently, […]
CAN A SPOUSE FORFEIT PATRIMONIAL BENEFITS DURING DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS?
INTRODUCTION Individuals enter into marriages (civil marriages, customary marriages and civil unions) for a number of different reasons. For example, some enter into marriages for love, camaraderie, the aspiration to build families and/ or social security to ensure financially stable households, while some individuals just enter into marriages solely for financial benefit. In light of […]
Piercing the corporate veil
Have you ever heard the phrase “piercing the corporate veil” and wondered what it means? This is a legal doctrine wherein the owner of a corporation loses the limited liability that having a corporation affords them. When the corporate veil is pierced, the assets owned by the business owner can be used to pay the […]
To Place a Patent Ban on COVID-19 vaccines or not? That is the Question
What came first, the chicken or the egg? Do intellectual property rights promote more innovation and technological advancements or is necessity indeed the mother of all invention? In other words, with or without the incentive of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), would we still have rapid advancements in technology and other fields? These questions become even […]
Rihanna’s Instagram post results in Puma® losing a case to protect a sneaker design
Puma® has recently lost a case before the European Union’s General Court. The dispute revolved around the validity of a design of the Avanti trainer. The sportswear manufacturer registered a design at the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). This design was declared invalid on the grounds of lack of novelty because popstar, Rihanna, had posted […]
Social Media and Copyright
As social media continues to take the world by storm, TikTok has emerged as a powerhouse, engrossing users with its creative short-form videos and becoming a popular platform for viral content creation. Part of what captivates users and makes the videos interesting, is the music or sounds paired with the videos.1 For this reason, it is […]
Is Moonlighting Legal?
Moonlighting is the act and/or practice of holding a second job or engaging in additional work outside of your regular employment, without informing your employer. With the prevailing cost of living crisis in South Africa attributed to, inter alia, inflation, it is common practice for individuals to have more than one source of income to survive. […]
New Year’s Resolutions for IP
New Year’s resolutions are common practice as we embrace the new year, and as such, many businesses set goals and make resolutions. An aspect that is often overlooked but is important to consider is intellectual property (IP). Properly managing and protecting your business’ IP can assist in maintaining a competitive edge, safeguarding your brand and […]
Taylor Swift’s IP Strategy
Oh, it’s so sad to think about the good times. You and I…’Cause, baby, now we got bad blood. You know it used to be mad love. So take a look what you’ve done. ‘Cause, baby, now we got bad blood, hey! Without having to even wonder where the words from the above paragraph come […]
