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Werksmans' insights into the most recent legal developments across a diversity of key industry sectors:
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SA companies increasingly attractive as acquisitions for foreign investors: Gareth Driver, Director |
| 08 March 2010 | |
| South African companies, especially those with an African footprint, are becoming more and more attractive to foreign investors seeking acquisitions to grow their presence in developing markets. This is the opinion of Gareth Driver, mergers and acquisi>>> read more |
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Fate of SA's development tribunals to be clear this month: Brian Kew, Director |
| 01 February 2010 | |
| The fate of South Africa’s development tribunals, established in terms of the Development Facilitation Act, is in the hands of the Constitutional Court. On 24 and 25 February, the highest court in the land will sit to decide whether a recent Supreme Co>>> read more |
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Zimbabwean land grab recourse: Roger Wakefield, Director |
| 01 February 2010 | |
| Zimbabwe’s government has ridden roughshod over all past claims for compensation for expropriated land but it is likely to balk at breaking its latest promises to protect South African investors. read more |
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Further power crisis looming: Dave Walker, Director |
| 01 February 2010 | |
| South Africa has a very narrow window of opportunity to resolve logistical, regulatory and funding challenges in the power sector. If these issues are not dealt with soon, we risk further damage to key sectors such as the mining industry. This is the v>>> read more |
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First M&A survey of the year pinpoints top performers of 2009: Gareth Driver, Director |
| 22 January 2010 | |
| In the first major international review of the merger and acquisitions (M&A) landscape during 2009, Mergermarket has ranked Werksmans Incorporating Jan S. de Villiers as South Africa’s most active corporate law firm in M&A. read more |
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Banks must be vigilant in new business rescue regime: Eric Levenstein, Director |
| 18 January 2010 | |
| Although South Africa’s new business rescue regime is a shift away from the predominantly creditor-friendly focus of liquidation, it will not leave banks and other corporate creditors in the lurch. They will however need to be especially vigilant in sa>>> read more |
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SA gears up to improve environmental compliance, monitoring, reporting and law enforcement: Justin Truter, Director |
| 13 January 2010 | |
| Recent media reports on the exposure of environmental offences, including the illegal dumping of medical waste, have highlighted the risks certain companies and their directors are prepared to take, usually in an effort to cut costs. “Environmental cri>>> read more |
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Festive season spending means spike in white collar crime: Dave Loxton, Director |
| 13 January 2010 | |
| According to PriceWaterhouseCooper's most recent survey on global economic crime, white collar crime costs companies an average of R3 million per incident. "Companies should be particularly vigilant about this type of crime over the festive season, as >>> read more |
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Skills are the critical success factor in business rescue: Eric Levenstein, Director |
| 24 November 2009 | |
| Without suitable candidates to fill the demanding role of business rescue practitioner, government’s plans to see failing companies saved instead of destroyed, could falter. “Time will tell whether the skills are available to implement what are challen>>> read more |
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Codes of good practice clash with Mining Charter: Morne van der Merwe, Director |
| 13 November 2009 | |
| Although the South African mining industry has not experienced a setback following the implementation of the socioeconomic empowerment charter for the South African mining and minerals industry, which incorporates broad-based black economic-empowerment>>> read more |
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Next wave of anti-cartel action looms: Paul Cleland, Director |
| 01 November 2009 | |
| With the principles of “hardcore” cartel conduct now clearly established in South Africa, the next wave of competition law is entering murkier waters. Less clear-cut than conventional cartel conduct, competitors could step unwittingly into a prohibited>>> read more |
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Tough stance expected on mergers that add to job losses: Paul Coetser, Director |
| 01 November 2009 | |
| Amid mounting job losses and labour discontent over retrenchments, the competition authorities are likely to take a tough stance on company takeovers that jeopardise employment. read more |
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Back to the drawing board for customer loyalty programmes: Ina Meiring, Director |
| 29 September 2009 | |
| Companies running customer loyalty programmes will have to start overhauling these to meet consumer protection requirements. “This is not a matter of ‘tweaking’ here and there but, in many cases, of completely rewriting the terms and conditions of loya>>> read more |
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The right to strike in South Africa – the boundaries are being overrun: Jacques van Wyk, Director |
| 10 September 2009 | |
| South Africa has been gripped by numerous large-scale strikes over the last few months with a disturbing proportion being characterised by extreme violence, intimidation and damage to property. Many people believe that strikers view protest marches and>>> read more |
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A corporate revolution in South Africa – the companies act no 71 of 2008: Gareth Driver, Director |
| 02 September 2009 | |
| The long-awaited new Companies Act No 71 of 2008 was promulgated in April 2009 and is expected to become effective around July 2010. read more |
