Courts willing to consider evidence beyond a contract’s written terms
Modern contract interpretation permits surrounding circumstances to explain contractual meaning – undermining SARS’s argument that extrinsic evidence is inadmissible.
Industry News
Rulings define scope of PA’s powers under transitional insurance laws
The Tribunal and the High Court delivered key decisions emphasising proportional enforcement and the proper use of transitional provisions.
Court tells SARS: A deal is a deal
A High Court ruling confirms that SARS must honour lawful settlement agreements and cannot rely on internal systems or administrative hurdles to escape binding terms.
Grey Apple director jailed for R3.6m tax fraud as SAPS procurement probe deepens
The conviction highlights ongoing investigations under Project Blue Lights into systemic tender manipulation and corruption within the police service.
High Court: credit providers must get section 129 notices right
A subsequent, corrected section 129 notice cannot cure defects in the original notice once summary judgment proceedings have begun.
Digital payments surge as Black Friday spending rebounds
Data from Discovery Bank and PayInc shows surging online activity, high volumes and cautious but recovering consumer spend this Black Friday.
Sharing the gigs, sharing the risk: holiday sharing economy exposes insurance gaps
As South Africans turn to Airbnb, house swaps, and car rentals to cut costs, many discover personal policies don’t automatically respond.
Classic Financial’s Geldenhuis in court after four-year wait, first LDA lodged
Classic Financial Services edges closer to closure as the first liquidation and distribution account is formally lodged for public inspection.
‘Medical schemes face structural strain as claims growth outpaces contributions’
The 2024 Industry Report highlights rising utilisation, ageing membership, and persistent under-pricing as the key forces reshaping medical scheme sustainability.
Kickbacks crackdown: regulators target estate agent-conveyancer inducements
The PPRA and LPC tighten enforcement as complaints surge over referral incentives, early commissions, and covert ‘gift economy’ deals.
Ombud warns of surge in day-trading losses as investors underestimate risk
Many trading platforms are FSCA-licensed but expressly do not provide advice. This typically blocks successful complaints unless advice can be proved.
Eleven schemes account for nearly 90% of broker fees
Broker service fees made up 17.65% of medical schemes’ directly attributable insurance service expenditure in 2024.
Speeding spikes 23% over the holidays – but the time saved is negligible
Discovery Insure’s report on festive-season travel discloses who speeds, who swerves, and who needs to put the phone down.
Sizwe Hosmed making substantial progress, says curator
An accelerated 19% contribution increase is designed to correct historic under-pricing and shore up reserves.
When gold miners become tech giants: a timely lesson in a concentrated market
How to manage money responsibly when 84% of JSE equity performance is concentrated in only a few stocks and investors are tempted by huge rallies and FOMO.
NPC report recommends reducing retirement funds’ offshore limit
The National Planning Commission recommends revising Regulation 28 to redirect at least 20% of retirement fund assets towards infrastructure and productive fixed assets.
Relief at last: Ithala depositors can access frozen funds from 8 December
Treasury’s R2.2bn intervention ends an 11-month account freeze, unlocking payouts for Ithala’s 257 000 depositors while the liquidation case continues.
