Legal Updates: 26 to 30 January 2026

This update includes a brief selection of highlights from our paid subscription-based comprehensive newsletters and the latest blog posts. View free sample copies of our newsletters at https://www.lexinfo.co.za/newsletters or contact us at alert@lexinfo.co.za for more information or a quotation.

This edition contains a selection of highlights from our monthly Law Practice Management Alert. We also include several recent judgments, journal articles and Government Gazette notices.

The next edition will be published on Friday, 6 February 2026.

LAW PRACTICE MANAGEMENT ALERT: DECEMBER 2025

Our monthly newsletter is the ideal resource for the modern law firm and their support team. The content below gives gives a brief indication of the type of content you can expect with a subscription to this valuable service:

Internet Articles

• Gabunia, Giorgi. How lawyers dress in the world’s major capitals. – 2025 Dec 19 The Impact Lawyers

• Hilborne, Nick. Law firms need to keep “meaningful offline routes” to services. – 2025 Dec 10 Legal Futures

• Pervez, Mujtava. What are the consequences of a lawyer not providing their personal mobile phone number to a client? – 2025 Dec 25 The Impact Lawyers

• Scott, Ryan. From private concierges to music lessons: The law firms offering junior lawyers true perk-fection. – 2025 Dec 8 Legal Cheek

Journal Articles

• Pillay-Naidoo, Daphne and Brown, Deborah K. Experiences of female attorneys in private law firms: Exploring the phenomenon of the Old Boys Club. – 2025 (23) Dec 15 SA Journal of Human Resource Management a3185

• Van Eck, Michele and Van Staden, Marthinus. The relationship between principal and candidate attorney: An ethical and legal framework for the duty of supervision. – 2025 (4) Tydskrif vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg/Journal of South African Law p760

• Whelan, David. Adjusting the law librarian pipeline. – 2025 117(4) Law Library Journal 

ATTORNEY ALERT: 26 JANUARY 2026

The following highlights are selected from the latest edition of our premium newsletter:

High Court cases

• Saambegin (Pty) Ltd and Others v Overhex Wines International (Pty) Ltd (21575/2022) [2026] ZAWCHC 5 (16 January 2026)

• Zulu Nyala Game Ranch (Pty) Ltd v Beukes and Another (2025/174684) [2025] ZAKZDHC 87 (10 December 2025)

+17 more High Court cases which are cited in the newsletter

Constitutional Court cases

• Director of Public Prosecutions, Johannesburg and Another v Schultz and Others; Director of Public Prosecutions, Bloemfontein v Cholota (CCT280/24; CCT190/25) [2026] ZACC 3 (23 January 2026)

• VVC v JRM and Others (CCT202/24) [2026] ZACC 2 (21 January 2026)

Government Gazette notices

• Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002: Classification of a national disaster in terms of Section 23: Severe weather and floods. – GN7009 GG 53982 p3 22Jan2026

+ 17 more Government Gazette notices are referenced in the full newsletter

Journal articles, law firm articles, media comments and statements

• Albertus, Chesné and Marshall, Tasné. Social crime prevention: Why it should be a complementary approach for the South African police. – 2025 39(1) Speculum Juris Law Journal p162

+19 more journal articles, 3 law firm articles, 5 media comments, 2 media statements were included this week

Parliamentary Bill

• National Water Amendment Bill 1 of 2026

New Publication

• Chitimira, H. Commercial Law and Related Issues - A Review of Contemporary Legal Issues and Regulatory Developments in South Africa and Selected Jurisdictions. – Juta, 2025. Order from: books@lexinfo.co.za

Supreme Court of Appeal case

• South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) and Others v Mandela and Others (825/2024) [2026] ZASCA 6 (22 January 2026)

Other rulings and cases

• 3 Labour Appeal Court cases, 1 Land Claims Court cases, 2 Broadcasting Complaints Commission decisions, 2 Advertising Appeal Committee rulings and 1 Advertising Regulatory Board decision were referenced in Monday's edition.

EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR LAW ALERT: 26 JANUARY 2026

Monday's edition contains the following highlights:

Government Gazette notices

• Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Amendment Act 10 of 2022. Commencement on 23 January 2026 of all sections, except section 1(g) and section 1(h) in so far as it relates to subparagraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of the definition of "employee". 1 February 2026 as the date on which sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 come into operation; and 1 April 2026 as the date on which section 19(a) and (b), 20(c), 28(c), 36(1), 50(3), 52, 54(1) and (2) comes into operation. – Proc306 GG 53990 p3 23Jan2026

+ 8 more Government Gazette notices were referenced in the full newsletter

High Court case

• Zulu Nyala Game Ranch (Pty) Ltd v Beukes and Another (2025/174684) [2025] ZAKZDHC 87 (10 December 2025)

Labour Appeal Court cases

• Machi and Chep SA (Pty) Ltd and Others (DA22/2023) [2026] ZALAC 3 (19 January 2026)

• Robertson and Cain (Pty) Ltd v Moses (CA1/25) [2026] ZALAC 1 (14 January 2026)

• South African Police Services v Mkonto and Others (PA8/24) [2026] ZALAC 2 (8 January 2026)

Labour Court cases

• Adeniran v Webhelp SA Outsourcing (Pty) Ltd (C317/2023) [2026] ZALCCT 3 (19 January 2026)

• Commuter Contract Employers Association v Registrar of Labour Relations (C644/2023) [2026] ZALCCT 4 (19 January 2026)

+ 7 more Labour Court cases were included

Journal articles, media comments and statements

4 journal articles, 18 media comments, 2 media statements and 3 law firm articles

INSURANCE LAW ALERT: 27 JANUARY 2026

A brief overview of highlights from the latest edition of our specialised newsletter:

Articles and media statements

• Bracher, Patrick. Insurance exclusion: Social media platforms are not chatrooms nor bulletin boards (US). [Illinois Casualty Company v Kladek, Inc. No 22-3214, 2025 WL 2071043 (D.Minn.July 23, 2025)] – 2026 Jan 22 Norton Rose Fulbright: Financial Institutions Legal Snapshot

• Financial Sector Conduct Authority. The FSCA takes regulatory action against Livestock Wealth (Pty) Ltd and Mr Ntuthuko Shezi. 22 January 2026

• The Office of the Pension Funds Adjudicator (OPFA). Financial dependency is key in allocating a death benefit. – 2026 Jan 22 FAnews

• Van de Rheede, Jeannine. The management structures of enterprises in the Southern African financial sector. – 2025 39(1) Speculum Juris Law Journal p116

+ 1 more journal article, 3 more law firm articles, 17 media comments were referenced.

Council for Medical Schemes Appeal Committee decisions

• B v Keyhealth Medical Scheme (CMS86647) (20 December 2025)

• M v Discovery Health Medical Scheme (November 2025)

• Medihelp Medical Aid Scheme v Z (CMS86487) (5 December 2025)

Council for Medical Schemes Registrar’s Rulings Summaries

• A v Discovery Health Medical Scheme (October 2025)

+ 4 more summaries of the Council for Medical Schemes Registrar’s Rulings were cited in Tuesday's edition.

HEALTH LAW ALERT: 28 JANUARY 2026

Our specialised Alert service referenced the following brief highlights:

Council for Medical Schemes Appeals Committee decisions

• South African Police Service Scheme v Registrar of the Council for Medical Schemes and Another (CMS85035) (28 August 2025)

• W v Office of the Registrar of the Council for Medical Schemes and Another (CMS84721) (9 July 2025)

Council for Medical Schemes Registrar’s rulings summaries

• A v Discovery Health Medical Scheme (October 2025)

+ 4 more summaries of the Council for Medical Schemes Registrar’s rulings

Government Gazettes

• Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Amendment Act 10 of 2022: Commencement on 23 January 2026 of all sections, except section 1(g) and section 1(h) in so far as it relates to subparagraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of the definition of "employee". 1 February 2026 as the date on which sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 come into operation; and 1 April 2026 as the date on which section 19(a) and (b), 20(c), 28(c), 36(1), 50(3), 52, 54(1) and (2) comes into operation. – Proc306 GG 53990 p3 23Jan2026

• Medical Schemes Act 131 of 1998: Adjustment to fees payable to brokers with effect from 1 January 2026. – GN7028 GG 54019 p3 27Jan2026

High Court cases

• Compensation Solutions (Pty) Ltd v Compensation Fund and Others (2024/110241) [2025] ZAGPPHC 1370 (5 December 2025)

+ 2 more High Court cases were included in the full newsletter,

Journal articles, media comments and statements

• Araie, F. et al. SAMA’s principled positioning in upholding global medical ethics. – 2025 115(11) South African Medical Journal p9

+ 4 more journal articles, 27 media comments, 3 media statements

Supreme Court of Appeal case

• Pick 'n Pay Retailers (Pty) Ltd v Williams and Another (238/2024) [2026] ZASCA 7 (26 January 2026)

ENERGY LAW ALERT: 29 JANUARY 2026

A brief selection of highlights from yesterday's issue:

Companies Tribunal Decisions

• African Rainbow Minerals Ltd v African Rainbow Healthcare (Pty) Ltd and Another (CT02027/ADJ/2024) (20 January 2026)

• African Rainbow Minerals Ltd v African Rainbow Laboratories (Pty) Ltd and Another (CT02026/ADJ/2024) (21 January 2026)

• African Rainbow Minerals Ltd v ARM Global (Pty) Ltd and Another (CT02386/ADJ/2025) (30 October 2025)

Consultation Paper

• National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). Draft Transmission Development Plan Rules. 20 January 2025. – Draft Consultation Paper | Draft Transmission Development Plan Rules | Invitation to Comment

Government and Provincial Gazettes

• Astronomy Geographic Advantage Act 21 of 2007: Notice of intention to amend the declaration that prohibits certain mining activities within the Sutherland Central Astronomy Advantage Area (SCAAA). – GN7008 GG 53979 p3 21Jan2026

+4 more Government Gazette notices and 1 Provincial Gazette notice were referenced.

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Image design: Daniélle Geldenhuys

Date posted: 30 January 2026