Legal Updates: 7 to 11 July 2025

The latest edition of our weekly update includes insights into dismissals, restraint of trade, subrogation and health law. We also include links to the General (Family) Laws Amendment Bill, 2025 and the Mpumalanga Nutrition Sourcing Bill, 2025. For comprehensive coverage of the latest legal developments, subscribe to our full newsletters. Visit our website or contact us at alert@lexinfo.co.za for more details.

ATTORNEY ALERT: 7 JULY 2025

This week’s issue features recent judgments from the Supreme Court of Appeal, including:

• Commissioner for South African Revenue Service v Woolworths Holdings Ltd (863/2023) [2025] ZASCA 99 (4 July 2025) — Regarding input tax deductions for underwriting services and VAT on imported services.

• Van den Berg Water (Pty) Ltd t/a Oasis Water Lynnwood and Others v Oasis Water (Pty) Ltd and Another; Van Schalkwyk Water CC t/a Oasis Water Kimberley and Another v Oasis Water (Pty) Ltd; Oasis Water (Pty) Ltd and Another v Bester and Another (989/2023; 988/2023; 1120/2023) [2025] ZASCA 98 (4 July 2025) — Concerning the effect of post-termination provisions in franchise agreements.

The following draft Bills were published in the Government Gazette.

• General (Family) Laws Amendment Bill, 2025 – GenN3352 GG 52939 p54 4Jul2025

• Mpumalanga Nutrition Sourcing Bill, 2025 – Proc268 GG 52939 p56 4Jul2025

Also included are references to recent articles, such as:

• Abrahams, Chris. The case for increasing the criminal jurisdiction of the district court in South Africa. – 2025 Jul De Rebus p49

• Dippenaar, Bernard. The battle of the fast food adverts: Chicken Licken vs. KFC. [Golden Fried Chicken (Pty) Ltd v KFC (Pty) Ltd (27 May 2025)] – 2025 Jun 30 ENS

• Dlamini, Vuyiswa. Restraint of trade: The cost of a poorly drafted clause: Umhlanga Rehabilitation Centre v Sewram (2025) 46 ILJ 1044 (KZD). – 2025 Jul De Rebus p38

• Swart, W.J.C. and Lombard, M. A fair and reasonable exit from a company under section 163(2) of the Companies Act 71 of 2008. – 2025 (58) De Jure Law Journal p43

EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR LAW ALERT: 7 JULY 2025

Monday’s edition contains a reference to the Labour Appeal Court judgment in Member of the Executive Council for Social Development: Eastern Cape v Sam and Others (PA 14/24) [2025] ZALAC 39 (26 June 2025).

Various recent Labour Court judgments are referred to, including:

• Forbay and Others v University of South Africa (UNISA) (J 493/19) [2025] ZALCJHB 254 (20 June 2025)

• National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and Others v Chabo and Joubert Air Conditioning (Pty) Ltd (JS432/20) [2025] ZALCJHB 255 (26 June 2025)

• National Union of Mineworkers obo Lekwa v Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and Others (C518/22) [2025] ZALCCT 42 (3 July 2025)

Also featured are the following articles:

• Masilela, Sinenhlanhla. Checkers employee's dismissal upheld by Labour Court for mask violation during Covid-19. [South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) obo Ramogotwane v Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and Others (JR 262/22) [2025] ZALCJHB 234 (19 June 2025)] – 2025 Jul 2 IOL News

• Matshie, Sipho. Reviewing the reviewer: When and how the Labour Court intervenes in CCMA decisions. – 2025 Jul De Rebus p25

• Ndzoyiya, Zuko. Dismissal for incapacity: Employee denied access to a workplace by third party. [Silver Solutions Security (Pty) Ltd v Saayman NO and Others (PR 192/22) [2024] ZALCPE 31 (15 July 2024)] – 2025 Jul De Rebus p13

INSURANCE LAW ALERT: 8 JULY 2025

This week’s edition contains a reference to the High Court judgment in Momentum Insure Company Ltd v Chetty (D151/2023) [2025] ZAKZDHC 21 (17 April 2025).

The following Pension Funds Adjudicator determinations are featured:

• Fritz Security 188 CC t/a Watchguard Security v Private Security Sector Provident Fund (PFA/NW/00116832/2024/SN) (15 November 2024)

• Maleta v Municipal Gratuity Fund and Polokwane Municipality (PFA/LP/00116105/

  2024/AT) (15 November 2024)

Also included are the following articles:

• Kobrin, Leslie. Road Accident Fund held liable to compensate a road accident victim when it did not complete its investigations into the merits of the claim. [Bekker v Road Accident Fund (19623/2019) [2025] ZAGPJHC 407 (29 April 2025)] – 2025 Jul De Rebus p39

• Maharaj, Shriya and Munsamy, Kiara Shaye. Clarifying the Appeal Tribunal’s role: The significance of the SCA decision in Coughlan NO v HPCSA for RAF litigation. – 2025 Jul De Rebus p41

• Sithole, Sandra; Shabalala, Rethabile and Abrahams, Laken-Lee. Litigating in the shadows? How the Western Cape High Court got subrogation wrong. [Le Bonheur Wine Estate (Pty) Ltd v Stellenbosch Vineyards (Pty) Ltd (17111/2021) [2025] ZAWCHC 260 (20 June 2025)] – 2025 Jul 1 Webber Wentzel

HEALTH LAW ALERT: 9 JULY 2025

The latest edition contains references to the following articles:

• Tabane, Ramodungoane et al. Medico-legal educational predictions leave much to be desired. – 2025 Jul De Rebus p27

• Van der Walt, Adele and Botma, Hilgard. Summary and critical analysis: Can ownership of in vitro embryos be lawfully transferred? [NM v Minister of Health and Another (032161/2024) [2025] ZAGPPHC 356 (14 April 2025)] – 2025 Jul De Rebus p42

Also included are the latest summaries of rulings by the Registrar of the Council for Medical Schemes:

• CFC obo F v Discovery Health Medical Scheme (26 June 2025)

• K v Medihelp Medical Scheme (26 June 2025)

• V obo A v Government Employees Medical Scheme (26 June 2025)

Interested in the full newsletter? Let us know at alert@lexinfo.co.za

ENERGY LAW ALERT: 10 JULY 2025

Yesterday’s edition contains references to the following articles:

• Jugoo, Ashen and Rushton, Julia. Congestion curtailment approved by NERSA – An attempt to free up grid connection capacity for wind energy facilities in the Eastern and Western Cape regions. – 2025 Jul 1 Fasken

• Van Dyk, Jurg and Gumede, Njabulo. NERSA decision unlocks wind generation in Eastern and Western Cape. – 2025 Jul 1 Pinsent Masons

Also featured is a series of articles on the development of a new lithium mine near Umzumbe in KwaZulu-Natal:

• Carnie, Tony. Scramble for white gold (Part one): New mine triggers ‘white gold’ prospecting stampede on the KZN South Coast. – 2025 Jul 6 Daily Maverick

• Carnie, Tony. Scramble for white gold (Part two): ‘Progress’ lands on the doorstep of rural communities as residents blast lithium mine. – 2025 Jul 6 Daily Maverick

• Carnie, Tony. Scramble for white gold (Part three): Lithium mine objectors run into R345,000 appeal fee ‘roadblock’. – 2025 Jul 6 Daily Maverick

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Image design: Daniélle Geldenhuys

Date posted: 11 July 2025