Stay Informed with Legal Updates: 18-22 August 2025

This week's edition of our Legal Update features noteworthy judgments; resources on law practice management; the recently introduced Parliamentary Bill, the General (Family) Laws Amendment Bill 20 of 2025, as well as new Acts. Our full newsletters provide comprehensive coverage of the latest legal developments. Visit our website or contact us at alert@lexinfo.co.za for more details on how to subscribe.

LAW PRACTICE MANAGEMENT ALERT: JULY 2025

The latest edition of our monthly newsletter, focusing on the challenges encountered in the daily operations of a law practice, features the following journal articles:  

• De Kock, Emmie. Staying ahead of the bots: Strategies for legal practices in the age of AI. – 2025 Jul De Rebus p20

• Everett, Stephanie. The reluctant law firm CEO. – 2025 Jun 16 Ohio Lawyer

• Lowman, William Tyler. Navigating the changing tides in the legal service landscape: An assessment of alternative business structures. – 2025 8(1) Business and Finance Law Review p1

• Thao, Le Thi. Sustainable clinical legal education: Models of cooperation with legal organizations and community engagement. – 2025 2(1) Journal of Legal and Political Education p37

• Yoon, Albert. In the eye of the beholder: How lawyers perceive legal ethical problems. – 2025 Journal of Empirical Legal Studies p1

Request a sample copy of the Law Practice Management Alert by sending an email to alert@lexinfo.co.za

ATTORNEY ALERT: 18 AUGUST 2025

This week's edition includes a recently introduced Parliamentary Bill, the General (Family) Laws Amendment Bill 20 of 2025, as well as the following new Acts:

• Appropriation Act 3 of 2025 – GN6496 GG 53140 p1 8Aug2025

• Division of Revenue Act 2 of 2025 – GN6495 GG 53139 p1 8Aug2025

Also included are references to the following amendments to court rules under the Rules Board for Courts of Law Act 107 of 1985:

• Amendment of rules regulating the conduct of the proceedings of the Magistrates’ Courts of South Africa. These Rules come into operation on 19 September 2025. – RGN6505 GG 53149 p33 15Aug2025

• Amendment of the rules regulating the conduct of the proceedings of the provincial and local divisions of the High Court of South Africa. These Rules come into operation on 19 September 2025. – RGN6504 GG 53149 p15 15Aug2025

Several articles are included, such as:

• Barnard, Peter; Pretorius, Claudelle and Mitchell, Chantal. Construction and engineering laws and regulations: South Africa 2025. – 2025 Aug 11 Cox Yeats 

• Carels, Monique. Mediation and the criminal justice system: Can the two be married? – 2024 37(3) South African Journal of Criminal Justice p395

• Coggin, Thomas. Judicial marginalization of communal land tenure in South Africa: A critique of CASAC v Ingonyama Trust. – 2025 69(2) Journal of African Law p323

• Sidimba, Loyiso. Court rules against JMPD's unlawful impounding of advertising materials. [Van Till Outdoor (Pty) Ltd and Another v City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and Others (2024-032964) [2025] ZAGPJHC 774 (8 August 2025)] – 2025 Aug 13 IOL News

EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR LAW ALERT: 18 AUGUST 2025

Monday's edition features several recent Labour Court judgments, such as:

• East Rand Plastics (Pty) Ltd v National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) obo Mabena and Others (JR1400/22) [2025] ZALCJHB 345 (8 August 2025)

• Hendricks v Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and Others (C533/2022) [2025] ZALCCT 64 (11 August 2025)

• Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) and Others v Agri Poultry (Pty) Ltd t/a Daybreak Farm (JS 751/22) [2025] ZALCJHB 304 (24 July 2025)

• Transport and Retail Allied Workers Union (TRAWU) and Others v Grinding Media South Africa (Pty) Ltd and Others (JR2481/2022) [2025] ZALCJHB 340 (8 August 2025)

Also included is the following article:

• Masilela, Sinenhlanhla. South African Airways former employee loses Labour Court battle after dismissal for disobedience. [South African Airways (SOC) Ltd v Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and Others (JR2093/16) [2025] ZALCJHB 338 (1 August 2025)] – 2025 Aug 15 IOL News

INSURANCE LAW ALERT: 19 AUGUST 2025

This week's edition features the High Court judgment in Old Mutual Alternate Risk Transfer Insure Ltd v SA Guarantee Specialists (Pty) Ltd and Another (2025-127863) [2025] ZAWCHC 345 (13 August 2025).

Also included is the decision of the Council for Medical Schemes Appeal Board in MT Raselo Inc obo SIGC (Pty) Ltd v Discovery Health Medical Scheme (CMS 76114) (19 June 2025).

This edition also contains references to the latest Financial Services Tribunal decisions, such as:

• Komape v Masakhane Provident Fund; Sibanye Stillwater; NMG Benefits; Sanlam Life Insurance Ltd; Pension Funds Adjudicator (PFA33/2025) (12 August 2025)

• Tshwane Municipal Provident Fund v Financial Sector Conduct Authority (A8/2025) (13 August 2025)

HEALTH LAW ALERT: 20 AUGUST 2025

Wednesday’s edition contains a reference to the High Court judgment in NK obo NR v Member of the Executive Council for Health: Free State (4852/2016) [2025] ZAFSHC 225 (31 July 2025).

The latest summaries of rulings by the Registrar of the Council for Medical Schemes are featured:

• B v Discovery Health Medical Scheme (13 August 2025)

• V obo O v Bonitas Medical Scheme (13 August 2025)

Also included are the following articles:

• Pierce, Lucien and Maema, Luyanda. Beware discriminating algorithms: Lessons on AI use from the Council for Medical Schemes’ discrimination and unfairness investigation. – 2025 Aug 11 PPM Attorneys

• Radu, Yolanda Tarisayi; Mahomedy, Sameera and Mafuyeka, Mikateko. The Advertising Regulatory Board's jurisdiction: Implications of Bliss v Advertising Regulatory Board for public health policy on unhealthy food and beverage advertising. – 2025 (28) Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal

• Venter, Zelda. Western Cape High Court includes Transnet in woman's R1.5 million injury claim. [Hendricks v City of Cape Town and Another (12803/2024) [2025] ZAWCHC 344 (13 August 2025)] – 2025 Aug 14 IOL News

ENERGY LAW ALERT: 21 AUGUST 2025

Yesterday’s edition contains a reference to the International Energy Agency’s Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025.

Also featured are the following articles:

• Human, Liezl. Court blocks TotalEnergies oil exploration from Cape Agulhas to Cape Town. [Green Connection NPC and Another v Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and Others (5676/2024) [2025] ZAWCHC 349 (13 August 2025)] – 2025 Aug 14 GroundUp

• Maphumulo, Mtho. Rules of evidence: Prove it or lose it: Admissibility and the truth behind trial bundles. [Totalgaz Southern African (Pty) Ltd v Sapling Trade and Invest 26 (Pty) Ltd and Another (D11539/2022) [2025] ZAKZDHC 18 (5 May 2025)] – 2025 Aug 11 Adams & Adams

• Segar, Sue. Battle to breathe: How air pollution in Emalahleni is affecting people’s health. – 2025 Aug 4 Spotlight

• Segar, Sue. Battle to breathe: The ongoing struggle for clean air in Mpumalanga. – 2025 Aug 18 Spotlight

• Stoddard, Ed and Evans, Julia. Spike in illegal gold mining alongside Blyde River threatens ecosystems, including Kruger. – 2025 Aug 17 Daily Maverick

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Image design: Daniélle Geldenhuys

Date posted: 22 August 2025