by VDT Attorneys | Jan 16, 2026 | Managing your trust, SARS, Tax return, Trust compliance, Trust non-compliance, Trusts
All South African trusts must be registered for income tax with SARS to submit their tax returns yearly. It is irrelevant whether a trust is active or not. SARS will do a deep dive into the trusts’ tax return submissions, and if the trust has failed to submit its tax...
by VDT Attorneys | Jan 14, 2026 | Digital signatures, ECTA, When can you sign digitally?
In South Africa, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (“ECTA”) currently governs the use, recognition and enforceability of electronic communications and electronic signatures. This includes the use of any advanced electronic signatures in...
by VDT Attorneys | Jan 14, 2026 | WhatsApp, Whatsapp and the law, Whatsapp messages as evidence
Over the years, WhatsApp messages have been incorporated into many civil litigation matters, such as divorces or applications for protection orders, where screenshots of WhatsApp messages have aided in Magistrates or Judges arriving at decisions. Only recently,...
by VDT Attorneys | Dec 3, 2025 | BCEA, Maternity leave, Parental leave, Parental rights, Paternity leave
The matter arose when Mr van Wyk, an employee, requested four months of paternity leave from his employer so that he could be the primary caregiver to his newborn son. His wife, Mrs van Wyk, ran two businesses and could not extend time off work. However, the employer...
by VDT Attorneys | Dec 3, 2025 | AI, AI in South Africa, AI policy
In South Africa, there is no formal AI policy yet. The current legal framework only indirectly addresses certain aspects relating to AI where it intersects with privacy, data protection, fairness, cybersecurity, and consumer rights. Key legislation impacting AI 1. The...
