So you think you know the rules of the road? South African road rules are pretty clear; red means stop and green means go. But what about using earphones while driving, or driving in heels? Motorists still harbour several misconceptions about the rules of the road. Here are the top assumptions motorists make about road rules, and whether they’re true or false: 1. Gated estate roads are private roads False! A large number of gated estates in South Africa wrongly view the roads within the estate as “private” roads. These roads are in…Read more …

Reading time: 4 minutes The security industry in South Africa is large, and the number of claims against security companies are increasing. Security companies accordingly attempt to protect themselves from potential limitless liability by entering into a contract with their clients to the effect that, although steps would be taken to minimize the risk of loss or damage, no guarantee of success can be provided. But what happens if the security guards themselves steal the very property they are meant to protect? Can a security company contract out of liability in these circumstances?…Read more …

  Following the recent ruling by the Constitutional Court, new homeowners will no longer have to worry about being held liable for historical debt incurred by previous owners, and having their municipal services cut off as a result, or possibly even having their property attached and sold in execution. The judgment brings to an end a long period of confusion “and no little controversy” since judgment was given in 2013 in the Gauteng High Court case Mathabathe vs Municipality of Tshwane, which concerned the process of obtaining and lodging a municipal clearance certificate.…Read more …

It is often accepted by clients that if they sign a Power of Attorney in favour of a child or a trusted person, that that person will be able to handle their affairs in case they become incapable of managing their own affairs, irrespective of their mental state. The question that arises is whether such a Power of Attorney would remain operational in the event of the parent becoming incapable of managing his own affairs, for example in an instance where the parent is diagnosed with Dementia or Alzheimers disease. The answer is…Read more …

5 facts about the new SA number plates being implemented this year                                                                                                                        21 June 2017 (Cape Talk radio station) No official date has been set for the roll out of South Africa's new number…Read more …

In Touch                                                                  November 2016 Dear Client   As the end of the year approaches, it is tempting to slow down and delay making any big decisions until the New Year. However some decisions need to be taken now, rather than later. One such matter is deciding how to use your annual bonus. Wisely allocated, your bonus could save you money and…Read more …

Many insurers offer consumers a no-claims bonus if they make no claims against their policy for a specified period of time. Unsurprisingly, the prospect of this financial reward is attractive to consumers, so much so that many choose not to claim from their insurance to avoid losing the cash-back reward or discount on their insurance premiums in years to follow. This is particularly true in the case of third-party claims, where consumers feel someone else is responsible for an accident. However, holding out on placing a claim with your insurer is often financially…Read more …

Patrick Cairns  |  28 July 2016 00:21 CAPE TOWN – In this advice column Mikayla Collins from NFB Private Wealth answers a question from a reader who wants to know whether his advisor should have held back on making any investment decisions until the ratings agencies make a decision on South Africa. Q: I just a made an investment of R400 000 via a financial planner who placed these funds within a unit trust portfolio. My question is twofold: Firstly, if we are downgraded to “junk” status, is there any possibility of me losing…Read more …

When planning your marriage, it is all about the one day, where should we have the ceremony, how many guests, the financial impact and of course the dress. More time is spent on planning the dress and the reception than anything else. If more than 5 minutes are spent on the right marriage regime for their individual circumstances, it is the exception. Entering into a marriage can be one of the most exciting journeys in one’s life. In the run-up to the wedding, couples often neglect the importance of discussing the type of…Read more …

Can you legally tow? It’s not as simple as you think School holidays across South African ended today and this has undoubtedly lead to a massive increase in traffic on the country’s roads. Many families used this break to go on holiday, taking their trailers, boats or caravans with them. But, unbeknown to many of them, is the fact that their current driving licences may not be legal to tow these trailers. In 2000 the government changed to the credit card type driving licences. All code 08 licences issued before this date were…Read more …