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Month: April 2017

IS YOUR BUSINESS POPI COMPLIANT?

April 25, 2017 / / Comments Off on IS YOUR BUSINESS POPI COMPLIANT?

My Lawyer_Images-05POPI refers to South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act which seeks to regulate the Processing of Personal Information.

What is Personal Information?

Means any information relating to an identifiable, living natural person or juristic person (companies, CC’s etc.) and includes, but is not limited to:

  • Contact details: email, telephone, address etc.
  • Demographic information: age, sex, race, birth date, ethnicity etc.
  • History: employment, financial, educational, criminal, medical history
  • Biometric information: blood type etc.
  • Opinions of and about the person
  • Private correspondence etc.

What is Processing?

Processing broadly means anything done with someone’s personal Information, including collection, usage, storage, dissemination, modification or destruction (whether such processing is automated or not). 

Some of the obligations under POPI:

  • Only collect information that you need for a specific purpose.
  • Apply reasonable security measures to protect it.
  • Ensure it is relevant and up to date.
  • Only hold as much as you need, and only for as long as you need it.
  • Allow the subject of the information to see it upon request. 

Does POPI really apply to me or my business? 

POPI applies to every South African based public and/or private body who, either alone, or in conjunction with others, determines the purpose of or means for processing personal information in South Africa.

There are cases where POPI does not apply. Exclusions include: Section 6:

  • purely household or personal activity.
  • sufficiently de-identified information.
  • some state functions including criminal prosecutions, national security etc.
  • journalism under a code of ethics.
  • judiciary functions etc.

Why should I comply with POPI?                                                                                       

POPI promotes transparency with regard to what information is collected and how it is to be processed. Openness increases customer trust in the organisation.

Non-compliance with the Act could expose the Responsible Party to a penalty of a fine and/or imprisonment of up to 12 months. In certain cases, the penalty for non-compliance could be a fine and/or imprisonment of up 10 years.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

WHAT DOES THE DEEDS OFFICE DO?

April 25, 2017 / / Comments Off on WHAT DOES THE DEEDS OFFICE DO?

My Lawyer_Images-04The Deeds Office is responsible for the registration, management and maintenance of the property registry of South Africa. If you are planning on buying a house, it can be useful knowing about the Deeds Office. However, you would use the services of a conveyancer when buying or selling a house. Your estate agent should be able to recommend a conveyancing attorney to register your home loan and transfer a property into your name.

What is conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the legal term for the process whereby a person, company, close corporation or trust becomes the registered and legal owner of immovable property and ensures that this ownership cannot be challenged. It also covers the process of the registration of mortgages.

Steps taken by the conveyancer:

  1. The conveyancer lodges your title deed and other documents in the Deeds Office for registration. These documents will be individually captured on the system. If there is a bond, the conveyancer dealing with the bond will lodge the bond documents with the Deeds Office at the same time as the transfer documents. The transfer, bond and cancellation documents must be lodged in the Deeds Office at the same time to ensure simultaneous registration. If different conveyancers are dealing with registering the purchaser’s bond and cancelling the seller’s bond, then they will need to collaborate.
  2. The Deeds Office examiners go through the documentation that has been submitted, and make sure that it complies with the relevant laws and legislations.
  3. The examiners then inform the conveyancer that the deeds are ready to be registered.
  4. Registration takes place with the conveyancer and Registrar of Deeds present. The transfer of the property is then registered in the purchaser’s name. If there is a bond, it is registered at the same time.
  5. Upon registration, the purchaser becomes the lawful owner of the property. The title deed that reflects this ownership is given to the conveyancer by the deeds office after the registration. Unless a bond has been registered as well, in which case the title deed is given to the bond holder.

The time taken to register a property at the Deeds Office depends on various factors and a number of parties. On average, registering a property transfer takes six to eight weeks, although unforeseen difficulties can cause the period to be extended.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

References:

https://www.justlanded.com/english/South-Africa/South-Africa-Guide/Property/Conveyance

http://www.privateproperty.co.za/advice/property/articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-registering-a-property/5081

WHAT IS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE?

April 25, 2017 / / Comments Off on WHAT IS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE?

My Lawyer_Images-03Concerns about the effectiveness of traditional criminal justice systems have given rise to new approaches to criminal justice. One such approach is Restorative Justice, a theory that focuses on reconciling and reintegrating offenders into society rather than on retribution. This theory and its practical applications are explained briefly in this article.

What are the values and principles of Restorative Justice?

  1. Restorative Justice processes must comply with the rule of law, human rights principles and the rights provided in the South African Constitution.
  2. Restorative Justice must promote the dignity of victims and offenders, and ensure that there is no domination or discrimination.
  3. All parties must be provided with complete information as to the purpose of the process, their rights within the process and the possible outcomes of the process.
  4. Parties should clearly understand that they may withdraw from the process at any time.
  5. Parties must be given a reasonable amount of time to consider their options, when a restorative justice option is proposed.
  6. Referral to restorative justice processes is possible at any stage of the criminal justice system, with particular emphasis on pre-trial diversion, plea and sentence agreements, pre-sentence process, as part of the sentence, and part of the reintegration process, including parole.
  7. Participation in restorative justice processes must be voluntary for all parties, including victims.
  8. Victims and offenders should be allowed to bring support persons to the encounter provided that this does not compromise the rights and safety of any other party.

Although formal ‘restorative justice programmes’ were first introduced in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, restorative justice concepts are certainly not new to South Africa. In many South African communities, the way of dealing with children has traditionally included mechanisms that encourage children to take responsibility for their actions. This includes outcomes such as an apology, restitution and reparation, and restoring relationships between offender and victim.

When can it be applied?

Restorative Justice can be applied at any stage in the Criminal Justice System such as:

  1. Pre-charge (before a charge is laid).
  2. Pre-trial (after a charge is laid and before accused appears in Court).
  3. Post-charge (after charge, but before plea in court).
  4. After conviction, but before sentence.
  5. Post-sentence (for parole and re-integration purposes).

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

References:

http://www.justice.gov.za/rj/rj.html

https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/what-restorative-justice

DOES YOUR BUSINESS NEED A LIQUOR LICENCE?

April 25, 2017 / / Comments Off on DOES YOUR BUSINESS NEED A LIQUOR LICENCE?

My Lawyer_Images-02Liquor manufacturers and suppliers require a liquor license, as regulated by the National Liquor Authority. If your liquor registration has been cancelled you cannot continue to trade. Trading without a license is an offence punishable by law.

What is the National Liquor Authority?

The National Liquor Authority is a regulatory body within the Department of Trade and Industry (the DTI) responsible for administering The National Liquor Act 2003 (Act No.59 of 2003).

What documents are required with my application?

  • A business zoning certificate for industrial purposed or a consent letter from the relevant municipality.
  • A comprehensive written representation in support of the application.
  • Any determination, consent approval or authority required by the Act.
  • A valid proof that the prescribed application fee has been deposited in the bank account of the Department of Trade and Industry.
  • A valid certified copy of ID of the applicant or a passport and trading business permit if the applicant is a foreigner.
  • A South African Police Services (SAPS) police clearance certificate not older than three 3 months from the date of issue.
  • If the applicant is a juristic person, valid copies of registration issued by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) or any other relevant registration authority indicating the financial interest of all members, shareholders, partners or beneficiaries as the case may be;
  • A valid tax clearance certificate if the applicant is a juristic person issued by the South African Revenue Services (SARS) within twelve months from the date of application.
  • Verification certificate issued in terms of the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act (B-BBEE).

A liquor licence is an extremely important document to possess for those who are planning on trading in, or manufacturing liquor. It is an official document issued to a premise on which liquor is to be sold or manufactured. It can be a time consuming and painstaking process for an individual to obtain a valid liquor licence on their own. There are many complicated legal requirements and steps to follow before a liquor licence can be granted. It is also critical to obtain the correct classification of liquor licence for the premises and/or occasion or event.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal or other professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)

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