Many South Africans have experienced the frustration of receiving countless spam calls or unsolicited e-mails and text messages urging them to buy products or take up credit offers. To address these unwanted marketing intrusions, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has published proposed amendments to the regulations under the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 and calls for public comments by 15 January 2025.

In this edition of Business Law Focus, host Evan Pickworth is joined by Ashlin Perumall, Partner in the Mergers and Acquisitions department at Baker McKenzie South Africa, to discuss how these proposed amendments aim to enhance consumer privacy and provide stronger protection against unsolicited direct marketing practices, especially direct marketing by means of unsolicited electronic communications.

In the latest edition of Business Law Focus, host Evan Pickworth interviews Michael Hewson, founder and director of Graphene Economics. They discuss key trends for big business on the transfer pricing front and unpack the recently introduced Global Minimum Tax Bill.

South Africa was added to the dreaded "grey list" in February 2023 for weaknesses in its anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) measures. While some notable progress has been made, especially in getting the private sector to update its reporting processes and being penalized if they do not, terrorist financing and money laundering remain lingering worries. One area under the microscope is nonprofit organisations, which are seen as vulnerable to terrorist financing abuse and money laundering. SARS has, therefore, undertaken to carefully oversee tax-exempt institutions to prevent their use for illegal activities.

This year’s theme for World Mental Health day is ‘Mental health at work’. In this edition of Business Law Focus host Evan Pickworth labour law expert at ENS, Lauren Salt. They discuss the obligations of employers to promote mental well-being and what needs to happen as the future of work evolves rapidly.

In this edition of Business Law Focus, host Evan Pickworth interviews Jocelyn Katz, an Executive at ENS and Head in the Competition / Anti-Trust practice. They discuss a significant milestone in SA law – the 25th anniversary of the country’s competition law framework. They look at the highs, lows and what lies next, including the impact of new areas like AI.

Fashion can be a taxing business and in this edition of Business Law Focus host Evan Pickworth interviews Carlyn Frittelli Davies and Mansoor Parker from ENS on the industry’s battle between profit, people and planet.

In this edition of Business Law Focus, host Evan Pickworth interviews Liézal Mostert from ENS’s Intellectual Property team. They discuss the role of IP in empowering women in business, as well as how to get more women involved in the fast-developing IP practice area.

In this edition of Business Law Focus, on Mandela Day, host Evan Pickworth interviews Natasha Wagiet, Pro Bono Manager overseeing ENS'CSI portfolio at Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha Township in Cape Town and Alexandra Township in Johannesburg.

They delve into the urgent need to protect and deliver access to justice in SA and globally as wars, poverty, and corruption continue to rage. Improving socio-economic rights and the social aspects of ESG is a pressing concern that still needs to be addressed in many areas.

Nelson Mandela, on the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (21 September 1998), offered this sage advice on how to bring about change: "The challenge posed by the next 50 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by the next century whose character it must help to fashion, consists in whether humanity, and especially those who will occupy positions of leadership, will have the courage to ensure that, at last, we build a human world consistent with the provisions of that historic Declaration and other human rights instruments that have been adopted since 1948."

In this edition of Business Law Focus host, Evan Pickworth, interviews Mihlali Sitefane, founder of Sitef & Co. They discuss the future of junior mining against the backdrop of weak economic growth and regulatory complexity.

Sitefane explains that while junior miners in South Africa face challenges such as navigating complex regulatory frameworks, securing investment, and meeting ESG requirements, there are also significant opportunities, particularly with the increasing demand for critical metals and ongoing efforts to create a more conducive environment for exploration.

While the University of Fort Hare buckles under the weight of corruption allegations and ongoing criminal investigations, Business Law Focus host Evan Pickworth looks into the recent arrests of two prominent attorneys working on uncovering fraud and corruption at the university.

The arrests came despite their trove of evidence, measuring in the terabytes and dating back to 2018, which they say lifts the lid on extensive layers of corruption at the university. 

In this episode, labour lawyer Bradley Conradie and forensic lawyer Sarah Burger explain how they were recently arrested by the police national task team investigating criminality at the university.