HIGH PROFILE CYBERATTACKS INCREASE EMPHASIS UPON CYBER RESILIENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA’S ENERGY SECTOR

30 August, 2023
CYBERATTACKS ON ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA On Thursday the 25th of July 2019, the City of Johannesburg’s electricity service provider, City Power, suffered a ransomware attack which encrypted its databases, applications and network. The attack disabled the utility’s website and prevented its customers from being able to purchase electricity from the utility which potentially … Read more

Beware pitfalls of resource nationalism: lessons from Indonesia

10 August, 2023
As countries and companies compete for critical minerals in the green energy transition, in which battery metals — cobalt, graphite, lithium, nickel and manganese — are crucial, host states in Southern Africa are resorting to export controls on unprocessed critical minerals. These are principally intended to bolster the host state’s control over its mineral patrimony, compelling mining … Read more

Reform on the Horizon: Whistleblowers Afforded More Protection

14 July, 2023
“When people are silent, and where people are silenced, the consequences are very dangerous.” – Rabbi Gideon Pogrund, Founding director of the Centre for Business Ethics at the University of Pretoria On 29 June 2023, a discussion document proposing reforms for the whisteblower protection regime in South Africa was published. The purpose of the document … Read more

Advancing International Arbitration in Africa: A discussion with Svetlana Vasileva, the new Secretary General of AFSA.

13 July, 2023
Jonathan Ripley-Evans, Partner and Head of Disputes South Africa sat down with Svetlana Vasileva, the recently appointed Secretary General of the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA) International Division, to discuss the future of international arbitration in Africa. Svetlana has had a successful international legal career that began in Bulgaria, where she completed her LLM … Read more

Legal Gaslighting – SLAPP-ing back at abusive process

03 July, 2023
In a case involving former President of the Republic of South Africa Jacob Zuma, journalist Karyn Maughan, and a Senior State Advocate of the National Prosecuting Authority William Downer SC, the High Court has delivered a resolute judgement condemning the abuse of legal procedures, and the utilisation of “SLAPP” lawsuits as a means to stifle … Read more

AMENDMENTS TO THE EMPLOYMENT EQUITY ACT AND ITS REGULATIONS

21 June, 2023
The purpose of the Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998, is to achieve equity in the workplace by promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment through the elimination of unfair discrimination and implementing affirmative action measures to ensure the equitable representation in all occupational levels of designated groups. The effective date of the recent amendments to … Read more