LAW AND PRACTICE  Legal Framework 1.1 Classification of Criminal Offences South Africa’s criminal legal framework consists of a mixture of common law and statutory offences, and does not consist of a formal framework of categories of offences – however, offences can be categorised in terms of severity, by way of the sentence or sanction ascribed … Read more

Herbert Smith Freehills is pleased to announce that the firm’s Africa Practice Group has been shortlisted by Chambers Global in the following categories: Africa-wide Projects & Energy Law Firm of the Year  Africa-wide Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year Africa-wide Corporate Law Firm of the Year The winners will be announced at the Chambers … Read more

Authors: Brigette Baillie and Biddy Faber Trends & Developments in the South African market during 2020 South Africa has historically had a strong showing in the public-private partnership (PPP), concessions and independent power project (IPP) markets, having undertaken: PPPs in the healthcare, prisons, transport infrastructure, serviced government office accommodation and biosciences sectors; concessions in the … Read more

  Herbert Smith Freehills celebrated the fifth anniversary of the launch of its office in Johannesburg, South Africa on 1 November 2020. The office has grown from a small team of two to a total staff complement of more than 85 including partners, lawyers and business services staff. With 7 partners and 5 senior consultants … Read more

For our clients looking to invest in the “green” energy sector, the African renewables market is occupying a growing space in strategic thinking. Projected GDP expansion and rapid population growth will drive up energy demand in Africa, which combined with the presence of rich renewable resources (including wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower) means that African … Read more

Authors: Peter Leon, Ernst Muller and Natasha Rachwal Negotiators have an opportunity to fashion a regime that supports modern investment policies by promoting sustainable development.  With less than three months before the expected conclusion of negotiations on the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) protocol on investment increasing attention is being paid to the protocol’s … Read more

Rarely have events accelerated so rapidly or so radically as they have in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. We expect the crisis to operate as a catalyst for change and, as a result, there will be opportunities for those with capital to invest or a desire to expand. In this briefing we look at … Read more

Authors: Bertrand Montembault and Louis de Longeaux Dans un contexte où l’Afrique s’apprête à faire face à une raréfaction considérable des investissements directs étrangers, une attention particulière doit être portée à tout facteur susceptible d’affecter le climat des affaires. Au rang de ceux-ci, la réglementation des changes risque de jouer un rôle non négligeable dans … Read more