If you struggle to read this article or do not see the images, click here.

 

 

 

| welcome |

What an exciting month October turned out to be! DWP's blood is green - WELL DONE BOKKE! Other than that, we have the usual selection of interesting articles for you... enjoy!

 

 

| in short |

| manto's new health warnings on alcohol |

 

This month's in short is so new that it will probably only become news in February/March 2009.

 

The Minister of Health, Dr. Tshabalala-Msimang, has recently issued regulations relating to health messages on container labels of alcoholic beverages. In short this means that every alcoholic beverage, be it the produce of Mr Charles Class, Cardinal Richelieu, or Messrs Rupert & Rothschild, will have to bear a clearly visible health message, at least one eighth the size of the label, on the container.

>>> Read further (full article)

 

 

 

| mekanik |

| bills of exchange: signing as aval |

An aval is a person who undertakes to act as a surety as evidenced by his signature on a negotiable instrument. A person signs a bill or note as the signer of an aval where he signs the bill or note and expressly indicates that he is a surety by using the words 'as aval' or 'as surety' or 'as guarantor'.

 

>>> Read further (full article)

 

 

| ek sê |

| swart admin wet finaal tot einde |

In Augustus 2005 is die eerste Wetsontwerp op die Herroeping van die Swart Administrasie Wet en die Wysiging van Sekere Ander Wette in die Parlement ter tafel gelê en is dit kort daarna deur die President onderteken.

 

>>> Lees verder (volledige artikel)

 

 

| nowheresville |

| cc's afford less protection |

After the recent judgment in the case of Airport Cold Storage v Ebrahim it is clear that to carry on a business as a close corporation no longer serves as a watertight protection for personal liability for the debts of the business.

 

>>> Read further (full article)

 

 

| br!ghtshark |

| e-filing paving the way for batho pele |

The hated filing season is practically behind us. Save for the e-filers amongst us: SARS has recently announced that taxpayers that will be using the e-filing service will have until 31 January 2008 to submit their returns for the tax year ending in February 2007.

 

The technology behind the service is quite innovative if one takes into account that government services are normally the last on the uptake of technological possibilities. As an example, it was recently reported that the Department of Justice's IT helpdesk has to deal with complaints from users (magistrates!) that the games on the computer doesn't work. I have myself witnessed at various courts in and around the Cape (from Bellville, Wynberg, to Kuilsrivier, to Worcester and beyond - not to mention Cape Town itself where computers are seemingly only used to produce misspelt signs to advise the public of closing times and delays) that barely a single computer is really effectively utilised in the legal process, or at all.

 

Unfortunately the business of lawyering involves a lot of paperwork which cannot be avoided, but a new initiative by die Department of Justice seems to be the first step to shove the justice system into the twenty-first century. Since the beginning of the year the Department of Justice has been implementing an electronic case management system in the high courts (in particular the Cape of Good Hope Provincial Division) - which will be a great help to find a case if one only has the details of one of the parties to the case. I have witnessed myself on various occasions how members of the public had become greatly frustrated, and understandably so, when trying to obtain copies of their divorce or rehabilitation orders and being shown the court rolls of the past years - having to manually to manually page through the well-worn books.

 

The fact that SARS had managed to convince a good 600 000 tax payers to utilise the e-filing system (who doesn't value the extra 3 months to submit one's returns) shows how utilising technological innovation in the public domain can improve service delivery. Another obvious benefit is the costs savings (no manual capturing of tax returns and no standing in queues to hand in returns) to society in general.

 

The only negative thing one can say about the e-filing system is that it is a shame that it is the tax-collection system that is so well-organised… one would ideally wish that home affairs is well organised and the tax system disorganised, but so is life.

 

 

| whatsup |

| dwp's blood is green! |

the bokke's victory drive through cape town was well supported by dwp...

 

 

 

| rollonfriday |

| firm offers associates choice of pay or life |

US firm Chapman & Cutler is allowing its associates to choose between top pay and having a normal social life.

 

Once associates hit their second year of qualification they can decide whether to work fixed hours for a smaller pay cheque or to beast themselves stupid and drown in cash. The move came about after consultation showed a split between associates who favoured the "lunch is for wimps" mentality and those who want to be able to remember what their children look like.

 

The firm is refusing to confirm either the pay or the hours available but Chicago rivals Sidley Austin and Mayer Brown both upped second year associate pay to $170,000 earlier this year, so those choosing to put in the hours will be expecting similar rewards.

 

Chief executive Rick Cosgrove has stressed that he doesn't want to fill an office with associates who are only there for the short-term financial benefits, so prospects for those who want to take work-life balance over pay should still be good.

 

(This section is made possible courtesy of RollOnFriday.com, visit them at www.rollonfriday.com)

| admin stuff |

|as boring as the small print |

If you have any questions, comments, want to know some more on any of these topics or want to suggest a topic for discussion, please drop the editor of the newsletter a shout at heinrich@dwp.co.za.

 

This would also be convenient opportunity to tell us if you do not want to receive a copy of this newsletter in future (just to comply with the provisions of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, you know how we lawyers are...).  To unsubscribe, send an email to unsubscribe@dwp.co.za

 

If you don't see the images at the top of this newsletter, please add us as a "Safe Sender" in Outlook by right clicking on the images. All future newsletters will then show correctly on your computer.

 

We reserve our rights to the contents of this newsletter. If you want to use some of the contents then give us a call to arrange it beforehand.

 

Disclaimer: None of the information in this newsletter should be taken as professional advice. Unfortunately human error does sometimes creep in and the printers devil also does not always keep away from the door. We can therefore not accept any responsibility for any of the content of this newsletter without you coming to see us first so that we can take proper instructions from you about your circumstances and apply the necessary legal points to your problem.

 

| contact us |

delport ward & pienaar

attorneys, notaries &  conveyancers
1st floor - cornerstone house

16 loop street

cape town

8001

 

telephone, cape town
+27-21-419.3733

 

telefax, general
+27-21-419.3743

 

telefax, collections dept
+27-21-421.6625

 

telephone, london
+44-20-8133.0337

 

telephone, washington dc
+1-202-657.6733

 

telephone, hong kong
+852-8139.7374

 

| info@dwp.co.za |

 

 

1st floor - cornerstone house, 16 loop street, cape town | docex 600, cpt | t, +27-21-4193733 | f, +27-21-4193743

info@dwp.co.za | www.dwp.co.za