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Read our latest articles that make the law easier to understand. We explain your rights in simple, jargon-free language, showing how it applies to real situations you may face at home, at work or in your community.

Homes and property

Check In With the Legal Side of Airbnb

Considering that the digital age has made traveling easier, more affordable and convenient, it’s no surprise that the world’s largest accommodation provider is a website that, ironically, doesn’t own any property. Of course, we are talking about Airbnb, which has over 3,000,000 lodging listings in 65,000 cities and 191 countries. South Africans have also jumped on the bandwagon with a reported 7,500 (and counting) active hosts. However, there has been some backlash from more traditional lodging providers. The National Accommodation Association of South Africa has highlighted the fact
Family and relationships

How to Take a Legal Stand Against Being Bullied at School

School can be complicated and even a traumatic experience for children. While many learners thrive and excel in it, others are mercilessly harassed and victimised by classmates. Sadly, according to recent findings, more than 58% of South African school-goers have experienced some form of bullying, and some stories end in tragedy, as seen by the rise of teen suicide across the world. What is bullying? We define bullying as any abuse of actual or perceived power that targets minors (anyone under 18 in
Cars and driving

What You Should Know About Roadblocks in South Africa

As the holiday season approaches, thousands of South Africans are gearing up to travel to destinations across the country. Of course, with the high traffic volumes, there is strong chance of causing or being involved in an accident. Needless to say, road fatalities in South Africa are prevalent, and roadblocks play an important role in ensuring the safety motorists and reducing carnage on our highways. Legal vs illegal roadblocks There are two types of legal roadblocks in South Africa. So- called
Consumer rights

Overbooked Flights: Passenger Rights in South Africa

American carrier United Airlines has recently come under fire after a video of a passenger being forcibly removed from an overbooked flight went viral on social media. Despite outrage from the public, United Airlines has defended its actions citing its contract of carriage – an agreement that all customers agree to when booking – which gives the airline the freedom to deny ticketed passengers travel if a flight is overbooked. If you are wondering what your legal rights are when booking a ticket with a South African airline, you’ll be glad to know that our consumer laws provide protection.
Cars and driving

Road Accidents in South Africa : Drive Responsibly

The month of April is not only synonymous with relaxing holiday breaks with loved ones, the elusive Easter Bunny and delicious chocolate eggs, but also the anticipated annual carnage on South Africa’s roads. Despite concerted efforts by Government and the authorities, our roads still remain amongst the most dangerous in the world, according to the World Health Organisation. According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) the Easter road death toll dropped from a staggering 287 in 2015,
Family and relationships

Child Abandonment in South Africa: The Ever-Growing Epidemic

With a reported 3500 unwanted babies deserted every year, it’s safe to say that child abandonment in South Africa is an epidemic. And, while this is a growing problem, few know that it is a crime for a parent, legal guardian or caregiver to desert a child for no reason without any contact for 3 months. Of course, the law is supposed to protect the rights of children, and there are legal consequences for anyone who is found guilty of abandoning a child. While it is illegal, there are various reasons that parents abandon their children.
cybercrime

Phishing Scams in South Africa: Don’t Take the Bait

Phishing scams in South Africa occur almost every day, which means you could be just a click away from losing lots of hard-earned money. It’s been reported that we are in the top five most targeted countries in the world. While some attempts at conning you out of your cash are reasonably obvious (remember that message about you inheriting a portion of a foreign prince’s fortune?), others are carefully crafted calls to action designed to deceive you. So, it’s essential to know what to look out for when it comes to suspicious emails from your bank.
Family and relationships

The Unexpected Dangers of Parenting in the Digital Age

Let’s be honest; some parents would hold a four-day celebration festival in honour of their newborn’s arrival if it didn’t cut into the nappy and formula budget! Of course, that’s slightly hyperbolic, but the point is: moms and dads get very excited about their children and often create photo albums to document memories and milestones. But parenting in the digital age is a whole different ball game. The days of Polaroids and ring binders are long gone; nowadays, thanks to smartphones and social media, chronicling a child’s life and sharing it with friends and family is as easy as
Legal advice

Think before you “Share”

Whether you “Like” it or not, social media has become a powerful presence in our everyday lives. With hundreds of thousands of Facebook status updates, tweets and overly filtered Instagram images posted every second of the day, you really have to think carefully about what we share. Sure, there’s not much to it if you are sharing that viral video of a cat dressed as a pirate, or if you are updating your friends and followers on whether or not you got your gym workout in for the day, for instance. But, it is important to know that a social media platform isn’t necessarily the place for you to say and do as you

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