From the Horse’s Mouth: “Should You Use AI for Legal Advice?”
“If you didn’t hear it from the horse’s mouth, it came from the other end of the horse.” (Anon) The rapid rise of AI is hard to ignore. DeepSeek’s AI assistant, only launched on 10 January this year, has grown to rival ChatGPT in popularity, making it the most widely used AI language model at […]
Defending Yourself: What Weapons Can You Legally Carry?
“The right of self-defence is the first law of nature.” (St. George Tucker, Blackstone’s Commentaries, 1803) South Africa’s chronically high crime rates have left many of us wondering what the limits are when defending ourselves and our families from criminals. What weapons does the law allow us to carry, what permissions do we need to […]
A New School Year Dawns – Can Unpaid Fees Bar Your Child From Enrolling?
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” (Mark Twain) Our Constitution guarantees everyone rights to education, but that doesn’t mean parents can necessarily pick and choose which schools they send their children to. Nor does it mean that they can expect schools to continue educating their children if they don’t pay the […]
No Means No: What the New Case on Consent Means for Victims of Sexual Violence
“Sexual violence is a horrific reality that continues to plague this country.” (Quoted in judgment below) It’s often said that victims of rape and other types of sexual violence have to suffer twice – firstly at the hands of the rapist and secondly at the hands of the law. A recent High Court ruling on […]
When Can You Legally Record Conversations?
“Big Brother is watching you.” (George Orwell) Your smartphone lets you record just about anything, anywhere, and at any time. Your laptop and other devices can automatically record online meetings. Technology enabling voice and/or video recording is all-pervasive, providing us all with a powerful tool for keeping accurate records, resolving disputes and gathering evidence. But […]
The New Cannabis Act: Here’s What You Will and Won’t Be Allowed to Do
“It’s high time they legalised cannabis” (Anon) Much excitement has greeted the signing into law of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, which will formally regulate the cultivation, possession, and use of cannabis by adults in a private setting and, says the Presidency, lays the groundwork for regulatory reforms “to allow for the industrialisation of […]
Can You Sign an Affidavit Over Zoom?
“These technological developments would have seemed far-fetched and science fiction a brief few years ago.” (Extract from judgment below) It’s an important question – the invalidity of an affidavit could sink even the strongest case, so it’s vital to get this right. Of course, it’s always tempting to cut corners where you can on the […]