Legal News

Self-Defence and Firearms: What Does the Law Allow?

It is alleged, and media reports support this, that on 9 October 2026 a father in Pinetown, Durban, was pulling out of his driveway with his children when armed men tried to hijack his vehicle. Dashcam footage of the incident has been widely shared. According to the police, one of the alleged hijackers opened fire and the father fired back, fatally wounding one of them. The police opened dockets for attempted murder, attempted carjacking and an inquest. None of these allegations has yet been tested in court.

Read More: Self-Defence and Firearms: What Does the Law Allow?

Divorce Law in South Africa: What Has Changed and What Is Coming

Divorce law in South Africa has changed significantly over the past three years. The Constitutional Court has struck down long-standing limits on how assets may be divided, Parliament has brought Muslim marriages into the Divorce Act, and further legislation is now before Parliament. This article summarises where the law stands today, what the courts have recently decided and what is being proposed. Let's look at all the developments and what you need to know.

Read More: Divorce Law in South Africa: What Has Changed and What Is Coming

Circumstantial Evidence: When Can a Court Convict?

Ghirao Incorporated has been appointed to consider the evidence and to advise on strategy in The State v Tiffany Meek, a matter before the High Court in Johannesburg. As the matter is currently in the trial phase, we do not deal with its merits. Instead, this article discusses a legal point that will be central as the trial unfolds, namely circumstantial evidence. We look at what circumstantial evidence is and the test a court applies before it may convict on it.

Read More: Circumstantial Evidence: When Can a Court Convict?

Artificial Intelligence and the Law: What the Public and Practitioners Need to Know

In April 2026 the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies withdrew South Africa's Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy, barely three weeks after it had been published for public comment. It emerged that the policy's reference list contained fictitious sources. The episode shows, at the highest level, the risk that has been troubling our courts for some time: artificial intelligence tools can produce material that looks convincing but is simply wrong.

Read More: Artificial Intelligence and the Law: What the Public and Practitioners Need to Know

Speak Now or Stay Silent? Protection Orders and Criminal Charges on the Same Facts

It is increasingly common for one incident to lead to two cases. A complainant applies for a protection order under the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 and, at the same time, lays a criminal charge such as assault or malicious damage to property. Both cases rest on the same facts, but they run on very different timelines.

Read More: Speak Now or Stay Silent? Protection Orders and Criminal Charges on the Same Facts

Division of Assets on Divorce in South African Law

The division of assets and liabilities upon divorce in South Africa is determined primarily by the parties’ matrimonial property regime, unless the parties conclude a valid settlement agreement regulating proprietary consequences.

Read More: Division of Assets on Divorce in South African Law

Can my spouse take everything in my divorce?

Who Gets What in a Divorce? Understanding the Division of Assets in South Africa

Read More: Can my spouse take everything in my divorce?