STBB

Published earlier than anticipated, the Law Society of South Africa has updated its Guideline of Fees (‘the Guideline’). The Guideline, which delineates recommended fees for conveyancing-related transactions, including property transfers and bond registrations, will apply to all relevant instructions received from today, 1st July 2026. The Guideline is generally updated on an annual basis and accompanies the mandated increase to Deeds Registry fees, which took effect on 1st April 2026.

Major real estate alert: Can a verbal property sale agreement be enforced? In a ruling that has sparked heated debate, the High Court recently declared section 2(1) of the Alienation of Land Act unconstitutional for failing to legalise verbal sale agreements. The finding, if confirmed by the Constitutional Court, will have significant consequences for property transactions, cautions STBB Sandton’s Hopewell Sathekge.

As the cold, rainy weather prevails across South Africa’s coastal provinces and other parts of the country, storm-related property damage is inevitable. Often, this raises uncertainty regarding liability for repairing the damage when a property is leased. Accordingly, when a rental property is damaged as a result of heavy rains, gale force winds, or hail, is the tenant, landlord, or body corporate – in the case of sectional title properties – responsible for the cost of the repairs?

A recent judgment of the Pretoria High Court could have significant implications for South African property law after the court found that an omission in section 2(1) of the Alienation of Land Act (‘the Act’) is unconstitutional for failing to cater for certain vulnerable purchasers who acquire residential property through verbal agreements.

Reflecting on the historical significance of Youth Day and the critical importance of community service, we are pleased to report on the continued positive impact of uPhawu Community Development – a proud STBB-sponsored corporate social responsibility initiative benefiting children in need.

Following its recent gazetting of an important notice setting out the filing deadlines and categories of taxpayers required to submit income tax returns for the 2026 year of assessment, the South African Revenue Service (‘SARS’) has also confirmed the auto-assessment period. When must taxpayers submit their returns?

In South Africa, trusts are essential wealth planning tools and trustees play a central role in the administration and protection of trusts. As such, the law imposes strict fiduciary and administrative obligations on trustees – with a failure to comply potentially exposing trustees to personal liability and removal from office. This article explains the key duties of a trustee in South Africa and delineates the legal standards trustees are expected to meet.

On 22nd May 2026, significant amendments to the Companies Act quietly came into effect – introducing new disclosure and corporate governance requirements for many South African companies. The latest amendments form part of the Companies Amendment Act and follow a parcel of revisions that became effective in late December 2024.

Major Companies Act amendments take effect: How should affected companies proceed? With significant amendments to the Companies Act now in force, Adam Ismail and Claudia Gees explore what these new disclosure and corporate governance requirements mean for South African companies.

This afternoon, the Monetary Policy Committee of the South African Reserve Bank (‘SARB’) concluded its third meeting of 2026. As widely predicted by most economists and various financial institutions, SARB has elected to hike the repo rate to 7%, effective Friday, 29th May 2026. Correspondingly, the prime lending rate is now 10.5%. The decision marks the first time in three years that the Reserve Bank has increased the repo rate.