Why should I have a will?

by Hartzenberg Inc | Sep 12, 2018 | Estates, trusts and estate planning

Benjamin Franklin once said there were only two things certain in life: death and taxes. Preparing for taxes is a generally accepted practice, but preparing for death is usually avoided. This is because discussing mortality is never easy, but preparing for it is an...

Schools ignore the law when enforcing payment of school fees

by Hartzenberg Inc | Jun 19, 2018 | Family law

“The school sold my lounge suite, microwave and fridge… it’s now threatening to sell my house too”. The household items of the parent who phoned the Equal Education Law Centre earlier this year had just been confiscated by debt collectors seeking to settle a R25,000...

Helping someone to die: what the law currently says

by Hartzenberg Inc | May 4, 2018 | Criminal law, Estates, trusts and estate planning, Family law

In 2015, Robert James Stransham-Ford applied to court for an order to allow a medical practitioner to administer a lethal agent and end his life. As part of this order, Stransham-Ford wanted the practitioner to be immune from any civil or criminal liability for this...

Know your rights: when can you be evicted and how?

by Hartzenberg Inc | Apr 26, 2018 | Municipal law, Property law, conveyancing & notarial practice

Every year, hundreds of families are forced out of their homes by government departments, municipalities, private individuals or corporations. Evictions are a common occurrence in South African cities, informal settlements and townships. What does the law say about...

Court rules that banks can sell your house for next to nothing

by Hartzenberg Inc | Apr 16, 2018 | Property law, conveyancing & notarial practice

When a person obtains a home loan from the bank, a mortgage bond is usually registered over their home as security by the bank. The bank will use this to recover any debt should the debtor default on their home loan repayments, in which event the debtor may lose their...