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January 2022

Dear Client / Geagte Kliënt


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Cybercrimes: Malicious Communications

Op 1 Desember verlede jaar het ‘n aantal afdelings van die Wet op Kubermisdaad (Wet 19 van 2020) uiteindelik in werking getree. Hierdie wet het ten doel om eersdaags alle wetgewing wat daardie aspek van internet  en elektroniese media reguleer, saam te vat en meer vaartbelyn te maak. Die stuur van 'n kwaadwillige databoodskap aan iemand is nou formeel ‘n misdaad en dus krimineel vervolgbaar. Almal sal dus voortaan baie meer versigtig moet omgaan met wat in en op digitale platforms soos WhatsApp, e-posse, Twitter en ander sosiale media-platforms kwytgeraak word. Hieronder meer oor spesifieke gevalle.

Should one for instance send a malicious data message to someone, or post such a message on social media, a charge may be laid against you at the South African Police Service. If the court finds you guilty you could be ordered to pay a fine, or may even face imprisonment. Whether you are ordered to pay a fine or given some jail time you will end up with a criminal record, which has very serious consequences.

What are Malicious Communications?

It is a crime to disclose a data message which -

  • incites damage to property or violence (bodily harm) against a person or a group of persons (section 14);

  • threatens a person with damage to property belonging to that person or a related person or violence against that person or a related person (section 15);

  • discloses an intimate image of someone without their consent (section 16).

The word ‘‘disclose’’ in respect of a malicious data message referred to in sections 14, 15 and 16 means:

  • sending a data message to a person;

  • storing a data message on an electronic communications network, where such data message can be viewed, copied, or downloaded; or

  • sending, or otherwise making available to a person, a link to a data message that has been stored on an electronic communication network, where such data message can be viewed, copied, or downloaded.

Furthermore, the Act makes it possible for a complainant to apply for a protection order, pending the finalisation of the criminal proceedings, but unfortunately this is amongst the sections of the Act that has not come into operation yet. Such a protection order would:

  • prohibit any person to disclose or further disclose the data message; or

  • order an electronic communications service provider whose electronic communications service is used to host or disclose the data message, to remove or disable access to the data message.

Cybercrime now also includes, but is not limited to:

  • the unlawful access to a computer or device such as a USB drive or an external hard drive; the illegal interception of data; the unlawful acquisition, possession, receipt, or use of a password; forgery, fraud and extortion online.

Regards / Groete

 

Hennie, Eberhard & Cheryl-Anne

 

 
 
 
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Direkteure wat koppe stamp: Beëindiging van toegang tot e-posse

Wanneer die direkteure van ‘n maatskappy koppe stamp, kan ‘n situasie vinnig ontwikkel waar daar oor en weer klippe gegooi word.

Een taktiek, wat waarskynlik oor die kort termyn baie effektief sal wees, is om ‘n direkteur se toegang tot die maatskappy se e-posse en bediener (“server”) te beëindig. Die direkteur mag dalk so desperaat word dat hy dan spook om óf die dispuut op te los, óf om met behulp van die reg ‘n manier te vind om dringend toegang tot sy e-posse te verkry.

Ons kyk na ‘n onlangse uitspraak van die Hooggeregshof waar ‘n direkteur homself in hierdie einste posisie bevind het. Hier het die direkteur die hof vir ‘n spoliasiebevel gevra, ten einde toegang tot sy e-posse onmiddellik te herstel. Hierdie saak illustreer die uitdagings van so ‘n situasie.

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Divorce: Claiming Interim Maintenance and a Contribution to Legal Costs  
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If you are not the breadwinner in a marriage, one of the daunting prospects of applying for a divorce will no doubt be the worry of how to support yourself (and your children if you have any) whilst the matter winds its way through the court system. Plus, how will you be able to pay for legal assistance?

Our law comes to your rescue here, providing a relatively quick and simple remedy in the form of an “interim relief” order against your spouse for both maintenance and a contribution to your legal costs.

We discuss the principles involved with reference to a “coy about his wealth” spouse ordered by the High Court to “pay up – now!” 

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Kan jou Huurder op grond van Covid-19 inperkings op ‘n vermindering in huurgeld aandring?

Die Covid-19 pandemie het heelwat ekonomiese slagoffers agter gelaat. Dink aan  restaurante, hotelle en ander besighede wat as gevolg van inperkingsregulasies moes sluit of gedeeltelik moes toemaak, omdat hulle nie sake kon doen nie.  Baie huurders het hul verhuurders gevra vir verligting van huurbetalings. Ander het daarop aangedring en aangevoer dat hulle regtens op ‘n vermindering van huurgeld geregtig moet wees omdat die verhuurder nie meer ten volle ingevolge die kontrak kon presteer nie.

Tydens ‘n ramp van hierdie aard is dit belangrik dat kommersiële verhuurders en hul huurders hul onderskeie regte en verpligtinge moet verstaan. Ons kyk na ‘n onlangse uitspraak van die Hooggeregshof, waar ‘n hoë-profiel restaurant vir byna R3 miljoen in agterstallige huurgeld gedagvaar is. Dit was nadat die restaurant noodgedwonge sy deure gedurende Vlak 5 van die inperking moes sluit en daarna slegs beperkte sake kon doen. Hierdie uitspraak bied goeie leiding oor hoe ons howe waarskynlik hierdie soort aangeleenthede sal hanteer. Let veral op die Hof se praktiese advies aan kommersiële verhuurders en hul huurders…

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A Victim of Sexual Harassment Must Report It “Immediately”  
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Would-be workplace sex pests should remember that our courts are unwavering in their support for victims of sexual harassment. When it happens in the workplace, victims can seek redress not only from the perpetrators themselves, but also from their employer in appropriate cases.

Victims must however report any incident to their employer, without delay and using the correct procedures.

Failure to do so can be fatal to the victim’s claim, as we shall see in the context of a recent Labour Court case where a female employee, who had been subjected to harassment by two of her senior colleagues, delayed (for two and three years respectively) before reporting them to her employer.

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 Our Directors
             
       
    Eberhard
Kruger
DIRECTOR
021 180 4552 / 082 789 1706
ekruger@vzk.co.za
      Cheryl-Anne
Ehrenreich
DIRECTOR
021 180 4564 / 082 783 7242
cheryl@vzk.co.za
      Andre
Van Greunen
DIRECTOR
021 180 4550
andre@vzk.co.za
   
     Full Bio →

       Full Bio →

       Full Bio →

   
         
     
    Marzanne
Van Wyk
DIRECTOR
021 180 4551
marzanne@vzk.co.za
      Kumedzani
Muloiwa
DIRECTOR
021 180 4578
kume@vzk.co.za
   
     

       

   
         
 
 
 
 
 
 

© LawDotNews & Van Zyl Kruger Inc. This newsletter is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as legal advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your legal adviser for specific and detailed advice.

VAN ZYL KRUGER INCORPORATED (REG. NO 2015/174073/21) (VAT NUMBER 413 0273 172)


www.vzk.co.za

Suite 520 Tyger Lake, Niagara Road,
Tyger Waterfront, Bellville, Cape Town

info@vzk.co.za | Reception: 021 180 4550 | Fax: 021 180 4540


DIRECTORS: E S KRUGER (B.COMM LL.B MPRE); C A EHRENREICH (BA.LL.B LL.M); AJ VAN GREUNEN (BPROC, LLB, LLM);
M VAN WYK (B.COM LLB); K MULOIWA (LLB)
ASSOCIATES: S JANSE VAN RENSBURG (B.COM LL.B); L J CHANTLER (B.COMM LL.B);
A BARNARD (B.COM LL.B DIP.FIN PLANNING); B SCHOLTZ (LL.B)
PRACTICE MANAGER: F BRAVENBOER (NDIP FIS)
EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT: HL VAN ZYL (B.PROC) CONSULTANTS: JAL VAN ZYL (B.JURIS LL.B);
C I’ANSON-SPARKS Solicitor in England and Wales (LL.B(HONS), DIP LEGAL PRACTICE)