The Legal 500

Stopping fraud before it happens is the ultimate goal of a successful fraud prevention and awareness programme. Whilst it is important that fraud prevention controls are robust and are methodically implemented, too often companies fail to recognize that it is the perception of the likelihood of detection and sanction which discourages a person from perpetrating fraud, rather than the actual effectiveness of the internal controls and anti-fraud measures.

The Consumer Protection Bill is the Department of Trade and Industry’s omnibus consumer protection legislation which has been passed by Parliament and is currently awaiting the President’s signature.

Bowman Gilfillan, a leading South African commercial law firm, has been rapidly growing its dispute resolution expertise in line with the enhanced specialisation and sophistication of dispute resolution techniques worldwide.

Recent fears around decreasing levels of natural oil reserves in the United States have resulted in crude oil prices rocketing to their highest ever recorded levels. In the face of these fears, the South African government seems to be disincentivising investment in the offshore oil and gas industry through some less than favourable terms in the fourth draft Petroleum Resources Royalty Bill. This Bill was published on 3 June 2008 and is open for technical comments until 11 June 2008. It appears that this final draft could have serious and detrimental consequences on the industry.

Mediation has a long history in South Africa as an effective method of resolving labour, family and community disputes.

The expertise of South African mediators has been recognised internationally and has been employed in volatile negotiations in Northern Ireland, Spain, the Middle East and elsewhere.