1. In terms of the Council for the Built Environment Act, 43 of 2000 (hereinafter referred to as “the Built Environment Act”), a “registered person” means a person registered in terms of any of the professions’ Acts. These professions’ Acts are defined as the following: 1.1 The Architectural Profession Act, 2000. 1.2 The Project and Construction Management Professions …
Contract Law – Our Courts’ approach to exemption clauses and the potential impact of the Consumer Protection Act thereon
Introduction: 1. Exemption clauses are provisions in a contract in terms of which a party is protected from certain claims in respect of damages, loss, negligence, non-performance etc. An example of an exemption clause is the following: “The buyer shall not have or acquire any claim against the seller, nor shall the seller be liable in …
Product Liability – Our Courts’ approach to product liability claims and the impact of the Consumer Protection Act thereon, with specific reference to manufacturers’ and suppliers’ liability
Prior to the Consumer Protection Act, Act 68 of 2008, (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) coming into force, a person seeking to recover damages from a supplier in respect of defective goods could rely on either contractual remedies or the common law warranty against latent defects. A person seeking to recover damages from a …
Medical Law – Requirements for valid surrogacy agreements and the sanctions that medical practitioners may face if these requirements are not complied with
Medical practitioners involved in artificial fertilisation or involved in rendering assistance in artificial fertilisation in respect of surrogacy should familiarise themselves with the relevant provisions of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) or face possible criminal sanctions in respect of a contravention of the Act. Prior to the Act …
Medical Law – Loss of earnings / earning capacity and “sympathetic employment”
In the recently decided matter of De Melin v Road Accident Fund 2013 JDR 2656 (GSJ) the South Gauteng High Court was faced with deciding whether loss of earnings / earning capacity can be claimed in instances where a plaintiff is still employed, out of sympathy, and being paid his former salary even though he …
Medical Law – Medical Practitioners and fees charged for services rendered: The HPCSA has set the deadline for Practitioners’ comments on its proposed Guideline Tariffs for 18 November 2013
The period for commentary on the HPCSA’s Guideline Tariffs lapses on 18 November 2013. As these tariffs will be used by the HPCSA to adjudicate complaints pertaining to overcharging, we recommend that practitioners partake in this process. The proposed process for commentary can be found on the HPCSA’s website. The Health Professions Act 56 of …
Medical Law – HPCSA Guidelines on the Keeping of Patient Records
THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING PROPER PATIENT RECORDS The Health Professions Council of South Africa places “health care practitioners” – i.e. persons registered with the HPCSA – under an obligation to keep proper medical records. The HPCSA has published Guidelines on the Keeping of Patient Records (HPCSA) Pretoria (2008), and compliance with these Guidelines is critical …
Medical Law – Requirements for dispensing doctors
Prior to 01 April 1966 the authority of medical practitioners to dispense or compound medicines was governed by section 52 of the Health Professions Act. Under this act, a medical practitioner who desired to dispense medicines simply had to inform the HPCSA of his intention to dispense medicines. The HPCSA had a discretion to then …
Medical Law – The Medical Schemes Act and Direct Payment to Service Providers
Section 59 of the Medical Schemes Act, Act 131 of 1998, provides inter alia that: 1) “A supplier of a service who has rendered any service to a beneficiary in terms of which an account has been rendered, shall, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, furnish to the member concerned an account or statement …
Construction Law – The Legal Principles underlying the Builder’s Lien
In terms of common law a builder has a right of retention over the building or structure (site) or portion thereof that he has constructed, enhanced or repaired to secure payment of the contract price, by means of retaining physical control of the site, until such time as his claim has been satisfied or the …
Medical Law – The Interpretation of “Pay in Full” in terms of the Medical Schemes Act
In the recent matter of Board of Healthcare Funders of Southern Africa v Council For Medical Schemes 2011 JDR 1471 (GNP), the first and second applicants approached the Court with a request to issue a declaratory order regarding the interpretation of the words “pay in full” in regulation 8(1) of the General Regulations made pursuant …