Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic:

A legal perspective

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic:
A legal perspective

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to create turmoil across the globe. We are concerned about its effect on our people, our clients and the communities in which we operate and are putting measures in place to contain its spread. Read more.

The legal implications of the crisis are becoming more apparent as it unfolds. Legal experts from across our African footprint have provided their perspectives on some of these as follows.

KENYA


> Legal considerations for businesses in Kenya (16 March 2020)
Key Contact
Richard Harney

> Telecommunications sector impacts (21 July 2020)
> Public health rules (15 April 2020)
> Measures mitigating economic impact (8 April 2020)
> Public company general meetings (7 April 2020)
> Economic stimulus (27 March 2020)
> FAQs for employers (23 March 2020)
> Closure of registries and government offices (19 March 2020)
> Court closure (19 March 2020)

 
MAURITIUS


> Legal considerations for businesses in Mauritius (23 March 2020)
Key Contact
Fazil Hossenkhan

> Competition Commission addresses collaboration among businesses in response to the pandemic (3 June 2020)
> A new legal dimension (19 May 2020)
> Extension of deadlines (28 April 2020)
> Extension of GWAS and SEAS (22 April 2020)
> Measures by Government and authorities (6 April 2020)
> Mauritius Revenue Authority measures (24 March 2020)
> Wage Assistance Scheme (24 March 2020)
> Further measures (24 March 2020)

 
TANZANIA


> Legal considerations for businesses in Tanzania (25 March 2020)
Key Contact
Wilbert Kapinga

 
UGANDA


> Legal considerations for businesses in Uganda (23 March 2020)
Key Contact
Ernest Wiltshire

> The need for an ECMS (4 May 2020)

 
OTHER


> AFRICA-WIDE: M&A trends during the pandemic (24 August 2020)
> WEBINAR: Corporate risk in Africa (1 July 2020)
> WEBINAR: Managing a workplace in times of pandemic (24 June 2020)
> WEBINAR: Responding to the crisis (23 June 2020)
> AFRICA-WIDE: Merger notifications – updated (22 May 2020)
> WEBINAR: Planning a safe return to work (13 May 2020)
> WEBINAR: Impact on employee benefits (5 May 2020)
> WEBINAR: Tax developments in Uganda (4 May 2020)
> AFRICA INSIGHTS: Economic recovery (30 April 2020)
> WEBINAR: Economy, business restructure and rescue (29 April 2020)
> WEBINAR: Distressed portfolios (Hosted by SAVCA) (23 April 2020)
> WEBINAR: Cargo movements (Hosted by Wesgro) (22 April 2020)
> WEBINAR: Impact of the Tax Laws (16 April 2020)
> AFRICA-WIDE: Merger notifications – updated (14 April 2020)
> WEBINAR: Pricing – competition law compliance (9 April 2020)
> WEBINAR: Moving cargo in South Africa (3 April 2020)
> WEBINAR: Employment considerations in South Africa (1 April 2020)
> AFRICA-WIDE: Merger notifications – updated (30 March 2020)
> AFRICA INSIGHTS: Economic impact – report (23 March 2020)
> AFRICA INSIGHTS: Economic impact – summary (23 March 2020)
> AFRICA-WIDE: Merger notifications (19 March 2020)
> ETHIOPIA: Alliance firm Aman & Partners LLP on employment (March 2020)
 
SOUTH AFRICA


> Legal considerations for businesses in South Africa (8 April 2020)
Key Contact
Alan Keep

> Impact of the pandemic on B-BBEE (15 September 2020)
> Bridging the pricing gap (31 May 2020)
> Resumption of IP services (8 May 2020)
> Latest developments in education (5 May 2020)
> FIDIC contracts and 18 June 2020 (4 May 2020)
> Telemedicine clears legal hurdles (30 April 2020)
> Listed companies – general meetings (30 April 2020)
> Mineral resources and energy sector (16 April 2020)
> Valuing private equity portfolios (14 April 2020)
> Tracing contacts (3 April 2020)
> Suspension of IP services and functions (3 April 2020)
> Environmental timeframes extended (1 April 2020)
> Insolvency and restructuring (1 April 2020)
> Cyber crime (30 March 2020)
> Approval required by essential services (26 March 2020)
> B-BBEE and the Solidarity Response Fund (24 March 2020)
> Lockdown (24 March 2020)
> Independent schools (23 March 2020)
> Regulations (19 March 2020)
> Public gatherings and shareholder meetings (18 March 2020)

 

 
SOUTH AFRICA (CONTINUED)


Aviation

Shipping and Logistics

Banking and Financial Services Regulatory
> SCA judgement on business interruption claim (18 December 2020)
> Santam loses COVID-19 insurance case (19 November 2020)
> FSCA’s latest stance on Business Interruption insurance cover (27 July 2020)
> Financial Conduct Authority – business interruption test case (17 July 2020)
> FSCA stance on Business Interruption insurance cover (10 July 2020)
> High Court decision on business interruption insurance claim (8 July 2020)
> Insurers walk a tightrope due to pandemic (31 May 2020)
> Business interruption insurance (15 May 2020)
> Further Communication to Accountable Institutions (13 May 2020)
> Regulatory frameworks – implementation dates (5 May 2020)
> South African accountable institutions (4 May 2020)
> Insurers embrace TCF principles (30 April 2020)
> Maintaining unapproved risk benefits (30 April 2020)
> Exemptions for short-term insurers providing premium relief (28 April 2020)
> Managers of collective investment schemes (24 April 2020)
> Exemptions for insurers (20 April 2020)
> Financial reprieve for members of medical schemes and SMMEs (17 April 2020)
> Insurance premiums – employer considerations (14 April 2020)
> Funeral policy premium collection (8 April 2020)
> Compliance with Financial Markets Act (6 April 2020)
> Amended Regulations – essential services expanded (3 April 2020)
> FCSA’s expectations of regulated entities (1 April 2020)
> Future of insurance after pandemic (31 March 2020)
> Medical scheme contributions (28 March 2020)
> Retirement fund contributions (27 March 2020)
> Insurance services, essential in lockdown (27 March 2020)
> Compliance in the financial services sector (26 March 2020)
> Insurance considerations (19 March 2020)

Competition
> Excessive pricing – Cases pursued by the Commission (10 September 2020)
> Excessive pricing settlements (17 July 2020)
> Excessive Pricing – A total of 23 consent agreements confirmed by the South African Competition Tribunal (8 July 2020)
> Cases pursued by the Competition Commission (16 June 2020)
> Supplier guilty of excessive pricing (2 June 2020)
> Cases pursued by the Competition Commission (27 May 2020)
> Cases pursued by the Competition Commission (25 May 2020)
> Cases pursued by the Competition Commission (14 May 2020)
> Expansion of Banking Sector Block Exemption (13 May 2020)
> ‘Failing firm’ mergers (4 May 2020)
> First price gouging case (20 April 2020)
> Healthcare block exemption (15 April 2020)
> Relief for retail tenants (9 April 2020)
> Merger control and retrenchments (7 April 2020)
> Competition Tribunal (7 April 2020)
> Hotel industry exemption (30 March 2020)
> Consumer protection (23 March 2020)
> Competition exemptions (23 March 2020)
> Excessive pricing (23 March 2020)

Employment
PRODUCT: RETURN TO WORK PACK
> CCMA rules in favour of employee in mandatory vaccine case (7 July 2022)
> New Code of Good Practice for Managing Covid-19 (27 June 2022)
> Update on masks in the workplace (24 June 2022)
> Update on masks in the workplace (23 June 2022)
> Cross-border remote working (31 May 2022)
> CCMA finds retrenchment of employee fair (17 May 2022)
> End of Disaster Management transitional period (5 May 2022)
> Developing case law on vaccinations (28 April 2022)
> Recourse for injuries caused by vaccinations (22 April 2022)
> Vaccination requirements at the workplace (11 April 2022)
> End of the National State of Disaster (5 April 2022)
> New regulations for managing COVID-19 in the worksplace (18 March 2022)
> New Code of Good Practice replaces OHS Direction (16 March 2022)
> Labour Court finds employer’s admission policy to be lawful (16 March 2022)
> Application to declare mandatory vaccine policy unlawful struck off the roll (28 January 2022)
> CCMA rules in favour of employer in mandatory vaccine case (28 January 2022)
> Unvaccinated employee’s dismissal ‘substantively fair’ (27 January 2022)
> Exemptions from vaccine requirements in the workplace (7 December 2021)
> Amended OHS Direction (15 June 2021)
> Updated TERS Direction (22 April 2021)
> Continued TERS relief in South Africa (4 March 2021)
> Enforcing restraints of trade during COVID-19 (1 March 2021)
> COVID-19: Employers and vaccinations (22 January 2021)
> Health data reporting by employers (15 October 2020)
> Revised OHS Direction (2 October 2020)
> TERS applications closing dates (15 September 2020)
> Extension of TERS benefit to 15 September 2020 (04 September 2020)
> TERS benefit extended for certain employees (14 August 2020)
> Compensation for workplace contracted COVID-19 (23 July 2020)
> Symptomatic and positive cases (17 June 2020)
> Occupational Health and Safety Direction (5 June 2020)
> Section 189A consultation via Zoom (1 June 2020)
> New world of work revised (31 May 2020)
> Considerations for safe resumption of football (31 May 2020)
> Alert Level 3 – what employers should do (29 May 2020)
> Update: leave for occupationally acquired COVID-19 (28 May 2020)
> Leave for occupationally acquired COVID-19 (26 May 2020)
> Compensation for occupationally acquired COVID-19 (25 May 2020)
> When can retrenchment processes start? (13 May 2020)
> Forfeiture of annual leave (11 May 2020)
> Level 4 workplace plans and safety measures (8 May 2020)
> No need for rigidity in retrenchments (7 May 2020)
> Safe return to work (5 May 2020)
> Home offices – health and safety obligations (30 April 2020)
> TERS benefit – Amended Directives (28 April 2020)
> Annual leave accrual (23 April 2020)
> Public holidays during lockdown (9 April 2020)
> TERS benefit (8 April 2020)
> Mental wellbeing of employees (6 April 2020)
> The protection of personal information (3 April 2020)
> Executive pay (31 March 2020)
> The lockdown and strikes (27 March 2020)
> Payment of employees (26 March 2020)
> Payment of domestic workers (25 March 2020)
> Meaning of a gathering (20 March 2020)
> Department of Employment and Labour Guidelines (19 March 2020)
> CCMA proceedings (18 March 2020)
> Impact of school closures on the workplace (16 March 2020)
> Time off work (12 March 2020)
> Preventative measures (10 March 2020)
> Legal obligations (9 March 2020)

Tax
> Opening of borders could offer tax relief (18 September 2020)
> Beneficial ownership declarations and written undertakings (6 July 2020)
> Compliant tax filings (19 June 2020)
> Carbon tax (11 May 2020)
> Get your diesel refund (30 April 2020)
> Additional tax relief – updated (23 April 2020)
> Additional tax relief (23 April 2020)
> Tax treatment of TERS benefits (20 April 2020)
> Tax relief (1 April 2020)
> Tax in the mining industry (31 March 2020)
> Employees’ tax (30 March 2020)
> Tax relief (24 March 2020)
> Tax risk assessments (24 March 2020)