When a loved one passes away, families are often unaware of all the assets and benefits that may be available to them. A recent Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) judgment has confirmed that pension funds cannot simply ignore dependants and pay benefits into an estate without first conducting a proper investigation. In SA Retirement Annuity Fund v Pension Funds Adjudicator and Another (May 2026), the court delivered an important judgment protecting the rights of widows, children, and other...

For many South Africans, a home is more than just a property – it is a family's greatest financial asset. When homeowners fall into arrears on their mortgage bond, banks may approach the courts for an order declaring the property specially executable, ultimately allowing the property to be sold in execution. However, a major legal battle currently unfolding in South Africa has raised important questions about whether homeowners are losing substantial equity when their properties are sold at...

A high-profile divorce currently before the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) has once again highlighted the significant legal consequences of marriages concluded in community of property — particularly regarding pension interests and the division of joint estates. According to reports, the wife of a former state-owned entity executive has instituted divorce proceedings seeking the division of a multimillion-rand joint estate after alleging that the marriage has irretrievably broken down....