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When it comes to having your car repaired or towed, both you (as the owner of the vehicle) and the service provider are protected by the law.

You have the right to good quality service and to have your car properly looked after while it's in the workshop or towing company's possession. If you feel that they have not performed these duties, or worse yet, stolen goods from your vehicle, you have legal rights and can take action.

But you also have the responsibility to pay for the services they provide, and if you don't or can't, then the service providers have a legal right to keep your car until you pay what you owe them, and if you don't, they can institute legal action against you to be allowed to sell your car to make up the money you owe them.

As always, make sure you read the fine print of any contract you sign so you understand the terms and conditions properly, and don't get a surprise later on.

When it comes to having your car repaired or towed, both you (as the owner of the vehicle) and the service provider are protected by the law.

You have the right to good quality service and to have your car properly looked after while it's in the workshop or towing company's possession. If you feel that they have not performed these duties, or worse yet, stolen goods from your vehicle, you have legal rights and can take action.

But you also have the responsibility to pay for the services they provide, and if you don't or can't, then the service providers have a legal right to keep your car until you pay what you owe them, and if you don't, they can institute legal action against you to be allowed to sell your car to make up the money you owe them.

As always, make sure you read the fine print of any contract you sign so you understand the terms and conditions properly, and don't get a surprise later on.

What do you do if you’ve bought a brand-new or good quality used vehicle and then realise that the vehicle you bought is defective, damaged or not fit for the purpose for which you bought it for?

Renting or buying property is usually one of the biggest monthly expenses you'll have. Make sure that you have all the information you need, and don’t let anyone pressure you into signing an agreement without reading through it carefully. Here are 4 things to do before signing on the dotted line:

You might be super excited to finally receive that employment contract and get working, but it's important that you read through it carefully instead of just signing on the dotted line. It's a legally binding commitment you make to the employer, so you need to make sure that you have a clear picture of what you’re getting into.
Here are 6 things to always check before signing an employment contract:

Constructive dismissal is the ultimate workplace bullying. It's when your employer makes working for him/her intolerable, to the point where you have no other option but to resign. Constructive dismissal can be hard to prove, because the responsibility to prove constructive dismissal is on the employee.

The employee must be able to prove that:

What can you do if a supplier fails to comply with the Consumer Protection Act?

• You should lodge a complaint with the supplier. Get your complaint in writing so you have proof of the conversation. If you lodge your complaint over the phone, ask for an e-mail address in

Tips for drafting a will:

• Keep your will updated when your life circumstances change, for example a birth or death occurs
• When creating your will, consider who you leave your assets to carefully. Leaving unspecified assets to multiple beneficiaries could lead to issues, for example, fighting over trying to share a house inherited by two people
• If you have children younger than 18, you should appoint someone as their legal guardian in the event of your death
• Create a testamentary trust to protect children younger than 18 who stand to inherent possessions when you die
• Nominate an executor in your will. An executor is the person tasked with the administration of your estate when you die. An executor also assists with the distribution of your assets to the beneficiaries stipulated in your will
• Heirs (the legal inheritors of something) must be clearly identified by full names, surname, relationship and identity number
• Ensure that you understand each clause in the drafted document and that the will accurately reflects your wishes
• You must ensure that each page of the Will, including the last page, is signed by yourself(testator). The Will must also be signed by two competent witnesses. A person will qualify to be a competent witness if s/he is 14 (fourteen) years of age or older.

Statistics South Africa's latest report for 2018 showed that unemployment rose to 27.2% – that's 6.08 million South Africans sitting without a job. And retrenchments are happening all the time, which is why it's so important to know and understand how the law protects you against unfair treatment from your employer. According to the Labour Relations Act, employers are not allowed to retrench workers without a valid, lawful reason; without consultation and without following a clearly defined process.

If you suspect you've been unfairly retrenched, you can lodge a claim with the CCMA, but you must do this within 30 days of receiving notice of retrenchment from your employer.

Know your rights as a worker so you can strike back legally!

Property is a big expense, whether you're buying or renting. Never trust pictures alone, or what someone else says – you should always go and inspect the property thoroughly yourself.

Here's a short checklist of what to look for before signing any contracts:

There are a number of labour laws and legal bodies that protect your rights as a worker. If you are dealing with labour-related legal matters.

A scam can be defined as an illegal plan for making money, especially one that involves tricking people. In some instances car scams occur when the scam artists portray themselves to be a legitimate company but are actually fraudsters. They trick you into making payment to them in return for the delivery of a vehicle. The vehicle is never delivered and they cannot be contacted on their phone numbers.

Doing your taxes doesn’t have to be hard, even if it's your first time. This is a summary of the basics:

It is your socio-economic right to have shelter and your landlord can't just kick you out, even if you haven't paid your rent. He will have to follow a process of eviction first. This is the process of eviction he must follow:

Customary law in South Africa has been taken into account when it comes to the application of the law to ensure that our cultural diversity is celebrated instead of oppressed. For this purpose, the law recognises the following customary practices:

The Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act (SASREA) states that the safety and wellbeing of people attending an event lies with the event organisers. Here are some of the responsibilities of the event organisers:

The Consumer Protection Act (CPA) protects the consumer and the store when it comes to returns. You have the right to return broken goods to the store if the store's policy allows it. Here are other options for dealing with an unwanted gift if you cannot return or exchange it:

Be informed about the law surrounding courts in South Africa. South Africa has a variety of courts that hear different cases:

It is important to get legal advice when you get any legal documents, or if you need to submit any legal documents. Legal documents include:

Insurance is necessary to protect you, your loved ones and the things you've worked hard to own. But in order to get a payout, you need to make sure you follow the rules, and provide the insurer with everything they need.