At The Legal Advice Office; we get many queries about blacklisting and requests for the rescission of judgments.

Benjamin Franklin said: “Better to go to bed without dinner than to rise in debt.” However, debt is not something we can all avoid.

Prescription of a Debt: What does it mean? Part 1:

The Prescription Act; No 68 of 1969; provides in Chapter III for the extinction of debt by prescription.

What does this mean?

A debt is extinguished by prescription after the lapse of the period which applies in respect of that particular type of debt. This means that after that period the debt cannot be revived even under the provisions of the Act relating to the interruption of prescription by the acknowledgment of liability; unless that new acknowledgment amounts to a new undertaking altogether to pay; which novates the old prescribed debt and amounts to a completely new debt and cause of action.

We get asked both telephonically and by e-mail a number of questions on Labour Law which come up time and time again and so we thought we would just answer certain of these questions in this short blog so that the answers are there for all to see.

Be very circumspect when dealing with collection agencies and that includes firms of attorneys that specialise in this area of the law.

Do not believe everything that you are told by a collection agent or attorney as they will look after their own interests and those of their client; before they give a thought to you and your interests.

Prescription of a Debt: What does it mean? Part 2:

However, there are certain safety requirements which must be complied with.

What are they?

A swimming pool can represent a very real safety risk, and many a swimming pool owner has experienced a near drowning.

It is for this reason that the legislature has seen fit to provide regulations that govern the safe operation of swimming pools.

People get arrested in South Africa every day.

Normally the SAPS will only arrest a person when a serious crime is involved, but this is not always the rule and people are arrested even for what one would think are minor offences like shoplifting of reckless driving.

If this should happen to you; what do you do?

The Legal Profession: Lawyers: Who are they and what functions do they deliver?

In this blog; we thought we would answer a question which often arises; as the man in the street gets confused between lawyers, attorneys, advocates and several other generic names for those who practice law as legal practitioners.

We hope to clarify this question.

Who and what are lawyers?