Tag archives: Company law

External companies cannot have prescribed officers

By Christina Pretorius and Susan Bisset on June 16, 2020 Posted in General

An external company is not a company as defined in the Companies Act, and it cannot therefore have prescribed officers with the obligations and liabilities imposed by the Act. Prescribed officers are employees or other persons who, although they are not directors, exercise executive control over a significant part of a company’s business or participate … Continue reading

Selecting a BEE shareholder – the process is not as unusual as you think

By Amber Kardamilakis on May 17, 2020 Posted in General

Broad-based black economic empowerment (BEE) ownership transactions that have gone wrong are often exciting fodder for emotive news articles. But BEE ownership transactions are fundamentally the same as any other ownership transaction and shareholder selection process that would be undertaken in the ordinary course. However, a lack of understanding of the regulatory framework often creates … Continue reading

Understanding the ranking of creditors within the liquidation process

By Thabang Dikgale and Stephen Kennedy-Good on May 14, 2020 Posted in General

The number of liquidations and sequestrations will, unfortunately, increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Preference shareholders with unsecured loans and third party unsecured creditors must be aware of the ranking of unsecured creditors’ claims in the liquidation process. This note specifically focuses on the unsecured loan given by a preference shareholder and not the ranking … Continue reading

Director’s disclosure of personal financial interests – What happens when you don’t walk away from the table?

By Raphael Chitambira and Stephen Kennedy-Good on May 12, 2020 Posted in General

A director of a company who has a personal financial interest, or knows that a related person has a personal financial interest, in a matter to be considered at a board meeting must disclose that interest and any other material information relating to the matter before it is discussed at the board meeting (section 75 … Continue reading

CIPC has changed its approach to business rescue application filings during the lockdown

By Stephen Kennedy-Good, Olivia Radford and Yishika Moodley on May 6, 2020 Posted in General

Voluntary business rescue applications filed with CIPC during 24 March to 30 April 2020 will be processed by CIPC to reflect the dates on which they were filed. These applications do not have to be resubmitted. Similarly, the appointment of business rescue practitioners that were filed with CIPC during 24 March to 30 April 2020 … Continue reading

Annual returns process updated to include the completion of a compliance checklist

By Stephen Kennedy-Good, Ugendran Odayar and Yishika Moodley on May 6, 2020 Posted in General

The CIPC has granted an extension for the filing of annual returns (due to the lockdown), but the process now includes the completion of a compliance checklist, to prove compliance with the Companies Act. Annual returns All companies (including external companies) and close corporations are required to file their annual returns with the Companies and … Continue reading

Remember to issue shares when converting a CC to a private company

By Raphael Chitambira on May 5, 2020 Posted in General

Since the passing of the Companies Act 2008 in May 2011 it is no longer possible to register a close corporation (CC). However, the Companies Act allows a CC that existed prior to 1 May 2011 to continue to exist or to convert to a private company. Business owners often opt to convert their CCs … Continue reading

CIPC recommencement of services

By Stephen Kennedy-Good and Yishika Moodley on May 4, 2020 Posted in General

Services recommencement The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has announced that it will be recommencing services on Wednesday, 6 May 2020. Those services will however be done with reduced staff, and therefore delays are inevitable. Business rescue proceedings In regard to business rescue proceedings, the CIPC has stated that any filings made between 24 March … Continue reading

Directors’ responsibilities and risk taking

By Stephen Kennedy-Good and Akhona Boloko on April 15, 2020 Posted in General

Businesses across the country are facing serious headwinds. South African law requires that directors must exercise their powers in the best interests of the company, and with the degree of care, skill and diligence that may be reasonably expected of a person carrying out those functions. Directors can be held personally liable, and are now … Continue reading

Managing a company and COVID-19: South African directors and their duties

By Stephen Kennedy-Good and Ally Chalwin-Milton on April 15, 2020 Posted in General

Limiting risk in a pandemic The effects of COVID-19 on the economy has led to many companies facing the possibility of being declared financially distressed. The mounting pressure on directors to appropriately fulfil their duties in response to this crisis will continue into the foreseeable future. Risk advisory: Practical considerations and steps for directors While … Continue reading

Director’s duties, the business judgment rule, and COVID-19

By Stephen Kennedy-Good and Ally Chalwin-Milton on April 15, 2020 Posted in General

Where a director has taken reasonable steps to become informed of a matter and has made, or supported, a decision in relation to that matter (which they rationally believed was in the best interests of the company), then that director cannot be seen to have breached their fiduciary duties if the decision later turns out … Continue reading

Directors beware: The CIPC has not temporarily softened the solvency and liquidity test

By Alan Bryson and Shawn Barnett (ZA) on April 9, 2020 Posted in General

The content of a recent Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) practice note in which the CIPC committed not to exercise its powers relating to temporarily insolvent companies must not be confused with the solvency and liquidity test. The board of a company is still obliged to fully apply the solvency and liquidity test wherever … Continue reading

BEE verification process amended to cater for COVID-19

By Ugendran Odayar and Amber Kardamilakis on April 2, 2020 Posted in General

Like many other changes being experienced by companies as a result of COVID-19, the requirement for an on-site visit as part of the BEE verification process prescribed by the South Africa National Accreditation System (SANAS) has been amended to take into account COVID-19. Prior to COVID-19, SANAS required BEE verification agents to verify and evaluate … Continue reading

Electronic AGMs in South Africa: Reacting to a pandemic

By Stephen Kennedy-Good and Ally Chalwin-Milton on March 30, 2020 Posted in General

Despite the nationwide 21 day lockdown, it is expected that social distancing measures, restrictions on travel and the ban on major public gatherings will continue well beyond these three weeks. In a time of uncertainty, and with the advent of self-isolation, panic buying and remote working, companies throughout the country are having to rethink their … Continue reading

How to establish a business enterprise in South Africa: Ten things to know

By Stephen Kennedy-Good, Dale Cridlan, Mpho Duiker and Ally Chalwin-Milton on March 27, 2020 Posted in General

01 I Methods of incorporation A business presence can be established in South Africa, one can either incorporate a South African entity or incorporate a foreign offshore entity, as a so called ‘branch’ or ‘external company’. 02 I Applicable legislation Both forms of business enterprise are regulated by the Companies Act 2008. However, in the … Continue reading

Corporate joint venture not a partnership

By Patrick Bracher (ZA) on July 18, 2019 Posted in General

Section 13(1)(d) of the Prescription Act 1969 delays prescription where there is a debt between partners arising out of the partnership relationship. The legal relationship of partnership arises from a contract between two or more persons who each agree to make a contribution (whether in money, property or service) to a venture to be carried on … Continue reading

Powers of CIPC to investigate a Companies Act related complaint

By Patrick Bracher (ZA) on June 25, 2019 Posted in General

The Supreme Court of Appeal made important findings regarding the powers of the Companies Commission to investigate a complaint. Where the complaint relates to the inaccuracy of the company records as to who was a director, the failure to ensure that the record was maintained accurately constitutes either an ongoing act or omission under section 219(1)(a) … Continue reading

Relief denied for director who put personal interests first (US)

By Patrick Bracher (ZA) on April 8, 2019 Posted in General

Under the business judgment rule, a director or officer may be excused from conduct which has adverse circumstances for the company if their judgment, albeit poor judgment, was exercised in good faith and in the interests of the company. In an action in Delaware, USA, the CEO was denied this assistance by the court because, … Continue reading

Business rescue application does not terminate provisional liquidation

By Patrick Bracher (ZA) on March 13, 2019 Posted in General

An application for business rescue does not terminate the office of provisional liquidators nor does it result in the assets and management of the company in liquidation re-vesting in the directors of the company. Where a company had been liquidated, an application was made for business rescue in GCC Engineering v Lawrence Maroos. Although section 131(6) … Continue reading

Proposed Companies Act Amendments would compromise company privacy

By Richard de la Harpe on March 10, 2019 Posted in General

Currently section 26 of the Companies Act 2008 provides only for holders of securities and beneficial interests in securities to have access to the notices and minutes of annual meetings, written communications sent generally to any class of security holders, resolutions adopted at a shareholders meeting and any documents made available in relation to such … Continue reading

Companies Tribunal to adjudicate BEE referrals in proposed Companies Act amendments

By Kaede Wildschut on October 4, 2018 Posted in General

In the first proposed amendments to the Companies Act 2008 since coming into force in 2011, it is proposed that the Companies Tribunal be given the power to adjudicate matters referred to it by the BEE Commission. This amendment would enable the BEE Commission to refer matters to the Tribunal, particularly where complaints and reported … Continue reading

Unrestricted financial assistance – Financiers to consider the risks

By Jackie Midlane and Steve Chemaly on October 3, 2018 Posted in Banking

The Companies Amendment Bill released on 21 September 2018 for public comment, proposes a raft of amendments to the Companies Act. Section 45 presently provides that any financial assistance granted by a holding company to its subsidiary must be authorised by the board and the shareholders by way of a special resolution. If not the … Continue reading

Financial assistance to subsidiaries reviewed in the Companies Amendment Bill: What is ‘its own subsidiary’?

By Jackie Midlane and Steve Chemaly on October 1, 2018 Posted in Banking, General

The amendments proposed in the Companies Amendment Bill 2018 have caught the attention of financiers and attorneys in so far as the provision of financial assistance (e.g. providing a loan, guaranteeing a loan, and securing any debt or obligation), to ‘its own subsidiary’ is concerned. The Amendment Bill proposes to amend section 45 by removing … Continue reading

The South African Companies Amendment Bill 2018

By Stephen Kennedy-Good on September 27, 2018 Posted in Banking, General

The long awaited South African Companies Amendment Bill (Bill) was published on 21 September 2018 for comment. Substantial changes to the South African Companies Act 2008 (Companies Act), which became law in 2011, have been proposed. Comments may be submitted to the SA Department of Trade and Industry by 20 November 2018, and we encourage business to consider … Continue reading