Law in motion
The law is not a fixed monument – it's a living, evolving framework that shapes how we live, work, govern and grow. In a world of constant change, the legal system must remain both rooted and responsive: rooted in justice, ethics and precedent, but responsive to new challenges, emerging technologies, and the shifting expectations of society. This issue of Legal embraces that tension. It is a space for debate, for clarity, for looking at how the law adapts in real time to the complexities of our economy, our workplaces and our communities.
From the courtroom to the boardroom, the role of the legal profession is expanding – demanding not only legal expertise, but strategic thinking, innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
As regulation grows more intricate and public accountability becomes more urgent, Legal offers a wide-angle view on how the law intersects with governance, business, human rights, technology and the environment. We aim to reflect a legal system in motion – questioning, evolving, and always striving for relevance and fairness. Whether you're in practice, policy, or simply passionate about the rule of law, this magazine is your platform for thought leadership, insight and forward-thinking discourse.
Trevor Crighton, Editor
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
New by-law aims to loosen building regulations for 'micro housing developers'
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis Image: Supplied The City of Cape Town yesterday passed a major amendment to its Municipal Planning By-law, aimed at unlocking affordable rental housing in informal and lower-income neighbourhoods — a move Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis described as 'a watershed moment.' The amendment introduces a new land-use right that allows homeowners in 194 designated communities to legally build affordable rental units on their properties. These areas have seen rapid densification over the past decade, particularly through backyarder dwellings and informal structures. While the Democratic Alliance (DA), which holds a majority in Council, voted in support of the amendment, it faced opposition from several parties, including the EFF, Al Jama-ah, the National Coloured Congress (NCC), GOOD, Cape Exit, the PAC, and the Freedom Front Plus. The ANC abstained. In his address to Council, Hill-Lewis stressed the scale of the challenge: '1.2 million of our fellow residents live in informal structures in Cape Town,' he said. 'For those of us who did not grow up in townships, or in a backyard, it is hard to imagine what that means. To live with bitter cold and constant damp in winter, and scorching heat and constant threat of fire in summer.' Hill-Lewis criticised the national government's free housing programme, known as Breaking New Ground, for failing to meet rising demand. 'Budgets are simply too small, the need too vast. Only a lucky few thousand per year, those waiting the very longest, will get a totally free house, while hundreds of thousands remain on the list. It is important that the public understand that.' While acknowledging that economic growth and job creation remain the only sustainable long-term solution, Hill-Lewis emphasised the need for action now: 'We also can't wait for a faster growing economy. While that is undoubtedly the only sustainable long term solution, we also need a plan now.' That plan, he said, is the by-law amendment. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'The amendments to the Municipal Planning By-law that we will vote on today will do more than any other programme, in any city, to help many more people make the leap from informal housing to dignified, affordable homes.' The by-law now enables homeowners in selected communities to build rental units legally and safely, with connections to municipal water, sanitation, and electricity. These developments will also need to meet National Building Regulations. Hill-Lewis acknowledged that micro-developers in townships have already been meeting housing demand at a scale the State cannot match: 'The fact is that micro-developers in lower-income communities are already getting on with meeting housing demand by building many thousands more units every year than the State could ever possibly hope to deliver.' He described the City's role not as one of obstruction, but of enablement: 'Now we are playing our proper role – not standing in the way, but enabling this form of housing delivery, driven by people's own enterprise, ingenuity, and investment.' The by-law also includes support measures, such as: Pre-approved building plans and development charge discounts; A pipeline of 12,000 affordable housing units on well-located land; South Africa's first Land Discount Guidelines, allowing for discounted city-owned land to be used for social housing; Utility discounts for approved social housing projects. While praising the amendment's potential, Hill-Lewis also raised a broader point about transformation in the housing market: 'For so long, property development has been an industry dominated by wealthy established developers who mainly develop in expensive suburbs… but today we are also blowing open the property development industry for thousands of new entrants – new property developers in the townships and in so many other areas.' He also committed to streamlining approval processes and clamping down on unlawful construction. 'This amendment also empowers communities, by greatly improving public participation in planning applications, and giving the City real teeth for the first time to stop illegal building work.'
The Herald
3 days ago
- The Herald
We will scale down the cost of the national dialogue: Ramaphosa
On Wednesday, Ramaphosa said many people have become fixated on what it is going to cost. 'We are going to make sure that it is driven down. It is just an estimate. We are going to make sure that we spend as little as possible, but at the same time, have as much consultation as possible so that the process itself must be enriched, while we don't impoverish the people of South Africa through spending too much money on that whole process. 'So what has been put out as the budgeted amount is going to be looked at, and I have said to my colleagues that costs that have been put out must be driven down,' he said. He said the country had in the past forged social compacts and moved the country forward. He said the country was experiencing huge problems, arguing that some of the problems are no different from what other countries are experiencing, including unemployment, inequality and poverty. 'And through that type of discussion will evolve a clearer vision, a vision that will be owned by all South Africans, that will also help to guide what we do. It will also address the stark realities of our current situation, as well as the constraints that we face and the lack of growth in our economy.' He said he was looking forward to the dialogue, coming up with clever ideas and innovative proposals on what needs to be done. He said the government had embarked on structural reforms to ensure it makes the country investable, where those with money can come and invest with confidence, adding that the dialogue will serve the purpose of bringing South Africans together. 'Not all of us will be able to fit into a hall or a stadium, but it is through our formations, it will, through the voices that we will raise that South Africans will be given an opportunity at various levels, at provincial level, at district level, at local level, participating in the discussions, just like we did when we drafted our current constitution.' He said millions of proposals and presentations were made, and those were synthesised for the national dialogue. TimesLIVE
The Herald
3 days ago
- The Herald
Law in motion
The law is not a fixed monument – it's a living, evolving framework that shapes how we live, work, govern and grow. In a world of constant change, the legal system must remain both rooted and responsive: rooted in justice, ethics and precedent, but responsive to new challenges, emerging technologies, and the shifting expectations of society. This issue of Legal embraces that tension. It is a space for debate, for clarity, for looking at how the law adapts in real time to the complexities of our economy, our workplaces and our communities. From the courtroom to the boardroom, the role of the legal profession is expanding – demanding not only legal expertise, but strategic thinking, innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. As regulation grows more intricate and public accountability becomes more urgent, Legal offers a wide-angle view on how the law intersects with governance, business, human rights, technology and the environment. We aim to reflect a legal system in motion – questioning, evolving, and always striving for relevance and fairness. Whether you're in practice, policy, or simply passionate about the rule of law, this magazine is your platform for thought leadership, insight and forward-thinking discourse. Trevor Crighton, Editor
