Life partners now qualify for intestate succession
The Constitutional Court recently confirmed the October 2020 ruling of the Western Cape High Court that section 1(1) of the Intestate Succession Act is unconstitutional in so far as it excludes life partners in a relationship intended to be permanent, as per the definition of “spouse”. The Court ordered parliament to amend two laws to recognise the right of a …
Selling a property with defects: What you need to know
The Purchaser signs an agreement of sale with the Seller. The property is transferred into the Purchaser’s name. A month later, there were heavy rainfalls and the roof leaks. Is the Seller liable to repair the roof or the Purchaser, as the new owner? To understand which party is liable, one must appreciate the difference between latent and patent defects. …