Webber Wentzel

South Africa’s removal from the FATF grey list in October 2025 marked a significant turning point in the country’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime. But with the action plan largely complete, the focus is now shifting. In this episode of The Legal Lens, Lerato Lamola and Kirsten Wolmarans explore what comes next and how the regulatory conversation is evolving from build...

White collar crime in Africa is no longer a localised or purely compliance-driven issue. It is increasingly cross border, more complex, and more consequential for businesses operating across the continent. In this episode of The Legal Lens, Lionel van Tonder, Garth Duncan and Brittany Leroni unpack how the landscape is evolving in practice — from the expansion of reporting obligations and enforcem...

Virtual asset regulation across Africa is entering a defining phase. In this episode of The Legal Lens, Lerato Lamola and Anelisa Ndebele unpack how regulatory frameworks across Africa are evolving and what that means for businesses operating in the fintech and digital assets space. Drawing on a comparative analysis of multiple jurisdictions, the discussion explores: *The shift from informal cauti...

Arbitration across Africa is evolving rapidly and is increasingly becoming the preferred mechanism for resolving complex cross-border disputes. In this episode of The Legal Lens, Chandni Gopal and Erin Warmington discuss key trends shaping international arbitration across the continent, drawing on insights from their recent publication. This episode covers: The growing momentum of arbitration acro...

In this episode of The Legal Lens, we unpack a major shift in the enforcement of pension and retirement fund contribution obligations in South Africa. Following the withdrawal of a long standing exemption under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) and the introduction of proposed amendments in the Draft Employment Laws Amendment Bill, employers are entering a new enforcement era with heig...

Retail and consumer businesses are among the most exposed sectors in the global economy today, sitting at the intersection of brand visibility, complex global supply chains, digital transformation and increasing regulatory pressure. In this episode of The Legal Lens, we explore how business and human rights in the retail and consumer sector have evolved far beyond a compliance exercise. In 2026, t...

In this episode, we explore the trends set to shape the Western Cape’s hospitality, leisure, and sports sectors in 2026 in this episode of The Legal Lens. Host Bernadette Versfeld is joined by industry leaders from Cape Town Tourism, Wesgro, Accelerate Cape Town and Webber Wentzel to unpack how major events, destination strategy, infrastructure investment, regulatory shifts, and traveller behaviou...

The Legal Lens – Episode 1 - Suspicious resignations and confidential information leaks: What employers need to know In this episode of The Legal Lens, Webber Wentzel experts Dhevarsha Ramjettan (Employment Law) and Aaqilah Nagdee (Forensic services) break down what employers must do when a sudden resignation is followed by a confidential information leak. We explore what counts as confidential in...

Coming soon: The Legal Lens Podcast A new way to stay on top of the legal developments shaping business, through clear, practical insights from our experts. More details to follow soon. YouTube

A year ago, greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) cast a shadow over South Africa's financial landscape. This designation, which represents deficiencies in a country's regulatory regime in the fight against money laundering, proliferated financing and terrorist financing, has raised concerns about economic consequences and global competitiveness. In this podcast, Gabi Richards-Smit...

Business and Human Rights (BHR) is on the rise in Africa, prompting companies to navigate an increasingly complex landscape. In this podcast, Pooja Dela and Paula-Ann Novotny explore insights and practical tips on navigating the BHR landscape in 2024. They unpack key legal trends such as duties of care and evolving legislation, HRDD and legal frameworks, new challenges like virtual rape and disinf...

The recent ruling in the Van Wyk v Minister of Employment and Labour matter has set the stage for a transformative shift in parental leave entitlements. The case is a landmark judgment that challenges the conventional caregiver norms and will become the focal point for employers. In this podcast, Mbali Nkosi is joined by Nkosinathi Thema, Kate Collier, Deon Visagie and Brett Abraham to provide per...

South Africa, a country of rich diversity and historic transformation, stands at a crossroads, with investment catalysing economic growth and prosperity. At the same time, the imperatives of broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) and the pursuit of public interest are fundamental cornerstones in this evolving legal landscape. The balance between fostering transformation and enticing foreig...

Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be used to perpetrate fraud, it could also be used, in addition to pre-existing data analytics to proactively detect fraud before it happens. In this podcast, Aaqilah Nagdee and Christopher Williamson provide an overview on how AI can be used to help predict where gaps and loopholes are in an organisation. They also discuss the several steps that can be...

To be able to detect and prevent fraud, organsations should invest in tools that will help them proactively analyse and monitor data. The global forensics market is moving towards using already-existing corporate data to incorporate transaction monitoring features that are specific to a company's activities and based on recognised red flags. In this podcast, Aaqilah Nagdee and Christopher Williams...

Fraud committed in the public sector has a negative impact on the government and taxpayers. It is therefore important that the appropriate mechanisms are put in place to mitigate, detect, and prevent fraud. In this podcast, Lionel van Tonder, Zelda Swanepoel and Christopher Williamson give examples of fraud perpetrated in the public sector. They also share insights on how remedies such as technolo...

Fraud is a common law offense, which if not mitigated against, threatens the sustainability of businesses in both the private and public sectors. In this podcast, Lionel van Tonder, Zelda Swanepoel and Christopher Williamson define fraud, unpack the reasons fraud is committed, and discuss how fraudulent claims, particularly linked to insurance fraud are committed. Guests: Lionel van Tonder, direct...

As we highlight the importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, we consider the tax deductibility of related expenses. In this podcast, Cor Kraamwinkel, Candice Meyer and Margaret Vermaak highlight how ESG extends its impact from global sustainability goals to individual companies and individuals in South Africa. They explore three areas where ESG considerations influence taxa...

The significance of the 'G' in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is fundamental to ensuring that businesses align with societal concerns and strive for long-term value creation while adhering to regulatory and legal frameworks. In this podcast, Gabi Richards-Smith, Lenee Green, and Analisa Ndebele delve into the critical topic of Corporate Governance within the context of the TMT (Teleco...

Over the past few years, we've witnessed a significant upsurge in ransomware attacks, affecting individuals, businesses, and even critical infrastructure. In this podcast, Wendy Tembedza and Karl Blom, dive into the alarming and rapidly evolving world of these cyber threats. Join us as we explore the latest trends on these malicious attacks and discuss ways to manage their consequences. Guest: Wen...

In this podcast, Khurshid Fazel, Webber Wentzel partner in the banking and finance team catches up with Arvana Singh, Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions (Nedbank CIB), Relebohile Malahleha, Executive Strategic Finance and Treasury (Barloworld) and Irshaad Wadvalla, ESG Officer (Equities Property Fund Limited), who share valuable perspectives informed by their experiences, on how sustainability...

In February 2023, South Africa was put on a 'greylist' by the FATF for falling short of certain international standards for the combating of money laundering and other serious financial crimes. In this podcast, members of our Business Crime team and alliance partner Linklaters talk about what South Africa’s addition to the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) greylist means for companies with busi...

Businesses are required to take ownership of, and commit to, respecting human rights in their organisations and throughout their entire value chain. They need to act on identifying, preventing, mitigating, and remediating negative human rights impacts that may result from their operations or their business relationships, by putting the necessary systems and controls in place. The main controls, as...

Business and Human Rights (BHR) has become increasingly important due to the world's increased focus on Environment, Social and Governance (ESG). Human rights due diligence and human rights impact assessments are some of the key controls that guide corporate strategy and planning on BHR matters. In this podcast, Pooja Dela and Paula-Ann Novotny discuss ESG management frameworks that envision the c...

South Africa’s greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has significant implications for its economic growth and global competitiveness but steps are already being taken to satisfy the FATF that South Africa is committed to combating money laundering and terrorist financing. In this podcast, Lerato Lamola-Oguntoye, Kent Davis, and Rashaad Carrim unpack what greylisting means for South...