http://www.702.co.za Talk Radio 702 - The Podcasts en-us 2006 16 March 2010 2 702webmaster@702.co.za Legal expert Bulelwa Khemese spoke about the rules governing conflicts of interest and financial disclosure in the public service. She also sheds some light on the process involved before a public servant is deemed to have a conflict of interest, the loopholes in the Public Service Act and why it is difficult to convict unscrupulous officials who abuse the public trust for personal gain. Also on the show was a discussion on the responsibilities of civil servants and what the Public Service Code of Conduct stipulates in this regard. Also explained is why members of parliament are expected to register their financial interests in parliament and those of their spouses, dependants and permanent companions every year. 16 March 2010 Property law specialist Julian Scher spoke about the different property issues including your rights if you have been sold a defective property without your knowledge and the responsibilities of body corporates. He also spoke about the pros and cons of a sectional title sale agreement, and how the sectional title rules are enforced. Also on the show was a discussion on the legal implications involved if you decide to cancel a sectional title unit sale agreement contract before the property in question is registered with the deeds office, as well as the National Credit Act’s position on interest charges on property levies. 10 March 2010 Gill Loveday spoke about different labour related issues including how to deal with an incompetent human resources manager and your recourse if your employer does not allow you to take days off. She also spoke about whether you are entitled to have a representative as an employee when appearing before a disciplinary hearing, the purpose of probation and whether there is any set period for it. Also discussed - what you can do if your employer doesn’t make you a permanent employee after being in a company for a year, whether your employer can make a unilateral change to the terms and conditions of your employment, as well as your recourse if your salary is not upgraded contrary to what was agreed in your contract. 02 March 2010 Legal expert Alan Warrener gave advice on various legal issues including what you can do as a small business owner if the municipality owes you money for the services you rendered and how to legally get rid of a business partner who has a fifty percent stake in a business. He also spoke about how a court of law determines negligence in a vehicle accident case and the damages claim procedure involved. Also discussed was whether one is legally obliged to pay off deceased’s estate debts, things to consider before withdrawing from a franchise business agreement, as well as what you can do if your neighbour’s tree encroaches on your property. 23 February 2010 Our team of experts gave callers an insight into how the legal profession works, the requirements that one must meet before being allowed to practice as an attorney and getting around the terminology i.e. the difference between an attorney, lawyer, and judiciary to name a few. They also tackled questions on how people can take legal action against their attorneys if their case was improperly handled, dealing with corrupt attorneys and gave listeners basic question to ask. The Law Society issues attorneys with identity cards, therefore be sure to ask to see an identity card of the attorney before hiring them. 16 February 2010 Bulelwa Khemese and Simone Margardie from the Law Society of South Africa spoke about how the State Liability Act protects you from the state, should the state owe you money. They also talked about the changes that were made to the Act in light of the ground-breaking constitutional judgment handed down last year October wherein an interim procedure to enforce payment of debt by the state was issued. They also discussed what an interim procedure attempts to achieve, turnaround time within which the state has to honour the court order to settle debt to the creditors, and the remedies available to the creditors should the judgment debt remain unpaid 30 days after the date of judgment. 09 February 2010 Gill Loveday spoke about what a severance package is all about and how to claim for one; what you can do as an employee if you have been suspended unfairly and the requirements for a lawful suspension. She also spoke about the discrepancy between labour law and tax law in as far as an independent contractor’s working conditions are concerned, as well as the procedure that you need to follow as an employer if you want to downscale your staff. Also discussed on the show were the requirements that must be met before an employees’ strike is considered legally protected; what to do as an employee if a salary package that you were promised is not forthcoming; as well as a course of action to take if an employer changes conditions of employment without notice. 02 February 2010 Ronald Bobroff and General Manager of Legal Services at the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPSCA) Advocate Tshepo Boikanyo spoke about the legal remedies available for you if your health is severely compromised as a result of a medical practitioner’s negligent conduct. They also talked about how the HPCSA protects you from medical practitioners who are rendering their services unethically; the procedure to be followed when making a claim; as well as the time it takes to resolve a complaint. They also explained why some of the cases reported to the HPCSA by aggrieved patients take long to resolve. 26 January 2010 Our resident legal expert Alan Warrener and Professor of Law at Wits University David Unterhalter spoke about Presidential pardons and the criteria used to grant them. They also talked about the procedure that needs to be followed when one applies for a Presidential pardon, and whether the decision by the President to pardon offenders can be reviewed. The team also talked at length about the special circumstances that would qualify one to get Presidential pardon and explained the difference between a pardon and parole. Also under discussion were the victims’ rights in the pardoning process as well as the scope of Presidential power to pardon offenders. 19 January 2010 Property lawyer Julian Scher answered calls on all property related issues including how to acquire a property for a mentally incapacitated child whose parents are deceased and whether one can sell a property which is in arrears. He also covered things to be considered when buying a residential property for a business purpose and the cost implications of getting a title deed back from the bank. 12 January 2010