Dear Subscribers,
Last week was a heavy one on the regulatory front — 31 gazette notices of compliance interest, a Cabinet sitting that moved three significant policy pieces, and 26 reported judgments. Attached is this week’s Compliance Watch together with four dedicated Compliance Briefs unpacking the developments most likely to affect you. This post is a short summary; please refer to the attached documents for the detailed, section-by-section unpacking of each change.
1. Compliance Watch — the weekly round-up
Our regular digest of the week’s gazette notices, Cabinet decisions and case law, including a feature on the PRECCA Amendment Bill 2026 (mandatory minimum sentences for corruption and a lower R30,000 mandatory-reporting threshold), Treasury’s release of R7.1bn to 49 municipalities, and the standout judgments of the week (including the interim interdict halting the Phala Phala impeachment hearings and the Constitutional Court’s ruling in Tshabangu). See the attached Compliance Watch for the full list of gazette notices, comment deadlines and case summaries. (Compliance_Watch_27-31_July_2026)
2. Expropriation Act 13 of 2024
The three-pronged constitutional challenge to the Act (DA, AfriForum and the Vaderland Foundation, with the EFF intervening) began in the Western Cape High Court on 27 July 2026. The Act replaces the 1975 Act and sets out how the state may expropriate property — including in specified circumstances at nil compensation — against a defined procedure. Property owners, financiers and expropriating authorities should note the case but should continue current-law compliance pending judgment. See the attached Compliance Brief for the full legal analysis, the parties’ arguments and required actions. (Exprop)
3. Employment Equity Act — draft reviewed Code of Good Practice
Gazetted for comment as GoN 7719 on 24 July 2026, the draft reviewed Code guides designated employers on preparing and implementing an Employment Equity Plan aligned to the 2022 EEA amendments and the new five-year sectoral numerical targets. Compliance underpins the section 53 EE certificate needed to contract with the state, and non-adherence is weighed by inspectors, the Director-General and the Labour Court. See the attached Compliance Brief for the plain-language walkthrough and the immediate, short- and long-term actions required. (EE_Code_Plain-Language_Walkthrough_2)
4. CIDB Standard for Uniformity in Construction Procurement
The final 2026 Standard has been gazetted (GoN 7722, 24 July 2026), and a draft second edition (BN 963) is open for comment until 31 August 2026. This is a binding prescript, not mere guidance — every organ of state procuring construction works must apply it, and the CIDB can fine a non-compliant public-sector client up to R100,000. The second edition proposes widening scope to delivery management and re-basing procurement mechanics onto the Public Procurement Act 28 of 2024. See the attached Compliance Brief for the clause-by-clause walkthrough and how to lodge comment on the draft. (CIDB_Standard_Uniformity_Plain-Language_Walkthrough)
5. EUSSC Amendment Regulations, 2025 (Icasa)
Icasa’s sixth amendment to the End-User and Subscriber Service Charter Regulations (Notice R.7027, Gazette 53991, 23 January 2026) forces mobile operators to automatically roll over unused bundles for free, switch out-of-bundle charging from opt-out to opt-in, and allow free like-for-like bundle transfers. It comes into force on 23 January 2027, but MTN and Vodacom have launched review proceedings against it. Operators, MVNOs and large corporate/fleet customers all have preparatory work to do regardless of the outcome. See the attached Compliance Brief for the full rule-by-rule breakdown and the pre-2027 action list. (EUSSC_Amendment_Regs_Plain-Language_Walkthrough)
Key dates at a glance
- 31 August 2026 — comment deadline on the CIDB draft second edition (BN 963)
- 23 January 2027 — EUSSC Amendment Regulations come into force (subject to the MTN/Vodacom review)
- Ongoing — Expropriation Act constitutional challenge, heard from 27 July 2026, judgment awaited
- Ongoing — Employment Equity Code comment period — designated employers should begin aligning EE Plans to the sectoral targets regime now
As always, this is a monitoring and awareness service and not legal advice. Where an item affects you, the attached briefs set out the recommended action points, owners and timelines — we are happy to advise on any of them or to help you prepare a submission.
Kind regards,
Alison Lee
Lee’s Compliance, in association with The Legal Team