Morné Binedell Attorney & Conveyancer

23/03/2026

https://iol.co.za/news/crime-and-courts/2026-03-23-daylight-shooting-woman-believed-to-be-lawyer-gunned-down-in-johannesburg-cbd/

And a colleague writes this:

"Ek het die post gesien op FB oor die haar, dit het my nogals diep geraak :

23 Maart 2026

“Daar is vanoggend ’n vroulike regspraktisyn in Johannesburg doodgeskiet.”

Dit is nie net nog ’n nuusopskrif nie.
Dit is iemand se lewe wat net… opgehou het.
Dit is ’n sin wat nie net gelees moet word nie… dit is een wat jou eintlik moet dwars steek in die krop.

Want agter daai sin was ’n mens.

Iemand wat vanoggend opgestaan het, aangetrek het, haar dag begin het… sonder om te weet sy gaan nie weer huistoe nie.

En dit laat my net weer besef onder watter druk ons eintlik werk.

Die 24/7 verwagting.
Die idee dat omdat iemand jou nommer het, het hulle toegang tot jou… enige tyd.

Die wan persepsie dat jy automaties die vyand ook is.

Ons word gesien net as “prokureurs”, “advokate”, “regspraktisyns”… mense wat moet cope, moet baklei, moet altyd reg wees. Maar agter dit alles is ons ook net mense. Mense met families. Met kinders wat wag. Met lewens wat nie net oor werk gaan nie.

Ek lees ’n ruk terug ’n skrywe van iemand wat sê mense wat hul “read receipts” afsit, kweek angs.
En mense het saam hom gestem.

Hoe ons amper gebrandmerk word as ongeskik, onprofessioneel… of nou glo “angs-kwekendes”.

Maar wat min mense verstaan is:

Dit is partykeer die enigste manier wat ons oorleef.

Want die realiteit is…
my nommer sit in mense se koppe soos ’n oop lyn.

Asof dit beteken ek is 24/7 beskikbaar.

’n Sondag boodskap:
“Ek is jammer om te pla… kan ek gou bel as jy uit die kerk is?”

Of nog beter:
“Ek weet jy is in die kerk… kan ek gou bel?”

En jy wil amper skree:
Wat presies kan ek nou vir jou op ’n Sondag doen?

Maar jy doen dit nie.
Want agter dit alles weet jy…
hulle soek net iemand om vir hulle te sê: “Dit gaan okay wees.”

En tog… elke dag staan ons op, ons vat ons goed en ons gaan veg vir ander mense.

Party wat jou waardeer… en party wat jou in een asem kan ophef en in die volgende een afbreek. Party wat nie eers jou rekening betaal nie, maar verwag jy moet hul wêreld regmaak.

En ja… die realiteit wat min mense hardop sê:
Nie elke kliënt waardeer jou nie.
Nie elke werksplek sien jou raak nie.

En nie elkeen wat veronderstel is om jou te ondersteun, doen dit altyd soos hulle moet nie.

Ek sit nou op kraamverlof, en vir die eerste keer kyk ek van buite af in…

en dit tref my anders.

Hoe vinnig mense kan vergeet wat jy vir hulle doen.
Hoe jy jou alles gee… selfs wanneer jy self leeg voel.

En dan besef mens net weer:

Ons is vervangbaar by die werk… maar by die huis is ons alles.

Daar is ’n kind wat jou nodig het.
Daar is ’n familie wat jou nodig het.
Daar is mense wat jou nie kan “vervang” nie.
Daar is mense wat nie omgee oor jou titel of jou prestasies nie.

Net oor jóú.

En dit sit dinge in perspektief.

Ons moet begin eerlik wees oor grense.
Oor rus.
Oor die feit dat ons ook net mense is.

Werk sal aangaan.
Lêers sal skuif.
Kliënte sal kom en gaan.

Maar by die huis…
daar is ’n lewe wat nie kan wag nie.

En jy?
Jy is nie vervangbaar daar nie.

So ja—
my “read receipts” bly af.

My foon gaan stil wees wanneer dit moet.
Nie omdat ek nie omgee nie…
maar juis omdat ek nog wil kan aanhou gee,
sonder om myself heeltemal te verloor.

Liewe mede Kollega ons het vandag nóg een op ons LPC deceased lysie by gekry…

My wens vir jou mede kollega:
Kies jouself.
Kies jou mense.
Kies jou lewe.

Werk sal altyd daar wees.

Kies nou Want niemand anders gaan dit vir jou doen nie. ❤️

To the lady who lost her war today may your soul rest in peace… 🙏🏾
~ Veronica Ramokgoname"

Could not agree more!

A 35-year-old woman was fatally shot in Johannesburg CBD on Monday, prompting police to launch a murder investigation. Authorities are appealing for information to help identify the suspects.

07/03/2026

"⚖️ When Law, Facts, and Procedure Collide: A Practical Lesson for Lawyers

A well-known courtroom saying goes:

“If the law is against you, argue the facts.
If the facts are against you, argue the law.
If both the law and facts are against you, argue procedure.
If law, facts, and procedure are against you — settle.”

This quote reflects a practical reality of litigation.

In legal practice, every case revolves around three pillars:

📌 Law – The statutes, precedents, and legal principles that govern the dispute.
📌 Facts – The evidence and circumstances that support your client’s position.
📌 Procedure – The rules that control how the case moves through the court.

A skilled advocate understands that strategy matters as much as knowledge.
Sometimes success in litigation depends on which pillar you rely on most strongly.

🔎 Great lawyers don’t just know the law —
they know when to focus on facts, when to rely on legal interpretation, and when procedural strategy can change the entire case.

And sometimes, the wisest legal strategy is settlement, saving time, cost, and uncertainty for all parties involved."

(Borrowed from another platform)

06/02/2026

Communication from the Master’s Office:
The Office of the Chief Master has confirmed that the deceased estates online registration system is back online, although intermittent service interruptions may still occur. 🙈"intermittent service interruptions" and the Master gosh can we really be so lucky?

16/09/2025

"Gm all. Anyone aware of the masters closing its doors.?"

"Yes they closed the doors yesterday not sure about this morning will ask the clerk who goes to deeds office if they opened this morning"

"Masters Office has out a block on any emails incoming with the subject line 'Letter of demand' to automatically block these emails"

You have no idea of the choas within our legal system! The disintegration of the Administration of Justice is tangible... it is not only unconstitutional but in fact criminal!

31/07/2025

🚔📹ATTORNEY RECORDS POLICE WITH CELLPHONE AND GETS ARRESTED: Court affirms that Citizens Have the Right to Question Police Without Fear of Arrest.

In a decisive ruling that reaffirms constitutional rights, the Johannesburg High Court declared that citizens are entitled to ask questions and demand explanations from law enforcement officers about their conduct, without such actions being misinterpreted as obstruction or interference.

The case involved attorney Mr. Jacobs, who was arrested during a roadblock set up near his home in Kempton Park. Jacobs had approached the officers to request the relocation of the roadblock due to the disturbance it caused. When his request was ignored, he began recording the scene with his cellphone in order to file a complaint with the appropriate authorities.

Despite behaving calmly, Jacobs was arrested without explanation, handcuffed aggressively, and detained overnight in poor conditions. His wife, who observed the events, testified that Jacobs was sober and non-confrontational. Video footage presented to the court showed Jacobs peacefully filming the roadblock, contradicting the arresting officer’s claims that Jacobs was aggressive and intoxicated.

The court held that Jacobs’ actions, questioning the officers and recording them, did not constitute a criminal offence or interference with police duties. Judge Twala emphasized that “citizens are entitled to ask questions and are entitled to explanations from the law enforcement officers in respect of their conduct and that cannot be regarded as interference with the ex*****on of their lawful duties.”

The arrest, executed without a warrant, was ruled unlawful, and so was the subsequent 26-hour detention. The court awarded Jacobs a total of R250,000 in damages—R100,000 from the Minister of Police for the unlawful detention and R150,000 from the metro police for the unlawful arrest.

The judgment reinforces the constitutional values of freedom, dignity, and accountability, asserting that law enforcement must respect the public's right to transparency and fair treatment.

Case Reference:
Jacobs v Minister of Police and Others (2021/6576) \[2025] ZAGPJHC 722 (12 June 2025).

18/07/2025

17/07/2025

Good Day

I am urgently looking for an experienced estate administrator / paralegal / attorney in my Deceased Estates Department who are able to work on her own (under my supervision obviously).

Must be able to administer an estate from inception to filing slip. Duties will include:

Opening of file and collecting all necessary information to report new estates.
Reporting new estates to the Master, uploading all reporting documents and corresponding with Master's Office.
Administering and the liquidating all assets in the estate.
Preparing Liquidation & Distribution Accounts for submission to the Master.
Attending to Master's notes and queries.
Ensuring pre- and post death tax returns are submitted as well as Estate Duty.
Distribution to beneficiaries.
Reconciliation and closing of file, including obtaining a filing slip from the Master.

Based in Northern Suburb of Cape Town, Bellville.

Kindly DM me or ask interested persons to send CV to [email protected]

Thank you

13/07/2025

*STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO ALLEGATIONS REGARDING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES*

*13 JULY 2025*

*UNION BUILDINGS, PRETORIA*

My Fellow South Africans,

I address you this evening on a matter that concerns the security of our country, the integrity of our law enforcement agencies and the safety of our people.

Last Sunday, the 6th of July 2025, Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service, held a media briefing in which he made public serious allegations about the existence and operation of a sophisticated criminal syndicate that has allegedly infiltrated law enforcement and intelligence structures in South Africa.

Lt Gen Mkhwanazi alleged that the Minister of Police allegedly interfered with sensitive police investigations and colluded with business people, including a murder accused, to disband the Political Killings Task Team based in KwaZulu-Natal.

Lt Gen Mkhwanazi also said that a police investigation by the task team in Gauteng unmasked a syndicate controlled by a drug cartel, which involves politicians, law enforcement officials from the SAPS, metro police and correctional services, prosecutors and the judiciary, as well as business people.

The allegations made in this media briefing raise serious concerns around the constitution, the rule of law and national security.

These allegations, if proven true, threaten to undermine the confidence of South Africans in the ability of the South African Police Service to protect them and to effectively fight crime and corruption.

South Africans are concerned about corruption and the rise of criminality in our country, which manifests itself in the killing of innocent people, gender-based violence, gang violence, kidnappings, construction mafia criminality and many others.

As we intensify the fight against crime, it is vital that we safeguard the integrity and credibility of the police and other law enforcement agencies.

These allegations therefore call for an urgent and comprehensive investigation.

To address these allegations and the implications of these allegations, I am establishing a judicial commission of inquiry chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.

Justice Madlanga will be assisted by Advocate Sesi Baloyi SC and Advocate Sandile Khumalo SC.

The Commission will investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates.

Among the allegations that the Commission may investigate are the facilitation of organised crime; suppression or manipulation of investigations; inducement into criminal actions by law enforcement leadership; commission of any other criminal offences and intimidation, victimisation or targeted removal of whistleblowers or officials resisting criminal influence.

The Commission will investigate the role of current or former senior officials in certain institutions who may have aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity; failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings; or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate's operations.

These institutions are the South African Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority, State Security Agency, the Judiciary and Magistracy, and the metropolitan police departments of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.

The Commission will also investigate whether any members of the National Executive responsible for the criminal justice system, were complicit, aided and abetted, or participated in the acts mentioned above.

The Commission will be asked to report on the effectiveness or failure of oversight mechanisms, and the adequacy of current legislation, policies and institutional arrangements in preventing such infiltration.

It will make findings and recommendations for criminal prosecutions, disciplinary actions and institutional reform.

Once established, the Commission shall consider prima facie evidence relating to the involvement of individuals currently employed within law enforcement or intelligence agencies.

Where appropriate, the Commission must make recommendations on the employment status of such officials, including whether they should be suspended pending the outcome of further investigations.

The Commission will have the power to refer matters for immediate criminal investigation and urgent decisions on prosecution, taking into account the nature of the allegations and evidence the Commission will uncover.

It is critical that these matters be attended to with the necessary urgency and thoroughness.

The Commission is expected to complete its work and submit a final report to the President.

Interim reports are expected after 3 and 6 months respectively.

The final report of the Commission will be sent to the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chief Justice.

Acting Deputy Chief Justice Madlanga is retiring from the Constitutional Court at the end of July 2025 after years of distinguished service, and will therefore be able to give his full time and attention to the work of this commission.

In order for the Commission to execute its functions effectively, I have decided to put the Minister of Police Mr Senzo Mchunu on a leave of absence with immediate effect.

The Minister has undertaken to give his full cooperation to the Commission to enable it to do its work.

I have decided to appoint Professor Firoz Cachalia as acting Minister of Police.

Professor Cachalia is currently a professor of law at the University of the Witwatersrand and is the chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council. He previously served as an MEC of Community Safety in Gauteng.

I am appointing Prof Cachalia in terms of Section 91(3)(c) of the Constitution, which empowers the President to select no more than two Ministers from outside the National Assembly.

Professor Cachalia will be retiring from his current position at the University of Witwatersrand at the end of July.

I will appoint an Acting Minister from within Cabinet until Professor Cachalia takes up his post at the beginning of August.

This Commission is being established against the backdrop of significant progress in rebuilding and strengthening our country’s law enforcement agencies and security services.

In recent years, the South African Police Service, the Special Investigating Unit, the Asset Forfeiture Unit and other bodies have been making important inroads in the fight against organised crime and corruption.

It is essential that we maintain this momentum and that we intensify this work.

We will ensure that the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies continue to function without hindrance as the commission undertakes its work.

I call on all members of our law enforcement agencies and security services to remain steadfast in upholding the rule of law and adhering to their code of conduct.

I call on all South Africans to support the commission in its work and, where appropriate, to provide any information or assistance the commission may require.

In establishing this Commission of Inquiry, we are affirming our commitment to the rule of law, to transparency and accountability, and to building a South Africa in which all people are safe and secure.

I thank you.

*ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA*

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25/04/2025

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-04-23-nelson-mandela-bay-law-firm-loses-bid-to-set-aside-investigative-report-into-touting/

A well-known law firm in Nelson Mandela Bay has lost its bid to have an investigative report into allegations of touting at the law firm set aside, along with a decision by the Legal Practice Council to ratify this report.