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For most of us, coffee is an essential part of our day. It helps us through our hectic morning routines, warms us as we share precious moments with friends and when needed, gives us an extra kick of energy. But is there more to this much-loved beverage? According to Catherine Clark, owner and founder of The Harvest Table, for years coffee has had a bad rap, but there is finally some good news for coffee connoisseurs. “Studies are now showing that you could be getting more from your favourite beverage than you thought. Moderate coffee drinking (not more than four cups a day) is now thought to have a variety of health benefits as your morning cup of joe is in fact packed with healthy substances that are safeguarding your body from several chronic diseases,” says Catherine. Here are Catherine’s top four reasons why coffee may be one of the most beneficial beverages on the planet. Increases energy: The active ingredient in coffee that gives ‘vooma’ is caffeine. Caffeine has been shown to temporarily improve mood, reaction time, memory, vigilance and general brain function. It takes around 45 minutes for your body to absorb caffeine and the effects peak for anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours. Caffeine is absorbed in the gut and dissolved in the body’s water and fat molecules and is even able to cross into the brain, but fibre or food in the gut can slow the effects of the caffeine peak. So, if you are looking for a quick “caffeine fix”, having your coffee on an empty stomach is the way to go. Burns fat: Caffeine, partly due to its stimulant effect on the central nervous system, both raises metabolism by up to 11% and causes the body to send signals to the fat cells to break down excess fat. Of course, releasing fatty acids into your blood will not help you lose fat unless you are burning more calories than you consume so if you are watching your weight, have your morning fix but opt for coffee without milk or sugar. Source of Essential Nutrients: Coffee is loaded with nutrients and is in fact one of the best sources of antioxidants in the Western diet, even outranking many fruits and vegetables. These high levels of antioxidants help to reduce internal inflammation and have been shown to be effective in guarding against conditions such as colon cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and even type 2 diabetes. Boost physical performance: Firing up with a coffee before a workout has been shown to improve physical performance. Caffeine improves endurance levels and resistance to fatigue and studies indicate that athletes even had a more positive exercise experience when they exercised after a cup of coffee! “With so many benefits, it’s hard not to be a coffee-lover!” says Catherine. For those who want to add more nutrition to their caffeine fix, Catherine recommends adding a collagen creamer to your morning cuppa instead of dairy. “The collagen will provide your body with even more health benefits and will help to further reduce any inflammation and leaky gut issues, ease joint pain, improve liver health and increase metabolism. The combination of coffee and collagen not only tastes great but packs a punch in keeping you in optimal health.” For more information, please visit: W: www.harvesttable.co.za

Currently, companies or individuals wanting to make a Section 12J (“S12J”) contribution, through which a 100% tax deduction is provided, have only until the end of June 2021 to do so. While a minimum of one-million-rand investment is required in a private company, Wealth Masters Club has a public company offering in which smaller amounts can be deposited. This benefit provides tax exemptions for business pro fit. If the amount paid is not realised this exemption can be rolled over until the amount invested is fully used. MEMBER’S FUNCTION 5 MAY A member function is to be held in Durban on Wednesday 5 May. At this event existing members are offered a refresher course on the basics of the Wealth Masters Club’s system and are able to engage with Coert Coetzee in person. Guests are welcome at this function, to see whether or not they have an appetite for the system. To register visit https://www.wealthmastersclub.com/education/wealth-masters-seminar/2021-05-05 WEBINAR 8 MAY In addition, the Wealth Masters Club will be conducting a webinar on Saturday 8 May. This unique and popular full-day course, teaches both experienced and novice investors how to create enormous wealth and tax-free cash flow through the use of a specialised trust structure with a specific type of property investment. The information shared on the course is absolutely essential for both the ordinary person and the investor who wishes to create everlasting financial freedom for themselves and their children. To register visit https://www.wealthmastersclub.com/education/wealth-masters-webinar/1453

Wealth Masters Club provides a fool proof wealth creation system that never fails in structuring one’s life and lifestyle. Coert Coetzee, founder and CEO of the Wealth Masters Club explains, “Wealth Masters is a system that started with the Duke of Westminster. I discovered the Duke’s ‘secret’ in 1996. The big thing about the system is that the Duke controls the assets of eighteen forefathers that are contained in a 400-year-old Trust. That is the secret of wealth creation.” Upon investigation of the Duke of Westminster, Coetzee discovered that the trust system being utilised had wide application and with the help of top trust brains, accounting experts and academics in South Africa, mastered the system and started practicing this method himself. “It worked fantastically well. I created more wealth in two years than most people do in a lifetime,” says Coetzee. Wealth Masters Club is now one of the oldest, biggest and most successful investor clubs in the world with more than 640,000 members worldwide. By joining the Wealth Masters Club, you will get access to the intellectual property of the rich and the royals. In particular, the Wealth Masters Club specialises in company management, property ownership and using investments in assets in precious metals - gold and silver as well as crypto currencies. Club members will learn how to protect and manage this wealth in specialised trust structures. “A trust needs to be something specifically for you, for your situation and for your family or business. It is not just one trust, it is about the structure of the trusts. Through the trust system we separate our assets from our liabilities in a double trust structure,” explains Coetzee. For example, a furniture manufacturing company’s equipment, tools, furniture and vehicles should be in a company asset trust. The shares of the company should be in another trust because they carry risk. The operations of the company can be done by a Pty limited company in South Africa because of the sound company laws. If the company faces financial hardship, its assets are protected through the trust system. You will also learn how to invest correctly in property and to both refinance, manage and safeguard ones’ investments, especially in the climate of possible expropriation without compensation. Refinancing plays a huge role in growing one’s wealth and property, gold and silver as well as crypto currencies can be used to finance one’s lifestyle needs rather than selling these assets. WE PLAY ZERO TAX By using the Wealth Masters Club system huge tax-free returns may be achieved. In addition, business owners are taught to use company profit as a means to grow businesses rather than having to pay tax. Significantly, a priority of any investor is to ensure that potential taxes payable upon death never play a role in one’s estate. Currently, companies or individuals wanting to make a Section 12J (“S12J”) contribution, through which a 100% tax deduction is provided, have only until the end of June 2021 to do so. While a minimum of one-million-rand investment is required in a private company, Wealth Masters Club has a public company offering in which smaller amounts can be deposited. This benefit provides tax exemptions for business profit. If the amount paid is not realised this exemption can be rolled over until the amount invested is fully used. MEMBER’S FUNCTION 5 MAY A member function is to be held in Durban on Wednesday 5 May. At this event existing members are offered a refresher course on the basics of the Wealth Masters Club’s system and are able to engage with Coert Coetzee in person. Guests are welcome at this function, to see whether or not they have an appetite for the system. To register visit www.wealthmastersclub.com WEBINAR 8 MAY In addition, the Wealth Masters Club will be conducting a webinar on Saturday 8 May. This unique and popular full-day course, teaches both experienced and novice investors how to create enormous wealth and tax[1]free cash flow through the use of a specialised trust structure with a specific type of property investment. The information shared on the course is absolutely essential for both the ordinary person and the investor who wishes to create everlasting financial freedom for themselves and their children. To register visit www.wealthmastersclub.com. #wealthmastersclub #webinar

One of the Wealth Masters Club’s teachings focuses on the role of specialised trusts in managing personal wealth and business operations effectively. However, “A trust needs to be something specifically for you, for your situation and for your family or business. It is not just one trust, it is about the structure of the trusts. Through the trust system we separate our assets from our liabilities in a double trust structure,” explains Coert Coetzee, founder and CEO of the Wealth Masters Club. For example, a furniture manufacturing company’s equipment, tools, furniture and vehicles should be in a company asset trust. The shares of the company should be in another trust because they carry risk. The operations of the company can be done by a Pty limited company in South Africa because of the sound company laws. If the company faces financial hardship, its assets are protected through the trust system. MEMBER’S FUNCTION 5 MAY A member function is to be held in Durban on Wednesday 5 May. At this event existing members are offered a refresher course on the basics of the Wealth Masters Club’s system and are able to engage with Coert Coetzee in person. Guests are welcome at this function, to see whether or not they have an appetite for the system. To register visit www.wealthmastersclub.com WEBINAR 8 MAY In addition, the Wealth Masters Club will be conducting a webinar on Saturday 8 May. This unique and popular full-day course, teaches both experienced and novice investors how to create enormous wealth and tax-free cash flow through the use of a specialised trust structure with a specific type of property investment. The information shared on the course is absolutely essential for both the ordinary person and the investor who wishes to create everlasting financial freedom for themselves and their children. To register visit Wealth Masters (wealthmastersclub.com )

“You must always invest in something where the demand is higher than the supply,” says Coert Coetzee founder of the Wealth Masters Club. “I invest in the basic needs of the human being. There are three basic needs – food, clothing and shelter.” Consequently, it is important to build one’s investment portfolio with these needs in mind. Wealth Masters Club is now one of the oldest, biggest and most successful investor clubs in the world with more than 640,000 members worldwide. MEMBER’S FUNCTION 5 MAY A member function is to be held in Durban on Wednesday 5 May. At this event existing members are offered a refresher course on the basics of the Wealth Masters Club’s system and are able to engage with Coert Coetzee in person. Guests are welcome at this function, to see whether or not they have an appetite for the system. To register visit https://www.wealthmastersclub.com/education/wealth-masters-seminar/2021-05-05 WEBINAR 8 MAY In addition, the Wealth Masters Club will be conducting a webinar on Saturday 8 May. This unique and popular full-day course, teaches both experienced and novice investors how to create enormous wealth and tax-free cash flow through the use of a specialised trust structure with a specific type of property investment. The information shared on the course is absolutely essential for both the ordinary person and the investor who wishes to create everlasting financial freedom for themselves and their children. To register visit https://www.wealthmastersclub.com/education/wealth-masters-webinar/1453

Article By Johannes Maree 30 June 2021 marks the LAST day before the Section 12J sunset clause kicks in - how does that impact the stakeholders in this sector? Existing investments - No effect. Capital inserted prior to 30 June 2021 will carry on as before, still regulated by the relevant S12J legislation. The tax benefit remains in place. New investments - If made on or before 30 June 2021, no effect, the 100% tax will still apply, and the capital will continue to be managed in line with S12J legislation. However, after 30 June 2021, new investments will no longer attract the 100% tax deduction currently on offer. What does that mean on a practical level for prospective investors who do not want to miss out on one of the greatest tax incentives ever made available to us as South African taxpayers? The 2022 tax year (1 March 2021 – 28 February 2022) We're currently in the 2022 tax year, which ends on the 28th February 2022. Previously the trend was for investors to wait until close to the end of the relevant tax year before making a S12J investment – which made sense, as the tax deduction is achieved in the same tax year as the date when the investment was made, and holding on to cash for longer is sensible. However, for this 2022 tax year, taxpayers won't be able to wait until year end to invest, they'll have to act within the 1st four months of the tax year, March to June 2021, with the last month being June. Legal entities vs Individuals A tax area where legal entities, being companies and trusts, have a distinct advantage over individual taxpayers, is the ability to carry assessed losses forward to future tax years. This brings a unique opportunity to the fore for legal entities wishing to benefit to the maximum from this last S12J opportunity. It's best explained via an example: Assumptions: The taxpayer is a trust. The trust earns R500 000 in taxable income per annum. The trust invests R2 500 000 into an S12J fund on 30 June 2021. Had no S12J investment been made, the numbers would be as follows: The deal date is key Many prospective S12J investors, who were planning on investing in S12J for years to come, are obviously disappointed. But the key here is to make the deal date and the cash flow work in your favour. Here, a Smartloan becomes an option, as it will allow a taxpayer to make a qualifying S12J investment within the required time, without having to contribute the full investment from their own cash. So, even though the sunset clause will limit future options for taxpayers, the options currently on the table are still very exciting. One needs to keep that in mind. In line with the sunset clause date, Destinata Capital Ltd (FSP 48729 | VCC-0073) has registered a prospectus with the CIPC with an investment window that will close on 30 June 2021. The views expressed are my own and should not be construed as financial or any other form of advice. For advice, consult your preferred adviser. CLICK HERE to set up a free consultation with a S12 J specilaist Wealth Masters Seminar 5 May 2021 | 14:00 - 17:00 Join Coert Coetzee as he teaches you how to create generational wealth through specialised trusts, property investment and taxes. Johannes Maree, the CEO of Destinata Capital will be joining to share his knowledge on tax-saving investments, along with their team of experts who will be sharing their years of knowledge in their specialised fields. https://www.wealthmastersclub.com/education/wealth-masters-seminar Wealth Masters Webinar with Studio Guests 8 May 2021 | 09:00 - 16:30 On the 8th of May 2021, Coert Coetzee will teach you how to create enormous Generational Wealth and Tax-Free Cashflow with Businesses, Precious Metals, and Properties in Specialised Offshore Trust Structures in Mauritius with Offshore Debit-Cards. Although it's FREE, you must still register, because the number of participants will be limited. For full information and booking, go to: https://www.wealthmastersclub.com/education/wealth-masters-webinar Contact us to assist you with upgrading your membership status to enjoy all of the benefits of being part of the club. Follow us! Don't miss us on Facebook and Youtube! Our posts will keep you motivated, educated and in the loop. Wealth Masters will come out of this lockdown stronger. To join in, 'like' the public Business Masters Network Page here . Premium Members, join the private WMC Group here for all past recordings and exclusive content. Don't miss out on our educational videos and interviews! Subscribe to us on Youtube here . e consultation with a S12J specialist

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala launched the Sihle Zikalala Development Trust on April 1 at the Coastlands Hotel in uMhlanga. Through this development trust, which is private initiative, Zikalala aims to bring about long-term social, economic and environmental benefits within the province. Premier Zikalala saw the need to initiate the trust to create a just society underpinned by strong ethics, social cohesion, democracy and socio-economic development. The Trust does not seek to replace any of the exiting initiatives and processes that are underway within the province to achieve these goals. Working with strategic partners, the Sihle Zikalala Development Trust will bring about much needed assistance to the indigent and underprivileged through various interventions that include but are not limited to poverty alleviation, anti-social ills programme, anti-women and children abuse and educational programmes. All efforts and work of the Trust is a display of commitment to transformation of society and socio-economic development, which can be achieved in part but not limited through the following: Sectoral engagements e.g. taxi industry Communication programmes Summits Dialogues Workshops Izimbizo Walk-abouts including door to door visits Public lectures Round table discussions Community meetings Presentations to government departments and committees Scholarships and Bursary programmes Infrastructure Development For the meaningful fulfilment of these objectives, the Trust has to support the various projects and programmes both from a financial and non-financial point of view through the availability and mobilisation of corporate social investment funding. The Trust intends to partner with strategic organisations in bringing about these human-centred initiatives with an aim to empower communities and to ensure the sustainability of the various projects and programmes. For more information www.szdt.co.za #KZNbusinesssense #kzntopbusiness

The objective of any successful revenue enhancement strategy is to build and improve on current payment levels and then to recover arrear debt. Covid-19 exposed a lot of loopholes in local government revenue management and within a few weeks of the pandemic, one could already start to see the potential impact on cashflow and how the crisis would impact long-term sustainability. Revenue management is an integral part of any business that strives to succeed, this also includes municipalities. With the pressures that Covid—19 has put on the national fiscal, it is even more crucial that municipalities should be self-sufficient as they can no longer be solely dependent on the National Treasury for funding. In order, for municipalities to be able to deliver on their service delivery mandate, it is prudent that municipalities must be able to generate their own revenue. In April 2020, the Chartered Institute of Goverment Finance Audit and Risk Officers (CIGFARO) made the following comment, “Each municipality must have its financial system, which is the backbone and driver to manage the raising of revenue and the related collections.” Municipal revenue collections are usually done internally by the municipality. In exceptional cases, we have noted that the collection of revenue is done through external service providers, but this is not readily recommended by CIGFARO. It is advisable that the municipalities should deal with their credit control and debt collection processes to retain customer-centricity and only outsource the final debt collection procedures when debt has to be handed over for legal collection procedures to take place. The main reason for municipalities to manage the collection of revenue through the municipal administration is to encourage municipalities to apply legislation to their benefit during the collection processes. The municipal disaster recovery plan should provide for channels of payment in times of disaster and the related reconciliation of receipts. We note that in the past many municipalities had received negative audit outcomes from the Auditor-General South Africa due to challenges that the municipalities were experiencing with their revenue management. This was accompanied by service delivery protests where communities complained that the municipalities were not being able to provide basic services. The national lockdown exposed the worsened situation of the municipalities where many could not: Charge interest on long outstanding debt, and Apply their credit control processes to enforce payments of their accounts as the entire economy was at a standstill To ensure that the situation does not become dire, in such a way that the municipalities are not able to function, municipalities should look at an inclusive revenue enhancement strategy that will assist municipalities with the following: Cleaning of the customer database that will ensure that: Only customers that exist and are receiving municipal services are billed. All customers within the municipality’s jurisdiction that are receiving municipal services and own properties are billed monthly (completeness) and These customers are billed for actual consumption (accuracy). This will be done through auditing of meters. The Indigent Management System should assist the municipalities to improve their indigent management through: Verifying the indigent register Verifying validity of indigency status of applicants from Home Affairs, Social Development and Credit Bureau Ensuring that municipal indigent registers are complete The revenue enhancement strategy should not only focus on data cleansing to ensure complete and accurate billing, improved credit control and debt management and improved indigent management but it should assist with revenue solutions. The revenue solutions should assist the municipalities to identify new revenue streams. This will not only assist municipalities in reducing the audit findings from the Auditor General, but it will assist the municipalities with increasing their internally generated revenue that will in turn make sure that municipalities are able to provide services to their communities as mandate by the Constitution. It will not be enough for municipalities in this new normal to only recover revenues as the crisis subsides. We have entered an era where the world is in need to fundamentally rethink their revenue profile, in order to position themselves for the long term sustainability and to ensure the municipality is a going concern. In conclusion, the municipalities can no longer focus on just collecting revenue from the service charges, in this new normal but they need to rethink and find ways to increase their current revenue base, as they can no longer depend on government grants and subsidies to supplement their own revenue. For more information, contact: T:+27 31 201 1241 E: sikelelwa@bonakude.co.za W: www.bonakude.co.za #KZNbusinesssense

Maintaining Investment Properties While many people are fearful of investing property because of the risk of ‘bad’ tenants this is not generally the case. Coert Coetzee, founder of the Wealth Masters Club, emphasizes the need to manage property leases with tenants correctly in order to benefit. Wealth Master Club offers its members this service as part of its business offerings. Wealth Masters Club is now one of the oldest, biggest and most successful investor clubs in the world with more than 640,000 members worldwide. MEMBER’S FUNCTION 5 MAY A member function is to be held in Durban on Wednesday 5 May. At this event existing members are offered a refresher course on the basics of the Wealth Masters Club’s system and are able to engage with Coert Coetzee in person. Guests are welcome at this function, to see whether or not they have an appetite for the system. To register visit https://www.wealthmastersclub.com WEBINAR 8 MAY In addition, the Wealth Masters Club will be conducting a webinar on Saturday 8 May. This unique and popular full-day course, teaches both experienced and novice investors how to create enormous wealth and tax-free cash flow through the use of a specialised trust structure with a specific type of property investment. The information shared on the course is absolutely essential for both the ordinary person and the investor who wishes to create everlasting financial freedom for themselves and their children. To register visit Wealth Masters (wealthmastersclub.com)

Business owners are the future of the SA economy. No government or politician will be able to solve South Africa’s burgeoning unemployment crisis – but business could cut the latest disturbing statistic in half if they joined forces. Trevor Clark, business coach at ActionCOACH Business Mastery in Durban challenged South African business owners to support the EveryONE EmployONE initiative by employing just one extra person in their businesses. “I was delighted to get behind this project and I am encouraging my clients and partners to do the same. This campaign encourages all of our business owners and entrepreneurs to employ just one more person in their businesses. With around 3.5 million businesses currently in South Africa – from informal traders to Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs), large business and even corporates – we are the solution. If EveryONE employs just ONE person – we would cut the official unemployment figure in half,” he said. Pointing out that collective action from South African business owners would have a huge impact on South Africa’s economy and that a healthier economy would, in turn, impact positively on every business, Clark said that Business Mastery had decided to practice what it was preaching by employing an additional person two weeks ago. As the company’s new Practice Manager, Preanka Persadh will be based at its Durban office. “Right now, we are promoting this initiative to our clients and alliance partners. I am also happy to offer a free coaching session to any business owner wanting to get behind this initiative. They might be thinking of hiring but need some help on how to recruit well. They may need help on how to budget for the new person, how to set a new person up for success or manage that person’s role within their organisation,” he explained. The EveryONE EmployONE initiative was the brain child of Harry Welby-Cooke of ActionCOACH Business Coaching Southern Africa and followed the release of the latest unemployment figures by Statistics South Africa (StasSA). “Tuesday February 23 was a really dark day for South Africa – or, at least, it should have been if one had really been paying attention. On that day Stats SA released its Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) results which showed South Africa’s unemployment had again increased and now stood at 32,5% or 7,2 million people. To make matters worse, that’s only the ‘official’ unemployment figure. Expanded unemployment now stands at over 11 million people or 42,6%,” he said. Welby-Cooke suggested that it was easy for South Africa to simply glance over the stats and even easier to lose perspective. To right any wrong perceptions, he explained that the number of jobless people in South Africa was equal to the entire population of KwaZulu-Natal or even the whole population of a bustling city like Cairo plus Soweto. He pointed out that employment gave South Africans a chance to take back control of their lives. “Human beings are wired to contribute but, without employment, there can be no contribution. There can be no fix. There is a solution, and we are that solution. Each and every one of us. Solving the unemployment crisis lies in the lap of every business owner and entrepreneur,” he said. For more info contact: Preanka Persadh E: mastery@actioncoach.co.za #KZNbusinesssense

EThekwini Municipality Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda is upbeat about the recovery of the tourism sector in the city. He called upon local tourism businesses to be part of the Business Retention and Expansion programme, which will be an important component of rebuilding the tourism sector. Speaking at the Tourism Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) webinar hosted in partnership with Tourism Investment Africa 360 (TIA) on 14 April, Kaunda said that the sector’s road to recovery was evident during the Easter period this year as more than 45 000 visitors descended to the city for holidays. He stated that eThekwini’s economy received a boost with direct spending at approximately R60 million and a GDP contribution of around R150 million, with a total of 320 jobs created over this period. Kaunda added that it is such progressive strides that encouraged the City to partner with TIA360 to offer a support package to help tourism businesses prepare themselves for access to finance and then link them with appropriate financial institutions that can offer assistance. He further noted that they want to maintain this momentum through several interventions to be launched in eThekwini within the next few weeks such as partnering with the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) to attract investors in the city to boost tourism and business market. Mayor Kaunda mentioned that other interventions that have started to yield positive strides towards the tourism sector recovery includes providing incentives to small businesses since the outbreak of Covid-19 like converting Bed and Breakfasts rates from commercial to residential for a limited period. “We have also embarked on an aggressive marketing campaign to keep Durban top of mind to visitors,” said Kaunda. TIA360’s Chief Executive Officer, Sindile Xulu said the BR&E programme is internationally recognised as a tool to promote the retention and growth of local businesses. “BR&E can provide sustainable and innovative solutions for companies in the tourism sector that have been adversely affected by the lockdown.” The guest speaker at the conference, Dr Taleb Rifai, who is also a former SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations’ World Tourism Organisation and currently the Secretary General of the World Tourism Forum Institute said that global travel industry will only return to a new norm when the whole world is ready to travel under a unified system. He added that in tourism there was no competition between neighbours. “Countries will have to work together if tourism is to recover – one country cannot insist on quarantine while its neighbour demands a vaccination passport and a third simply requires 72 hours testing before arrival or at entry points,” Dr Rifai said. He emphasised that the current winner from the COVID-19 travel crises is domestic and regional tourism. South Africa was in top spot in Africa and second internationally when it comes to domestic business travel recovery, as per recent Flight Centre Travel Group report. If you would like your Durban based tourism business to participate in the BR&E programme, you can complete a questionnaire on: www.tia360.africa/bre #KZNbusinesssense #kzntopbusiness

AFTER A DECADE of steering the firm through a successful period of continuous growth, Michael Jackson has confidently handed over the wheel. Jackson joined Cox Yeats as a candidate attorney in January 1988. His early career, he says, was based on a lot of hard work and some luck. In addition, Jackson said that he was fortunate to work with some good people. “I was privileged to work closely with Graham Cox (who at that time was undoubtedly the best lawyer in Durban) and with Jeremy Yeats.” A highlight of his career was making partner in 1990, after only one year out of articles. From the outset, Jackson said that he was exposed to large clients and important matters. A big opportunity arose when Jeremy Yeats fell ill, and Jackson took over the work that he handled for Richards Bay Minerals and Tongaat Hulett on land, the environment, and minerals. It was through this exposure that he then specialised in natural resource law, which was something that Jackson he had not considered at university, where he had focused on tax, finance and corporate law. He was appointed managing partner in 2011. Jackson commented, “For some time, I have indicated that I would be resigning as managing partner during the first part of this financial year. I have always set ten years as the limit and the ten years is up in June. I have achieved all that I sought to do in this role and it is now time for new ideas, fresh energy and a new vision.” As such, Cox Yeats is delighted to advise that Andrew Clark has agreed to accept the appointment as the firm’s new managing partner. “Importantly, he has the unanimous support of all the partners. I am confident that, under his leadership, the firm will continue to grow and prosper,” says Jackson who will still be on hand to provide foundational support. “I intend working, health permitting, for many years to come. I will provide Andrew with whatever support is required, during this transition period, and will continue to be involved in firm finances. I look forward to new and different challenges going forward.” Commenting on his appointment, Andrew Clark said, “I am very excited about the new challenge of being the firm’s managing partner. I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by a fantastic group of partners, all of whom are excellent lawyers in their own right, and a core group of senior partners who will continue to play an important role in both the management and strategic direction of the firm going forward. Our intention is to take the firm from strength to strength.” Clark added, “Michael’s role in guiding the firm over this period and remaining one of the best commercial attorneys in the country cannot be underestimated.” Over the ten years of Jackson’s leadership, Cox Yeats has constantly been rated one of South Africa’s top law firms in the annual PMR.africa national survey. In 2020, despite the difficulties faced in responding to Covid-19 the firm was awarded a Diamond Arrow Award, for the fourth consecutive year, as the top-rated law firm in South Africa in the Medium-Sized Law Firms category. The firm was also awarded a Diamond Arrow Award in the PMR.africa provincial survey as the top law firm in the province by corporate business. Cox Yeats is honoured and humbled to have received this award, and believes it owes this recognition to its clients and the commitment of its professionals and support staff. The firm is proud of the fact that it continues to attract and retain the top talents as they enter the profession. January 2021 brought about the appointment of eight new professionals. This steady growth in skills and expertise is necessary to provide clients with the level of services needed. Being part of a firm where every individual is encouraged to reach their potential is one of Cox Yeats’ most appealing offerings. It is therefore unsurprising that ten of the firm’s senior attorneys were ranked by the legal publication Best Lawyers as leaders in their fields, which is a compelling indication of the high calibre of legal professionals who are part of this growing firm. The principles of hard work and commitment – coupled with young and energetic attorneys who pride themselves on their individuality, innovation and competitiveness; characteristics that are tempered by the experience of long-standing professionals – will enable Cox Yeats to embrace our fastchanging and challenging world with enthusiasm and excellence, and give its clients the best possible legal advantage. Cox Yeats has a clear and compelling purpose: “To make a positive difference in this world through consistently being the most dynamic and innovative law firm that offers highly personalised expertise.” This purpose is apparent in the firm’s response to the Covid 19 pandemic. Cox Yeats has continued to protect and care for its people – its greatest assets – while providing a seamless service to clients. During 2020 and now in 2021 the firm has been working remotely, with its professionals on call when required. The firm is determined to remain agile in the face of adversity to ensure it continues to deliver a personalised and expert service to its clients. For more information, visit www.coxyeats.co.za #coxyeats #KZNbusinesssense #kzntopbusiness