Tax
Global Guide 2024 : South Africa
Band 1
About
Provided by Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
In a complex environment, our specialist lawyers and practitioners provide clear and practical business solutions. Tax and exchange control is a highly regulated area, carefully monitored and strictly enforced by the authorities. In this environment, planning, implementing and reporting on significant business transactions is best undertaken with a clear understanding of the tax consequences and under the protection of legal professional privilege.
Our Tax and Exchange Control practice provides advice on a wide variety of tax and exchange control matters, both in the local and international context. We provide tax planning as well as tax structuring and transaction related services. We are also actively involved in tax dispute resolution and we assist clients in resolving their disputes with the South African Revenue Service (SARS). A number of our client disputes have recently been heard and settled favourably in the Tax Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal.
We also keep our clients informed of anticipated changes in tax laws and practice to help them manage and take advantage of developments on the tax front. We work on tax matters on an individual basis, or as part of a team of lawyers from across our firm’s practice areas in corporate transactions. We are therefore able to provide a commercially integrated service in order to ensure efficiency from inception to implementation.
Chambers Review
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr is a distinguished South African law firm with leading tax expertise and a deeply respected team. Its lawyers have noteworthy experience acting for top-tier domestic clients as well as significant international conglomerates on complex contentious and non-contentious tax matters. The group impresses with the breadth of its practice across the entire spectrum of tax work and is increasingly involved in litigious and transfer pricing matters. The team is frequently retained by clients hailing from the energy and financial services industries, and is noted for its skill in handling both domestic and cross-border mandates.
Work Highlights
- Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr represented Teraco Data Environments in the tax aspects of the sale of a majority stake in Teraco held by Berkshire Partners and Permira Advisers.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"The team at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr thinks outside of the box and brings innovative solutions by understanding the complexities of each client."
"Their response and turnaround times of written opinions are exceptional."
"The team at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr thinks outside of the box and brings innovative solutions by understanding the complexities of each client."
"Their response and turnaround times of written opinions are exceptional."
Notable Practitioners
Emil Brincker represents an impressive range of corporate and institutional clients across the gamut of tax law matters, including navigation of tax aspects of restructurings and advising on interactions with revenue authorities.
"Emil Brincker is absolutely excellent within the tax department."
"He is supportive, technical and highly versed on what is happening."
Stephan Spamer provides transactional tax guidance to clients on both domestic and cross-border matters, with experience covering acquisitions, restructures and fund establishment.
"Stephan Spamer is a good practitioner and works across many areas of tax."
Jerome Brink is well placed to assist clients with the tax issues arising from commercial transactions and restructurings.
"He is technically very strong and very dedicated in providing excellent service."
"Jerome Brink is extremely commercially oriented."
Gerhard Badenhorst continues to be recognised for his VAT experience, representing the interests of an array of standout clients in the energy and financial sectors.
Ranked Lawyers at
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
South Africa
Members
Provided by Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
Dries Hoek
Head of Department
Heinrich Louw
Howmera Parak
Jerome Brink
Petr Erasmus