Pretoria · South AfricaWONE Global Partner · South Africa
Submission received
Your information has been recorded by WONE.
South Africa × Disputes & Resolution
Disputes & Resolution in South Africa
Resolving disputes when contracts, assets or the other side are in another country. In South Africa, that means local law, local regulators and local practice, handled by a qualified professional who practises there.
Who handles this work
On request
WONE Global can find the right Disputes & Resolution professional in South Africa for you.
No WONE Global Partner holds this yet. Send us your requirement: WONE Global confirms whether a vetted Associate firm can act, tells you who it is and checks for conflicts before any work begins.
Bring a requirement →South Africa at a glanceAfrica
Johannesburg · Tuesday 3 November
22:01
Local time
- Currency
- ZAR
- Working week
- Monday – Friday
- Dialling code
- +27
- Region
- Africa
What the rules say in South Africa
Disputes & Resolution, the essentials
From the South Africa market guide: the points that matter most for disputes & resolution, each with the source it was checked against.
Essentials guide · Source-checked research100% of statements checked against a source54 checked against an official source0 checked against a secondary sourceChecked 2026-10-19Not yet professionally reviewed
South Africa acceded to the New York Convention on 3 May 1976, with entry into force on 1 August 1976, and no reservation is listed for it.
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) · checked 2026-10-19Under the Arbitration Act, 42 of 1965, an arbitration award may be made an order of court and then enforced like a judgment, and an application to set aside an award must generally be made within six weeks of publication.
Domestic arbitration. International commercial arbitration is governed separately (International Arbitration Act, 15 of 2017, not confirmed from a fetched source).Department of Justice and Constitutional Development · checked 2026-10-19The Enforcement of Foreign Civil Judgments Act, 32 of 1988, allows registration of judgments through a magistrates' court clerk only for judgments from countries the Minister has designated by notice.
Judgments from other countries are enforced through common-law proceedings (not confirmed from a fetched source).Department of Justice and Constitutional Development · checked 2026-10-19Voluntary court-annexed mediation rules have applied in the district and regional magistrates' courts since 1 December 2014, but the department's mediation project was put on hold indefinitely on 20 November 2024.
Chapter 2 of the Magistrates' Courts Rules (rules 70 to 79); parties may still mediate under the rules.Department of Justice and Constitutional Development · checked 2026-10-19
Read the full guide: Disputes and enforcement
Scope
What the service covers here
- 01Assess the dispute and available forums
- 02Preserve evidence and immediate legal position
- 03Coordinate litigation, arbitration or negotiated resolution
- 04Address enforcement and cross-border recovery issues
Key questions
What we will work through with you
- What needs to be decided before disputes & resolution work starts?
- Who is professionally responsible in each country?
- Which other work, such as tax or employment, must happen at the same time?
- What information and decisions are needed from the business?
If your work involves another country or another area of expertise, WONE Global brings in the right professional and keeps all advisers informed.
WONE Global Partners in South Africa
Professionals working here
No named lead for Disputes & Resolution yet — these WONE Global professionals already work in South Africa and can bring the right local colleague in.
Pretoria · South AfricaAlso in South Africa
Other services in this market
Appointed services show their named professional. Open positions link directly to the Expression of Interest form.
Legal & ContractingOpen position · Expression of Interest →Tax & International StructuringOpen position · Expression of Interest →Corporate & Entity ServicesOpen position · Expression of Interest →Government & Regulatory AffairsOpen position · Expression of Interest →Employment, Payroll & MobilityLed by Johan BeerCommercial Intelligence & Market ResearchOpen position · Expression of Interest →Accounting, Reporting & Statutory ComplianceOpen position · Expression of Interest →Audit & AssuranceOpen position · Expression of Interest →Finance & TreasuryOpen position · Expression of Interest →Banking & Capital AccessOpen position · Expression of Interest →Payments, Foreign Exchange & SettlementOpen position · Expression of Interest →Insurance & Risk TransferOpen position · Expression of Interest →Transactions & DealsOpen position · Expression of Interest →Trade, Customs & Supply ChainOpen position · Expression of Interest →Technology, Data & CyberOpen position · Expression of Interest →Intellectual Property & Brand ProtectionOpen position · Expression of Interest →Risk, Compliance & Financial IntegrityOpen position · Expression of Interest →
Cases
What clients bring to Disputes & Resolution
The cases this service leads or joins, each with what is at stake, how WONE Global handles it and who handles it in South Africa.
Urgent How do we stop the other side moving assets or destroying evidence?Contracts, commercial disputes & collectionsUrgent We've been defrauded and the money has gone abroad. Can we freeze it?Contracts, commercial disputes & collectionsUrgent We paid a supplier abroad and nothing arrived. How do we get our money back?Contracts, commercial disputes & collectionsUrgent We've received a legal letter from another country. How serious is it?Restructuring, insolvency & business recoveryUrgent We paid a fake invoice to a fraudster's account abroad. Can we get it back?Payments, FX, digital assets & treasuryUrgent A government client abroad is not paying us. What are our options?Sovereign, political & difficult-jurisdiction mattersUrgent My child has been taken to another country by the other parent. What can I do?Family, succession & private clientUrgent A court abroad has frozen our bank account. What can we do?Contracts, commercial disputes & collectionsUrgent Our partner abroad has stopped responding and is holding our money and stock.Contracts, commercial disputes & collectionsOur partner abroad has breached the contract. What are our options?Supply chain, product safety & consumer claims
WONE Global Intelligence
Ask about disputes & resolution in South Africa
Ask in your own words. Answers come from WONE Global's checked records, with every source shown, and end with the named Partner who can act. Go deeper on any point, or build a decision file.
Contact WONE Global
Discuss Disputes & Resolution in South Africa.
UNIONE™ · Disputes and enforcement
Disputes & Resolution in South Africa, with UNIONE™.
WONE Global's Partners in South Africa handle the business. When it becomes a dispute, UNIONE™ prevents it, resolves it, arbitrates it and plans enforcement, under one set of Rules.
- 3
- UNIONE™ Fellows in this market
- 334
- Fellows: arbitrators, mediators, experts and counsel
- 58
- countries where Fellows practise
- v4.0
- Rules & Procedures, adopted April 2026
When a deal in South Africa turns into a dispute
- Before signature: is the seat right for South Africa, and will an award be enforced where the counterparty's assets are?
- When payment stops or a partner walks away: test the claim and the exposure before choosing courts or arbitration.
- After an award: recognition in South Africa, assets, security and any State-owned party.
01 · Before signatureBefore You Sign™Get the dispute clause, governing law, seat, notices and escalation steps right while the contract can still change.Review the contract 02 · A dispute is emergingBefore You Arbitrate™Test the claim or the defence, the evidence, the exposure and the settlement options before committing to formal proceedings.Test the claim 04 · Before enforcementBefore You Enforce™Plan recognition, assets, jurisdiction and security, including State and State-owned parties, before committing to enforcement.Plan recovery
UNIONE™ Fellows practising in South Africa
SF.UNIONE™Sandra HitchcockStellenbosch · 22 yrsSF.UNIONE™Martin YodaikenCape Town · 20 yrsSF.UNIONE™Vlad MovshovichJohannesburg · 20 yrs
All Fellows in South Africa Every appointment follows the UNIONE™ Rules, independence and conflict checks. Being listed gives no right to appointments.
UNIONE™ is the UNBOUNDED™ Global Ecosystem's institution for cross-border dispute prevention, resolution, arbitration and enforcement. Like WONE Global, it is part of the ecosystem, and the two work as one. Links open theunione.org. Visit UNIONE™