About this Course
This online short course on the Companies Act provides a comprehensive overview of the Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008 and its latest amendments. Designed for professionals in accounting, corporate governance, finance and legal compliance, the course covers key principles governing company formation, governance and regulation in South Africa. Participants will gain insights into the Act’s objectives including promoting entrepreneurship, ensuring legal certainty and protecting stakeholders’ rights.
The course explores essential topics such as the Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI), shareholder rights and director responsibilities. It also covers corporate accountability, financial reporting, insolvency and business rescue procedures. Emphasis is placed on compliance enforcement and the role of regulatory bodies like the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) and the Takeover Regulation Panel, ensuring participants understand their legal obligations in corporate operations.
By the end of the program, participants will have a strong foundation in corporate law, be equipped to ensure regulatory compliance within their organisations and be better prepared to handle governance challenges in an evolving legal landscape.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the key principles and policy objectives behind the Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008, including its alignment with constitutional values and international best practices.
- Explain the role and importance of the Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) in governing company structure, shareholder rights and director responsibilities.
- Understand the concept of beneficial ownership, its legal definition and the regulatory requirements for disclosure as well as the implications of non-compliance on corporate transparency and governance.
- Analyse the classification, rights and limitations of different types of shares and their impact on shareholder voting and financial entitlements.
- Identify the qualifications, duties, and liabilities of directors, including their fiduciary responsibilities and personal liability risks.
- Understand the requirements for financial reporting, auditing and assurance, including the calculation of a company’s Public Interest (PI) score.
- Differentiate between solvency, liquidity and financial distress, and understand the legal framework governing corporate insolvency including the business rescue process.
- Identify the roles and functions of regulatory bodies, including the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) and the Companies Tribunal.
