Issued by: Ministry of Land Affairs
STATEMENT BY MR DEREK HANEKOM MP, MINISTER OF LAND AFFAIRS, ON THE RATIONALISATION OF DEEDS REGISTRIES AND REGISTRATION OFFICES
The establishment of a single deeds registration system for the whole country is now becoming a reality. At a special meeting with all provincial MECs on 23 April 1996, final agreement was reached on the rationalisation of Deeds Registries and Registration Offices. This concludes a lengthy process of deliberation and extensive consultation with a variety of role players, and will enable the Department of Land Affairs to ratiionalise the existing system at the lowest possible cost to the state and the consumer.
The amalgamation of offices was found to be the most cost-effective option. The multiplicity of offices were difficult to manage, and economy of scale dictates that larger offices are more efficient and therefore economically more viable than smaller offices. The optimal utilisation of existing infrastructure will therefore result in lower costs, and huge savings will be achieved by avoiding the necessity of upgrading offices not yet computerised, as well as savings on budgets and other expenditure.
It was decided that the existing modernised and highly computerised deeds registries which form part of a wide area network be maintained, accommodating both the registration offices in the former Self-governing Territories and the registries in the former TBVC areas. This will then result in the following rationalisations:
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF LAND AFFAIRS, 7 MAY 1996