Master’s Office under fire (again) as estate backlogs spark public outrage

CapeTalk's John Maytham chats to GSR Law CEO Ulrik Strandvik.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below:

"They've always been a difficult department to deal with, and slow. It has got progressively worse."

- Ulrik Strandvik, CEO - GSR Law

The Master of the High Court is once again under scrutiny.

Also referred to as the 'Master's Office' or 'Master's Branch', it is a government entity within the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

It is there to serve the public in respect of deceased estates, liquidations (insolvent estates), registration of trusts, tutors and curators, as well as administration of the Guardian's Fund (minors and mentally challenged persons).

A CapeTalk listener shared that she has been struggling for 26 years to settle her late husband’s estate, and this is just one of many examples highlighting deep-rooted inefficiencies in the system. 

Despite repeated commitments over the years to improve service delivery, citizens and legal professionals say very little has changed.

"It has been abysmal the last few years, and it’s not getting better."  

- Ulrik Strandvik, CEO - GSR Law

Strandvik says his firm has noticed marginal improvements in estate processing times, but communication and consistency remain lacking. 

"We have seen some improvement, but not amazing improvement."  

- Ulrik Strandvik, CEO - GSR Law

He acknowledges that a task team was recently formed to address the issues, but noted there's been little transparency or concrete progress. 

Strandvik is calling for drastic reform rather than piecemeal fixes.

He suggests digitisation as a clear solution, but pointed to systemic failures, including unreliable government portals and understaffing, as barriers. 

ALSO READ:

• 'When things get lost, nothing happens': Delays at JHB Master's Office continue 
• Master's Office backlog: 'Currently it takes about 800 days to wound up an estate' - financial planner 

Scroll up to listen to the full conversation.