1. There seems to be a confusion whether abbreviations relating to Companies and Close Corporations as far as their descriptions are concerned, are permitted or not and RCR 14/2008 as confirmed by RCR 13/2012 appears to cause further confusion in this regard.
2. RCR 14/2008 does not prohibit the abbreviation in the description of Companies or Close Corporations and only confirmed that abbreviations relating to registration numbers of Companies, Close corporations, Trusts, etc. are not permitted in deeds and documents tendered for registration, e.g.
Not permitted: Reg number, Registration No /Nr. , Reg No.
Acceptable: Registration number / Registrasie nommer
3. In terms of Section 11 of the Companies Act No. 71 of 2008 abbreviations in the description of Companies are permitted.
4. CRC 2 / 2024 confirms the use of recognised abbreviations in the description of Companies, and the following full descriptions or abbreviations may still be used:
– Proprietary Limited or (Pty) Ltd
– Eiendoms Beperk or (Edms) Bpk.
– Limited or Ltd.
– Beperk or Bpk.
– Incorporated or Inc.
5. It should however be noted that Section 22(1) of the Close Corporations Act No. 69/1984 only allows for the abbreviation of Closed Corporation in English or any other official language, to be used in the description of such a Close Corporation and may therefore only be reflected in the abbreviated format as CC or BK and may not be disclosed in full descriptive wording.
Allen West
Property Law Consultant
HANNES GOUWS AND PARTNERS INC.
Attorneys, Notaries & Conveyancers
Tel: 012 321 1008
Cell 078 7655928
E-mail: allen@hannesgouws.co.za
Author of The Practitioners Guide to Conveyancing and Notarial Practice 3rd Edition
