NOTICE 3/2021
Dated 12th January 2021
TO ALL DEEDS OFFICE CLIENTS AND STAFF
PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES REGULATING THE (ALERT LEVEL REGULATIONS)
PRETORIA DEEDS REGISTRY
1.BACKGROUND
In line with level 3 covid-19 lockdown regulations published under Government Gazette No. 44044, dated 29/12/2020. The Pretoria Deeds Office will now apply a phased approach to mitigate and to minimize the spread of the pandemic.
2. PURPOSE OF THE CIRCULAR
To outline the Occupational Health and Safety obligations of Deeds Office Pretoria in taking precautionary measures to protect the workplace, employees, public and clients from the spread of communicable diseases such as COVID -19.
This necessitated departure from normal procedures and new procedure set out Below will be followed. The aim is to comply with covid-19 prescribed regulations Pretoria Deeds Office will not be operating with full complement of staff members in the office.
The Conveyancers, Clerks and the deeds office employees are urged to be patient and understanding in these trying times.
3.PROCEDURE
Temperature will be taken and if found to be more than 38 Degrees Celsius entry will not be allowed.
Facial mask or cloth mask is compulsory and must be worn at all times.
Gloves are optional.
Sanitizing or washing of hands is compulsory.
Clients will be required to complete information at Security. This information will be used for tracing purposes when and if it becomes necessary. Positive identification to be provided in a form of an identity document or driver’s license.
4.CATEGORIES OF CLIENTS ALLOWED ACCESS
All Conveyancers will be allowed access to the building subject to the Alert level 3 restrictions.
Conveyancers will be allowed access upon production of Conveyancer’s Admission Certificate.
Only 6 Prep Clerks per day will be allowed access to the building, they should together with conveyancers discuss the rotation and the logistics thereof.
Prep Clerks will be allowed access upon the production of a letter from Conveyancing law firm confirming that the Prep Clerk is employed by the said firm, and an access card produced at the cost of law firm in line with the guidelines provided by the Registrar of Deeds.
Each conveyancing law firm will be allowed one candidate attorney.
Candidate attorneys will be allowed access upon the production of a letter from Conveyancing law firm confirming that the candidate attorney is employed by the said firm, and an access card produced at the cost of law firm in line with the guidelines provided by the Registrar of Deeds.
5.DESIGNATED ACCESS AREAS
There are no restriction on movement of Conveyancers and Candidate attorneys except in all sections previously identified as restricted areas within the office.
Prep clerks will be accommodated and restricted to the 3″floor.
6.LODGEMENT OF DEEDS AND DOCUMENTS
Lodgement will be allowed daily up until 11h00.
Firms will be expected to lodge the deeds already linked and bound by rubber band.
Deeds will not be accepted if they are not linked.
7.PRE-LINKING AND LODGEMENTS
Pre- linking of documents for lodgement will be done on the 3floor.
All documents to be pre-linked must be handed in for pre linking before 10h00.
All linked batches will be handed in by 6 nominated representatives of the Prep
clerks at Lodgement Section on the 15 floor at 10h45.
8.PREPS AND REMOVAL OF EXAMINERS’ NOTES
The representatives of the prep clerks will collect the preps at the Preparation pigeonholes, to be attended to by the conveyancers.
Deeds with notes complied with for removal by examiners must be distributed in the pigeonholes of examiners by both conveyancers and representatives of the prep clerks before 10h30.
Same Procedure as provided for the Pre- linking of documents before lodgement must be followed for linking of documents for Final blackbooking.
Linked documents must be handed over by conveyancers and representatives of the prep clerks for final blackbooking before 11h45.
9.DOTS TRACKING, PRINTOUTS, INFORMATION REQUESTS, RECTIFICATIONS
A data typist will be located on the 3rd floor for service to provide the printouts for the prep clerks.
All other requests will be placed in marked boxes placed on the 3” floor to be collected at intervals by the messengers responsible for those sections.
10.CONSULTATION
No Physical Consultation will be allowed.
This will be done telephonically or through e-mails.
Only in exceptional circumstances will consultation be allowed. Prior request to be made with the secretariat through an email the requester to disclose the matter which he/she needs to consult on.
Nono.mokale@drdlr.qov.za
11.CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE
Corrective maintenance of deeds will be allowed, a box for corrective maintenance will placed at Prep section for all corrective maintenance matters to be put in. All rejected deeds will be monitored by designated Assistant Registrar.
The Assistant Registrar will confirm the rejection or overrule it. It is only then that corrective maintenance can be applied for, this process is intended to minimize the harsh or incorrect rejections. Expedition will only be done for Land Reform Deeds
12.PUT-FORWARD
Putting forward of deeds will not be allowed. Deeds will follow normal process; ONLY in exceptional circumstances will it be allowed for example on Rates Clearance Certificate or HOA certificate which will expire if not put-forward.
13.DELIVERY
The Conveyancers and the Prep clerks on duty will get delivered deeds from delivery from 10h30 to 12h00 daily
14.EXPEDITED DELIVERY
Expedited delivery will be allowed under strict covid-19 protocol.
15.ARCHIVES/LNTERDICT
Will still be accessed at M FLOOR under strict demarcations to observe and enforced social distancing.
16.INFORMATION
Information Section will not be opened for public. Provision of information will be done through e-mails or telephonically as per Deeds Office Procedures.
17.COPIES
The normal application procedure for Information and judicial copies will be followed as usual.
18.EXECUTION
Conveyancing firms must arrange one Conveyancer to execute.
Execution time will be from 09h00 to 12h00.
Conveyancers must be considerate in executing deeds, so that other Conveyancers can be afforded opportunity to execute.
Only marked chairs/designated areas must be used at the execution.
The chairs at execution must not be moved around.
19.EXAMINERS NOTES
Minimal contact with examiners is advised. Deeds with notes should be put in examiners’ pigeonholes at Prep section. Examiners will provide their contacts details with email address for required correspondence.
20.GENERAL PROVISIONS
Wearing of Personal Protective equipment is compulsory.
Non-compliance with the notice will result in persons being denied entry and access to the deeds office.
No children or visitors will be allowed for entry.
Social distancing must always be practiced.
21. OFFICE TOUR PROCESS
Deeds Process Tours will not be allowed until further notice.
22.SERVICE OF DOCUMENTS ON REGISTRAR OF DEEDS
Physical service of documents will be done on 4″floor. Clients must also use the
electronic service of documents as per contact list below.
This Notice will be effective from 15.01.2021
CONTACTDETAILS
tiaan.vanwyk@drdlr.gov.za (Information Section)
andrew.ndala@drdir.gov.za (information Section)
esther.ndlovu@drdir.gov.za (Registration Section)
hettie.pienaar@drdir.gov.za (Examination)
phanyanganijoel@drdlir.gov.za (Examination)
zahira.jooma@drdir.gov.za (Data Section)
lorraine.badenhorst@drdlr.gov.za (Micro Section)
francis.Ndlovu@drdir,gov.za (Data and Micro)
takoli.machika@drdlr.gov.za (Information Section)
nono.mokale@drdlr.qov.za (Registrar’s office)
susan.hurter@drdir.gov.za (Townships, municipalities. bylaws)
peet.duplessis@drdlir.gov.za (Court documents)
wilhelmina.odendaal@drdir.gov.za (interdicts)
GWM NGAPO
ACTING REGISTRAR OF DEEDS: PRETORIA
DATE: 12.01.2021
Dated 15th Jan2021
Good Morning
The following communique was received from the Deeds Office :
Pretoria:
Pretoria Deeds office is going to try register those deeds that have to registered today due to expiry of clearances. Lodgment section will be open to accept lodgments of those that are in the office. Prep will be open to deal with only deeds to be registered today. Dots section will be open to assist those with deeds to be registered today. No examiners will be in office today. Only skeleton staff will be working in Pretoria Deeds office. The office will reopen on Monday 18 January 2021
We apologize for any inconvenience that may be caused by closure of office.
We will endeavor to keep you updated
Kind Regards
Allen West