CHIEF REGISTRAR’S CIRCULAR NO. 3 OF 2024 – RE-NAMING OF DEEDS REGISTRIES
- RENAMING OF DEEDS REGISTRIES
The Minister, under section 1(1)(a)(iii) of the Deeds Registries Act, 1937 (Act 47 of 1937), renamed the Deeds Registries as set out in paragraph 2 hereunder. The change of names was published in Government Gazette No. 51369, Government Notice GN. 5416 dated 10 October 2024.
- NEW NAMES OF DEEDS REGISTRIES
The following table indicates the name changes, which changes came into operation on 10 October 2024.
| Previous name of Deeds Registry | New name of Deeds Registry | Seat of Office |
| Deeds registry: Pretoria | North Gauteng Deeds Registry | Pretoria |
| Deeds registry: Johannesburg | South Gauteng Deeds Registry | Johannesburg |
| Deeds registry: Pietermaritzburg | KwaZulu Natal Deeds Registry | Pietermaritzburg |
| Deeds registry: Umtata | Eastern Cape Deeds Registry: Mthatha | Mthatha |
| Deeds registry: King William’s Town | Eastern Cape Deeds Registry: Qonce | Qonce |
| Deeds registry: Cape Town | Western Cape Deeds Registry | Cape Town |
| Deeds registry: Kimberley | Northern Cape Deeds Registry | Kimberley |
| Deeds registry: Bloemfontein | Free State Deeds Registry | Bloemfontein |
| Deeds registry: Vryburg | North West Deeds Registry: Vryburg | Vryburg |
| Deeds registry: Nelspruit | Mpumalanga Deeds Registry | Mbombela |
| Deeds registry: Polokwane | Limpopo Deeds Registry | Polokwane |
3. EFFECT OF NAME CHANGES ON DEEDS REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
3.1. The Prescribed Forms as contained in the Regulations to the Deeds Registries Act, 1937 (Act 47 of 1937), and Sectional Titles Act, 1986 (Act 95 of 1986), refer to the Seat of Office of a Registrar of Deeds / Deeds Registry, and not to the name of a Deeds Registry. However, Regulation 82 of Act 47 of 1937 provides for certificates of title and prescribed deeds and documents to be prepared substantially in the forms provided in the Schedule of Forms to the Regulations. It, therefore, does not prohibit deviations where necessary.
3.2. The practice currently is to strictly follow the prescribed format by only referring to the Seat of Office of a Deeds Registry, and not to the name thereof. For example,
“I, Registrar of Deeds at Pretoria” or “Thus done and executed at the office of the Registrar of Deeds at Pretoria on …”
3.3. As mentioned in paragraph 3.1 above, Regulation 82 allows deviation and to create uniformity in all Deeds Registries country wide it is recommended that Forms and Documents be prepared / suitably amplified to refer to the Seat of Office of a Deeds Registry, as well as the name thereof. For example:
“I, Registrar of Deeds: North Gauteng at Pretoria” or “Thus done and executed at the office of the Registrar of Deeds: North Gauteng at Pretoria on………”
3.4. Examiners must raise the appropriate notes where the correct description is not followed. Deeds must not be rejected, and the conveyancer must be given the opportunity to neatly amend the deed / document or to provide a conveyancer’s certificate where necessary.
3.5. This Circular comes into effect on 15 November 2024.
CHIEF REGISTRAR OF DEEDS
4th November 2024
