Your Voice Matters - Help Us with Our Submission of Issues to the Master of the High Court

The Cape Town Attorneys Association is committed to addressing the persistent operational challenges at the Master’s Office. These challenges significantly impact our legal work, affecting client relationships and the beneficiaries we aim to protect.

We have documented several specific issues that underscore the urgency of our advocacy. Recent inquiries and requests via email often do not receive prompt or adequate responses, resulting in prolonged estate settlements. Our members report losing clients who seek quicker resolutions elsewhere, which directly affects the sustainability of their practices. Most critically, the inefficiencies impact beneficiaries of estates, especially minors and dependents, who rely on timely resolutions for financial support. For instance, there have been cases where estates worth substantial sums were tied up for months beyond reasonable processing times, with one estate taking over a year to receive a letter of executorship. Another example includes a situation where essential documents were misplaced by the office, requiring repeated submissions which led to severe delays.

To strengthen our position and effect meaningful changes, we need detailed accounts of such specific incidents from you. Please share your experiences and constructive suggestions via our survey:

🔗 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezUJfqqiUCB9EsGaimER-IZ6-CaUIWPRaeSRcdnlb74oqUuA/viewform?usp=sf_link

This survey aims to document detailed incidents and operational issues you have encountered, gather concrete ideas on how processes at the Master’s Office could be streamlined or enhanced, and help us unify our advocacy approach to discuss these issues effectively with the Department of Justice and other stakeholders.

The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete, and we assure you that all submissions will be treated with the highest confidentiality and used exclusively for advocacy purposes.

We value your prompt submissions. Please ensure your responses are submitted by 28 May 2024 to allow us sufficient time to analyze the data and prepare our advocacy report for the next Masters meeting on 30 May 2024.

The insights gathered will form the basis of a comprehensive report to the Department of Justice, detailing the issues and proposing specific reforms. Your participation is essential to advocate for a more efficient and effective Master’s Office.

We value your contribution and thank you in advance for your time and effort. Your engagement is crucial for driving the necessary improvements.

For any further information or to address immediate concerns, please contact us at info@ctaa.capetown.