Describing it as a nest for corruption, several legal groups have appealed to the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development to move with speed in acting against those found guilty of crippling the Master’s Offices across the country.

The Mercury reports this follows the suspension of 13 senior managers and other officials in Master’s Offices in light of an investigation into allegations of maladministration and financial irregularities.

The department said several officials were suspended from their positions in offices across the country.

They include the Masters of the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) and the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg), along with their respective deputies and assistants.

An accounting clerk and estate controller of the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg), the Master of the Free State High Court, the Deputy Master of the Free State High Court and the Master of the Limpopo High Court (Polokwane) have also been suspended.

Their suspensions emanate from a wide-ranging probe into the financial affairs of the Master’s Office by the SIU, which started in 2020.

In terms of Proclamation R7 of 2020, the SIU investigated allegations of maladministration in connection with the affairs of the Master’s Office.

These related to the functions of the Master’s Office, including the administration of estates of deceased persons; the winding up of estates of insolvent persons; protection and administration of the funds of minors, contractually incapacitated and undermined and absent heirs, which have been paid into the Guardian’s Fund.

It also included the supervision of the administration of companies and close corporations in liquidation; the safeguarding of all documentary material in respect of estates, insolvencies and liquidations; the processing of inquiries by executors, attorneys, beneficiaries and other interested parties; and the appointment of executors, trustees, curators and liquidators.

Full report in The Mercury