A blown substation has once again left the Johannesburg Master’s Office in darkness for several days, increasing the backlog with the filing of deceased estates, finalising trusts, and overseeing the administration of trusts.

Moneyweb reports that the latest power failure has angered the Johannesburg Attorneys Association (JAA) which has urged its members to assist financially with the purchase of a generator.

Katherine Gascoigne, head of the Master’s Office Committee at the JAA, says the situation is intolerable.

‘It is despicable that people are left to work in such conditions. No wonder the staff becomes despondent. They cannot charge their phones, laptops or even switch on a kettle for coffee or tea,’ she said.

The Fiduciary Institute of SA (Fisa) has joined the initiative and called for urgent private sector support to alleviate the situation which has left the office without power for several days.

Fisa CEO Louis van Vuren described the situation as ‘untenable’: ‘It would appear that the landlord of the rented Master’s Office building has for years resisted installing back-up power supply, meaning that the office is subject to power outages beyond its control – in this case, a blown substation.’

Gascoigne said Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi is quite aware of the dire circumstances under which the staff are supposed to operate.

The Minister has been to the office and has herself been caught in a power outage while at the premises. 

The building is not owned by government, and it is unclear when the current term of the lease agreement comes to an end.

Moneyweb notes that the Master’s Office has in the past acknowledged the hardship caused by delays with the winding up of estates, the appointment of executors and the administration of trusts.

The delays hinder the transfer of assets such as properties, vehicles, or investments, which may be crucial for the financial stability or livelihood of the beneficiaries.

Full Moneyweb report