One of the busiest offices of the Master of the High Court will remain without a head of office until November, and potentially beyond that, leaving it without a permanent head for half the year.

The Johannesburg Attorneys’ Association (JAA) threatened to approach Minister of Justice & Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi directly in order to obtain stability and secure an appointment.

When their urgent request remained unanswered by Monday, they approached the Minister directly.

Moneyweb reports that Katherine Gascoigne, heading the Master’s Office portfolio at the JAA, sent a letter to Acting Chief Master and Acting DG of Justice Kala Pillay more than a week ago – pleading for an appointment to be made as a matter of urgency.

Gascoigne says they have received no response from Pillay.

In her letter, she expressed surprise and disappointment that the vacancy had not been considered earlier.

When Pillay was appointed last year, she conceded that the Offices of the Master were buckling under several challenges and deficiencies.

A major deficiency is outdated legislation, acknowledged by Pillay shortly after her appointment.

She has also been appointed as Acting DG, giving her the power to address these challenges. From the response to Moneyweb’s questions relating to progress with the outdated legislation, it appears to still be a work in progress.

Ministerial spokesperson Palesa Rammitlwa says the Draft Regulation of Trusts Bill was published for public comment in August.

‘Rather than amending the Trust Property Control Act, the Bill proposes to repeal and replace it entirely with a modern framework governing the creation, administration and supervision of trusts,' Rammitlwa said.

The public comment period closed on 11 September, and the Bill is now expected to be revised before formal introduction to Parliament.

In addition, the Administration of Estates Act has undergone ‘targeted modernisation’, but is in the process of being reviewed in totality.

Full Moneyweb report