Pretoria, South Africa – Today, the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services was briefed about the ongoing challenges and a comprehensive turnaround plan for the Masters Offices. The briefing was provided by the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
According to Parliament of South Africa, the Master of the High Court’s office has been facing numerous challenges, including long queues, unreliable systems, loss of documents, inadequate infrastructure, effects of load shedding, and backlogs in processing. In response, the Masters have initiated a turnaround strategy focusing on modernizing and transforming their services. This strategy encompasses five key strategic interventions, with implementation already underway.
Stakeholders raised several concerns, including leadership issues, service delivery shortcomings, unattended emails and phone calls, misplaced files, unfilled vacancies, allegations of bribery, lack of transparency in insolvency examinations, and issues with directives. To address these, the turnaround plan includes a range of measures like a toll-free contact center with multiple communication channels, a Masters Complaints Management Committee, legal literacy campaigns, and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
Improvements in operational processes are also part of the plan. These include revising standard operating practices, closing offices to the public at 13h00 to address backlogs, and scheduling stakeholder consultations strictly by appointment. System enhancements include online services for deceased estates, network upgrades, better document management, and stabilizing the link with the Department of Home Affairs.
A task team and a tactical team have been established to monitor the plan’s implementation, with ongoing engagement with stakeholders at national and provincial levels. The aim is to identify areas of cooperation, underpinned by clearly defined memoranda of understanding.
However, some committee members expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed solutions. Adv Glynnis Breytenbach expected a more detailed breakdown of the challenges and corresponding solutions. Concerns were also raised regarding the acting Chief Master, Adv Penelope Roberts, and her awareness of the public’s grievances. Mr Qubudile Dyantyi and Ms Nomathemba Maseko-Jele questioned whether Adv Roberts had adequately assessed and understood the issues within the office.
Committee Chairperson Mr Bulelani Magwanishe commended the LSSA for highlighting these concerns and emphasized the importance of active citizenry in ensuring governmental effectiveness. He assured that the committee would continue to monitor the implementation of the turnaround plan and include these issues in the legacy report for the next parliamentary committee.