The acting appointments of the Masters of the High Court in Johannesburg and Pretoria expired at the end of January, and permanent appointments are yet to be made.<\/p>\n
The Johannesburg Attorneys\u2019 Association (JAA), which represents over 1 000 attorneys and other legal professionals, the Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa (FISA) and the South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners Association (SARIPA) have warned against prolonged reliance on acting positions.<\/p>\n
The Master of the High Court oversees key legal functions, including curatorships, deceased estates, insolvencies, trusts and the Guardian\u2019s Fund.<\/p>\n
Beatrice van Wyk is acting Master of the Johannesburg office, and Nthabiseng Ntsoane is acting Master of the Pretoria office, according to the department\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
According to FISA, Van Wyk and Ntsoane have been acting in their positions since at least April 2024.<\/p>\n
Katherine Gascoigne, JAA head of the Master\u2019s Office portfolio, said the absence of confirmed appointments could leave the two offices \u201crudderless\u201d.<\/p>\n
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She said having top officials continuously acting was \u201cunsettling\u201d for the staff and stakeholders alike.<\/p>\n
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development confirmed that the acting appointments reached the end of their term at the end of January.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll acting appointments are being extended to ensure continuity, stability and uninterrupted delivery,\u201d the department said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The department said the Master\u2019s Offices in Bloemfontein, Mahikeng and Mbombela also operate under acting arrangements, while a permanent head has now been appointed at the Kimberley Master\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
Gascoigne said Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi had undertaken in 2025 to address permanent positions, staff vacancies and other challenges at the Master\u2019s Offices as a matter of urgency.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe JAA is disappointed there has been little or no resolution to the issues identified,\u201d said Gascoigne.<\/p>\n
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FISA chief executive Jan du Plessis said the organisation is aware of staff shortages and increasing workloads at the offices. He said several senior positions are unfilled.<\/p>\n
GroundUp asked the department whether there are backlogs at the Masters\u2019 offices, but we received no response.<\/p>\n
Ren\u00e9 Bekker, chief operating officer of SARIPA, which represents more than 750 practitioners in the liquidation, insolvency and business rescue sectors, said extended acting appointments in senior roles are demoralising for staff and detrimental to the quality of the Masters\u2019 service.<\/p>\n
\u201cSARIPA urges that these critical positions be filled with permanent appointments to ensure stability, efficiency and the continued integrity of service provision.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a9 2026 GroundUp. This article was first published here.<\/p>\n
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