dwp eNewsletter

Vol 1 : Ed 3 - July 2007

 

| nowheresville |

| the impact of the civil servants' strike |

Recently Mangaka Meso, a grade 11 learner from Aliwal-North High School, spent a few days at dwp to see whether the legal profession would be a profession which she could pursue in future. Mangaka wrote an article for our newsletter to give her views on the strike and the effect it has on legal services.

 

As the strike of many civil servants continues, various fields of work are still left at a disadvantage as civil servants play a crucial role in the delivery of services by corporate workers to their clients.

 

In the field of law the much publicized Taliep Petersen murder trial has been postponed as court officials are working through a backlog of cases due to court interpreters being on strike and the courts do not have the capacity to hear the matter at the moment. 

 

Another sector in the Department of Justice which has been severely affected by the strike is the deeds office. This office is where the transfer of property from one person to another is registered by conveyancers.  This is also where all bonds and ante-nuptial contracts are registered. However due to the outbreak of the civil servants strike this has no longer been as simple.  The strike has resulted in an inadequate number of workers in the 3 levels of examiners within the deeds office.  The process has now become complex as conveyancers now have to intervene with the checking for approval and have to ensure that all documents are carried through.

 

The result of this is that it takes double the amount of time to register a property.  There are extra fee charges as the waiting process is prolonged and figures for rates clearance certificates has to be recalculated and reworked. Understandably, clients are very frustrated and unhappy about this current state of affairs.  This might also create the impression that conveyancers are unprofessional.

 

As the strike unfolds, giving us no guarantee of a nearing end, one can only hope that each day will bring about positive change and that perhaps the government will reassess the value of these workers as they do play an integral part in the much quicker way and smooth running of services in our country.

 

Mangaka Meso; Grade 11; ANHS

 


| contact us |

delport ward & pienaar

attorneys, notaries &  conveyancers
1st floor - cornerstone house

16 loop street

cape town

8001

 

telephone, cape town
+27-21-419.3733

 

telefax, general
+27-21-419.3743

 

telefax, collections dept
+27-21-421.6625

 

telephone, london
+44-20-8133.0337

 

telephone, washington dc
+1-202-657.6733

 

telephone, hong kong
+852-8139.7374

 

| info@dwp.co.za |

 

 

1st floor - cornerstone house, 16 loop street, cape town | docex 600, cpt | t, +27-21-4193733 | f, +27-21-4193743

info@dwp.co.za | www.dwp.co.za