Chaos at the Deeds Office in South Africa’s most important city

The continued problems Johannesburg’s Deeds Office has caused severe delays in property transactions, leaving sellers and estate agents without access to funds.

Infrastructure failures, such as recent flooding, sewage leaks, and non-functional lifts, have disrupted operations at the deeds office building.

On 25 February 2025, the Deeds Office closed after the Department of Employment and Labour shut down the building’s elevators due to non-compliance. On 6 March, the office officially reopened.

Despite the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development (DALRRD) asserting that it was not officially closed, access to essential services at the deeds office was severely hindered by substantial building challenges.

Jason Joffa from Lamna, a South African bridging finance company, said that the disruption has created an immediate cash flow crisis for thousands of property sellers and estate agents.

What should be routine 6-12 week registration processes now face further delays of at least two to three months. Now, estate agents are forced to wait months for commission payments that would usually be processed within weeks.

“The closure impacts the entire sales process – everything is stuck and people need their money,” Joffa said. “While the Deeds Office moves to temporary premises, sellers are stuck waiting for the proceeds they need.”

The situation is equally challenging for estate agents. Commission payments are only processed once property transfers are registered, meaning agents who have successfully concluded sales face lengthy delays before receiving payment.

Member of the Johannesburg Attorney Association, Karla Strydom, told BusinessDay that cramped working conditions on two building floors were affecting staff focus, leading to a decline in work quality and delays due to incorrect rejections.

“Because some people are not working from the deeds office, it is very difficult for us to debate matters with examiners if they are not here and working remotely,” Strydom said.

That means that instead of going down and discussing it on the same day with examiners, the process can take several days.