Dear Readers,
The Appleton Times can be read from two perspectives. The first is through the lens of guiding our clients, heirs, beneficiaries and loved ones through the process of a deceased estate. This is always difficult to write about as the topics are shrouded in emotion, frustration, loss and sometimes traumatic anger. But it is our professional duty to talk you through these difficult issues in an informed and caring way and we shall continue to do so.
The second approach is educational and preparatory, and it is this aspect of reading the Appleton Times that can help you avoid delays, disputes, legal complications, costs, frustration and yes, trauma.
By definition the subject matter we write about in the Appleton Times may not always compete with the Harry Potter series for excitement, but it is highly informative and is always aimed at assisting you in preparing a better estate plan, crafting an executable Will and streamlining the deceased estate process to save you time, money and minimising the trauma.
But as much as Appleton fiduciary teams work tirelessly to deliver the best service in the industry, we are highly reliant on service providers simply to do their jobs and for which we all pay taxes. In this regard we continue to face huge challenges with some of the Masters Offices around the country. After continual lobbying the issue have finally caught the attention of the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, and I will quote an excellent piece recently published in IOL’s Personal Finance to illustrate the point:
(The Minister’) remarks painted a picture of dysfunction that is both alarming and, surprisingly, tinged with hope. Let’s not mince words, the situation at these offices is nothing short of a mess. Operations at six Master’s Offices across the country have practically ground to a halt, largely because crucial leadership roles were left vacant at the end of March. No Chief Master. No acting heads. Just a vacuum of responsibility at institutions meant to serve the most vulnerable, from orphans and widows to those declared mentally unfit.
The Master's Offices play an essential role in the administration of deceased estates, insolvent estates, trusts, and the Guardian’s Fund. Without the necessary leadership in place, authority simply cannot be delegated. The ripple effects? Endless delays, lost documents, and people left emotionally and financially stranded.
Louis van Vuren from the Fiduciary Institute of Southern Africa (FISA) laid it out plainly: Over half of the complaints logged on their website relate to the Cape Town office alone. That’s not just a blip, that’s systemic failure. He spoke of routine backlogs, letters of authority taking months, and files simply vanishing. And yet, he also noted that there are “pockets of excellence” that prove this dysfunction isn't inevitable, it’s fixable.
Minister Kubayi didn’t sugar-coat the situation either. She recounted disturbing first-hand accounts of officials sauntering in late, disappearing for extended tea and lunch breaks, and outright ignoring the public. She says it’s behaviour that borders on contempt for the very citizens these offices are meant to serve.
I want to believe Minister Kubayi means business. If she does, she’ll find willing allies among the public and professional stakeholders alike. But if not, the consequences will be felt far beyond just long queues and lost files. They’ll be felt in families denied justice, in children waiting for access to their rightful inheritance, and in the erosion of faith in public institutions. At the time of writing at the end of April, she says she will update the stakeholders in a week or two. The full piece can be read at:
In this month’s Appleton Times, we examine your property rights, consider what should NOT be put into a Will and address the thorny issue of taxes in deceased estates.
Enjoy the read and I look forward to updating you in next quarter, without a VAT increase!
Sincerely,
