In our June newsletter, we looked at an interesting court decision handed down in 2020 by the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa, related to the application of electronic signatures to offers to purchase land. Last year, the electronic signing of documents once again came under the spotlight in the case of Firstrand Bank Limited v Jacques Louis Briedenhann. Interestingly, this decision was also handed down by the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court, which appears to be making groundbreaking decisions in this regard.

The property professional plays a critical role in the process of buying and selling real estate. When ‘making the deal’, they must engage with the seller to collect information and documentation that will be needed throughout the process. At the time of taking the mandate, it is crucial that they clarify certain facts and obtain specific information and documentation in order to pre-empt any issues that may arise, thus saving time.

As we live in an online world, and because of the recent pandemic, electronic signatures are becoming more commonplace – and an increasing number of buyers and sellers are asking to sign their OTPs electronically.

There are instances where ownership of land is vested in a company. Typically, a company is registered, usually with one or two directors, and such company then takes transfer of the immovable property. The land is then held in the name of the legal entity (being the company), with the individuals or directors who intend to stay there holding shares in the company.

Legal fees are regulated by tariff guidelines, which are issued by the Rules Board in terms of the Legal Practice Act. Although these tariffs are guidelines, they are typically followed in the conveyancing industry. As a result, if fees are ever queried, they can usually be backed up by the regulations issued in the Government Gazette from time to time.