The Department of Justice is in the process of appointing a permanent Chief Master to replace Mrs Tessie Bezuidenhout whose term as Acting Chief Master has expired. She resumed her post as Chief Director: Inland. Interviews to fill the vacancy are set to take place this week.
Mrs Penny Roberts (Head of the Pretoria Masters Office) has been redeployed to the Office of the Chief Master to act as Chief Director: Coastal until end of December 2020.
The Pretoria Master’s Office will thus have an acting Head until Mrs Roberts returns. The following officials will act as Head of the Pretoria Office:
· 17 June – 13 September: Mrs Christine Rossouw (CRossouw@justice.gov.za)
· 17 September – 4 December: Mrs Mariaan Barnard (MaBarnard@justice.gov.za )
Master’s Offices are still not functioning at full capacity. Officials are rotating to ensure that social distance regulations are adhered to. In the light of this, the public and industry is requested to not try and phone the offices with queries, but rather e-mail the relevant official dealing with the file, who will then be able to respond to the e-mail once he/she is in office.
All Master’s Offices and officials’ contact details are available on the Master’s Website.
Note that, in terms of Protocol Level 3, electronic lodgment of reporting documents and accounts are no longer allowed. Documents should be lodged as normal, via post, courier or hand delivered.