Department of Justice and Constitutional Development Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development Branch : Master of the High Court Adv M Simelane Director–General Department of Justice and Constitutional Development 27 August 2008

Structure of Report OUTLINE Purpose of Report - To report on developments in the Branch: Master of the High Court Structure of Report - Strategic Objectives Achievements for 2007/2008 Areas of Improvement

DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MASTERS BRANCH Finances ● Current Budget : R 240, 837,000,00 Establishment ● Previous Establishment 699 ● Current Establishment 1174 Training ● Legal Interns Law Reform ● Customary Law Reform Insolvency Matters ● Regulatory Framework

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES Making the Masters services accessible to all (particularly the rural and the poor). Modernizing the Masters services by reforming our legislation and automating our business processes to ensure that these are rendered in the most cost-effective and efficient manner to the public. Providing effective supervision of the liquidation and sequestration processes by enhancing legislation and developing the appropriate monitoring capacity for the purpose of protecting the interest of the vulnerable and the poor.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1 Making the Masters services accessible to all (particularly the rural and the poor). Provision of Masters services by legally qualified professionals. DELIVERABLES Increased proximity and easy access to Masters services. Improved quality of services Public education and communication KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Number of sub-offices and mobile offices established Reduce number of unqualified staff Monitoring and evaluation system in place Improved turnaround times Number of lectures/seminars/publications/educational informational materials/radio/tv shows

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2 Modernizing the Masters services by reforming legislation and automating business processes to ensure that these are rendered in the most costs effective, and efficient manner to the public. DELIVERABLES : Automating manual systems Standardized policies systems and procedures KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Automated systems for the Guardians Fund, Estates, Insolvencies and Curatorships. Uniform approach to administration and management services Ministers Policy on appointment of Insolvency Practitioners

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3 Providing effective supervision of liquidation and sequestration processes by enhancing legislation and developing the appropriate monitoring capacity for the purpose of protecting the interest of the vulnerable and the poor DELIVERABLES Amending/enacting legislation and regulations KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Bills passed by Parliament Establishing an efficient framework regulating the liquidations industry

ACHIEVEMENTS FOR 2007/2008 5 of the 6 Guardians Fund offices are automated (Cape Town, Grahamstown, Pietermaritzburg, Kimberley, and Bloemfontein) Plans are underway to open new Guardians funds offices in Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Mthatha, Bisho , Mafikeng and Polokwane. All business processes have now been documented and simplified. New accommodation was secured for the Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth offices. Considerable progress has been made in filling vacant posts.

AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT Quick and speedy finalization of estates Improved Access to the Guardians Fund Services Quick and speedy finalization of estates Finalizing the regulatory framework for lnsolvency Practitioners Compliance with Black Economic Empowerment Introduction of Business Rescue Services.