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Do we still need notaries
De Rebus - South Africa
Victor Dercksen
Curlewis JP of the then Transvaal Bench summarised the office of the notary, inter alia, as follows in Incorporated Law Society v Kuyper 1925 TPD 760 at 764:
'The office of a notary is not only one of very great antiquity, but one of the highest importance and responsibility, an office of such responsibility that in most countries of Europe and in this country the greatest confidence and trust is reposed in any document executed by a notary.'
Solomon J placed the utmost confidence in the contents of a document executed by a notary. In The Transvaal Land Co Ltd v Registrar of Deeds 1907 TS 759 at 764, Solomon J remarked as follows:
'[T]he presumption is that every statement contained in a notarial deed is true, and that all proper solemnities have been observed by the notary'
De Rebus


The way forward according to Absa and Fine & Country
RealEstateWeb - South Africa
Jacques du Toit and Linda Erasmus on the current economic climate and provide insights into the property market.

At a recent Fine & Country property development launch, Senior Absa Property Analyst Du Toit said the dramatic decrease in employment and production of the past year had a proportionally negative affect on South Africa's household sector.

However, the worst appears to be over and an upswing is now beginning to manifest across the board with "these variables moving into positive territory of late."

Inflation (specifically food price inflation) has remained relatively stable in the wake of interest rate cuts and a strong rand exchange rate. At the time of going to print, the inflation rate stood at less than 6% he added.
RealEstateWeb

Residential Property Outlook - March 2010
Pam Golding - South Africa
Steady but slow
House prices are rising again as consumer confidence builds up. The big issue in the market is fast becoming that of running a home as opposed to buying one.
Pam Golding Residential Property Outlook