eDRS TRANSFORMING LAND REGISTRATION IN SOUTH AFRICA

The launch of the highly anticipated new Electronic Deeds Registration System (eDRS) was announced on Tuesday, April 2, and it is now in full operation. This is said to be a significant advancement of South Africa's land registration system as well as the provisioning of deeds registration information to clients and the public. 

Land Reform and Rural Development said the eDRS aims to replace the manual registration processes with digital, streamlined systems that use technology to ensure improved security, reduce turnaround times, and curb corruption. A further benefit is that it will allow practitioners to lodge deeds directly from any location in the country to the designated Deeds Office for registration of properties.       

"It provides for the Chief Registrar of Deeds to develop, establish and maintain the electronic deeds registration system by using information and communications technologies for the preparation, lodgement, registration, execution and storing of deeds and documents," it said.

The eDRS includes information provisioning - the online portal is now accessible to the public for all information related to registered deeds and documents.

The electronic registration process has entered a pilot phase. A dual registration process will be in place over the next five years, allowing for both manual and electronic lodgement and registration at the discretion of the conveyancer. The manual registration procedure will be phased out gradually and will ultimately be replaced by an electronic system.

The aim is to repeal the Deeds Registries Act 47 of 1937 and the Electronic Deeds Registration System Act 19 of 2019, with a new legislation expected to be concluded by 2030. It is also envisaged that all deeds registration processes will then be solely electronic.

The public and related practitioners are delighted as this development will automate the current lengthy paper-based processes, and property transfers will happen much faster and more efficiently.