Legal professionals in Mbombela are sounding the alarm over what they describe as a crisis within the local Master's Office, citing significant backlogs that leave beneficiaries of estates waiting for months or even years. Annelien de Kock, chairperson of the Mbombela Attorneys Association, emphasizes that inadequate resources, staff shortages, and a lack of communication from officials have exacerbated the situation, prompting calls for urgent intervention from the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

Attorneys have reported dire operational issues, including non-responsiveness to emails, unanswered phone calls, and a chronic inability to keep scheduled appointments. Additionally, the often full email inboxes and mishandled documents further complicate the processing of legal matters, such as the finalization of estates, leaving clients in a state of uncertainty and frustration.

As frustration mounts over these administrative challenges, local law firms are increasingly resorting to legal avenues themselves, seeking assistance from higher courts to compel action from the office. The pressing need for reform in Mbombela’s Master's Office highlights not only the immediate impact on legal practitioners and their clients but also raises broader concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of the legal system in South Africa as a whole.