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Answers to your questions

Have a question you would like answered? Email us and we may answer it. The questions here are based on ones from our readers, with identifying information removed.

I have been appointed the executor of my late father's estate by a magistrate's court. Where do I start submitting documents?

If the estate is under R250k you can distribute your father's assets. If it is worth more the process is considerably more complicated.

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How do I go about buying municipal land in a township to develop and rent out to students?

There are several different ways of buying municipal land.

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The person who sold my mother her RDP house has died and her children are claiming the property is theirs. What can I do?

You could take your mother to Legal Aid and ask them to approach the court for a declaratory order that your mother is the legal owner of the house.

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What citizenship is a child born in South Africa to one or two foreign parents entitled to?

If one of the parents is South African, the girls are automatically South African citizens.

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My son turned 18 and his grant stopped, but he is still at school. Is there a grant we can apply for while he is at school?

Unfortunately, although government said in 2015 that they were considering extending the grant for people still at school, this did not happen.

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How do I challenge a default judgment against me by my bank on the grounds of reckless lending?

You should notify the bank that you intend to defend yourself on the grounds of reckless lending.

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How do I claim the title deed for my RDP house?

it may be best to contact the Cape Town Deeds office, but because you have to visit the office in person, you may prefer to go to the Deeds Office in King Williamstown.

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I have been living and working on a farm for 20 years. The owner passed away. Can the new owners evict me?

The new owners cannot evict you without a court order. You are covered by the Extension of Security of Tenure Act of 1997.

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Is it legal to purchase a shack in an informal settlement which has services including electricity?

It is a complicated question but this may be a person's best chance to own a property.

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The property that about 50 of us live on has a new owner who is harassing us and trying to evict us. What can we do?

You can seek a court order which forces the owner to turn the electricity back on. He can't evict you without a court order.

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