Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Superintendent of Public Health has issued Legal Notice 75 of 2020 entitled 'Suspension of Legal Times relating to Promise of Sale Agreements, Notarial and other related matters (Epidemics and Infectious Diseases) Order, 2020' on 17 March 2020.

The Superintendent of Public Health has ordered the closure of all courts.

Through this Legal Notice, the Superintendent of Public Health has also suspended the running of all the legal terms imposed on notaries public by law with regard to the registering of any deed, will, act or private writing, or any period within which notaries public have to pay taxes collected by them in the exercise of their profession. It also suspends any term related to fiscal benefits, incentives or exemptions, or any period within which the notaries public are to submit any information or documentation to any authority pursuant to the relevant notarial activity. Furthermore, any expiration of any term in any promise of sale agreement duly registered in terms of law with the Commissioner for Revenue within the period established by law will also be suspended while the order for closure is enforced without the need of any signatures or formal renewals by the parties.

It should be noted that such suspension will last until twenty (20) days following the repeal of the order by the Superintendent of Public Health. 

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.