Deeds Registries Act, 1937 (Act No. 47 of 1937)Chapter III : Registration of LandChange of Title by Endorsement45. Transfer or cession by means of endorsement |
| (1) | If immovable property, a lease under any law relating to land settlement or a bond, which forms an asset in a joint estate is registered in a deeds registry and the surviving spouse has lawfully acquired the share of the deceased spouse in the property, lease or bond, the registrar shall on written application by the executor in the estate of the deceased spouse and by the surviving spouse save where the surviving spouse has signed as executor, accompanied by such other documents as may be prescribed, endorse on the title deeds of the property or on the deed of lease or on the bond that the surviving spouse is entitled to deal with such property, lease or bond, and thereupon such spouse shall be entitled to deal therewith as if he or she had taken formal transfer or cession into his or her own name of the share of the deceased spouse in the property, lease or bond. |
[Section 45(1) substituted by section 5 of Act No. 11 of 1996]
| (2) | If the immovable property mentioned in subsection (1) is hypothecated under a registered mortgage bond the endorsement provided for in the said subsection shall not be made unless— |
| (a) | such bond is cancelled; or— |
| (a)bis | the said property or the share of the deceased spouse therein is released from the bond; or |
[Section 45(2)(a)bis inserted by section 19 of Act No. 43 of 1962]
| (b) | [Section 45(2)(b) deleted by section 5 of Act No. 11 of 1996] |
| (c) | a written consent (which shall be in duplicate, in the prescribed form and signed by the survivor and the legal holder of the bond) to the release of the estate of the deceased spouse from liability under the bond and to the substitution of the survivor as sole debtor in respect thereof, is produced to the registrar together with the bond. |
[Section 45(2)(c) substituted by section 5 of Act No. 11 of 1996]
| (3) | The registrar shall, in any case of release and substitution in terms of paragraph (c) of subsection (2), when he or she endorses on the title deeds of the property that the survivor is entitled to deal therewith— |
| (a) | make in the appropriate register an entry setting forth that the estate of the deceased spouse is released from liability in respect of the obligation secured by the bond and that the survivor has become sole debtor in respect of the bond; and |
| (b) | endorse on the bond that the estate of the deceased spouse is released from liability in respect of the obligation secured thereby and that the survivor has become sole debtor in respect of the bond. |
[Section 45(3) substituted by section 5 of Act No. 11 of 1996]
| (4) | As from the date of the endorsement on the title deeds of the property in terms of subsection (1), the estate of the deceased spouse shall be absolved from any obligation secured by the bond and the survivor shall become sole debtor in respect thereof in the same manner as if he had passed the bond at that date and, if the bond is a bond to secure future debts, the immovable property thereby mortgaged will secure any further or future advances which are made by the mortgagee of the bond to the survivor. |
[Section 45(4) substituted by section 2 of Act No. 24 of 1989]
| (5) | Any reference in this section to a bond shall include a charge in favour of the Land and Agricultural Bank of South Africa or any Department of State. |
[Section 45(5) inserted by section 19 of Act No. 43 of 1962]