Deeds Office – Mthatha

The Mthatha Deeds Office, formerly Umtata, registers property in the part of the Eastern Cape that made up the former Transkei: Mthatha itself, Butterworth, Lusikisiki, Port St Johns, Mount Frere and the districts of the Wild Coast interior.

It is one of three registries covering the Eastern Cape. The former Ciskei districts are registered at King William’s Town (Qonce), and the rest of the province at Cape Town.

Family property and deceased estates

A high proportion of the searches we run against the Mthatha register are for deceased estates: a family home registered decades ago in a grandparent’s name, no-one certain what the deed says or whether the transfer was ever completed. It is the most common property question in the region and one of the hardest to answer from the outside.

Two searches answer most of it. An Instant Person Search takes a surname and ID number and returns every property registered to that person, which establishes what is actually in the estate. Our guide to transferring property after death covers the process that follows.

What you can order for a Mthatha property

Everything below is ordered online and delivered by email. Nothing needs a visit to the office.

• Instant Property Search — the registered owner, purchase price and date, bond amount and bondholder, and full transfer history, returned in seconds for R230.00.
• Title Deed (Deed of Transfer) copy — the registered deed itself, R675.00, 1 to 10 Working Days.
• Marriage Contract (ANC) copy — an antenuptial contract registered at any registry, R685.00.
• Property Valuation Report — a market-value estimate built from registered sales and comparables, R230.00.
• Instant Person Search — every property registered to a named person, R230.00.

See every search and what it costs

Certified copies

The Mthatha registry does not issue certified copies. Certified Title Deed copies (Section 66) and certified Marriage Contract copies (Section 67) are issued by the Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Mpumalanga, Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Pietermaritzburg offices only.

For almost everything else, an informational copy is what you want and what you would have been given anyway. It is accepted for checking conditions, confirming ownership and due diligence before an offer; certification is generally only required for a formal legal process such as winding up an estate.

Frequently asked questions

Which areas does the Mthatha Deeds Office cover?

The former Transkei districts of the Eastern Cape, including Mthatha, Butterworth, Lusikisiki, Port St Johns and Mount Frere.

How do I find out what property a deceased relative owned?

An Instant Person Search takes a surname and ID number and returns every property registered to that person across the register, which is what establishes what is in the estate. It costs R230 and returns in seconds.

Can I get a certified copy from Mthatha?

No. Certified copies are issued only by the Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Mpumalanga, Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Pietermaritzburg registries. An informational copy costs R675 and is accepted for most purposes other than transferring a property.