South African Board For Sheriffs
Human Resource Development in Cape Town

South African Board For Sheriffs.

The SA Board for Sheriffs is a statuatory body established under section 7 of the Sheriffs’ Act and has as its objects the maintenance of the esteem of; the enhancement of the status of, and the improvement of the standard of training of and functions performed by sheriffs. It also plays an indirect role in the appointment of sheriffs through it’s control over the issuing of Fidelity Fund Certificates, without which a person is not entitled to function as a sheriff. In practice, deputies perform most of the functions assigned to sheriffs and consequently most interaction between sheriffs’ offices and the public occurs via deputies. As employer and holder of concession from the State, the sheriff is accountable for his deputy’s actions. The offices of the sheriff for the Supreme Court and messenger of the court for lower courts were formally introduced in The sheriffs’ profession in South Africa was historically a divided one. In the then Supreme Court, the sheriff was also the Registrar of the Court and thus a state employee. Other officials of sheriff services in the Supreme Court were known as deputy-sheriffs, who were not state employees, but private practitioners, (most of whom were practicing attorneys, in addition to their sheriff functions). In the Magistrates’ Courts, sheriffs were known as messengers of the court. In metropolitan areas, messengers were public servants under the authority of the cheif magistrate. In rural magisterial districts, messengers often performed other functions in addition to their messenger duties. In response to a flow of complaints regarding the quality and efficiency of the service, the State decided to privatise sheriffs services. In terms of this process, sheriffs were no longer civil servants but were independent entrepreneurs. They still remained accountable to the State and certain of their obligations to the State remained circumscribed in the legislation. When executing duties with a legal court order the Sheriff can: Enter your premises, even when you're not there, open any door, vehicle of piece of furniture on your premises. The Sheriff must treat you with dignity at all times. Sheriffs are appointed to act within a specific magisterial district or an area within a district. The role of the Sheriff is required when there are civil judgements against people who have failed to pay their accounts, their rent or municipal services and maintenance. They also serve documents in divorce and family violence matters.