The municipality will no longer enforce the requisition of compliance certificates to be lodged at the deeds office, for the purpose of registration of immovable properties.

The municipality said it will instruct the deeds office accordingly.

Local industry players have been complaining about the Spluma bylaws since it was implemented in Middelburg, the first municipality in South Africa to do so.

Glencore took Middelburg, Secunda and eMalahleni municipalities to court, to overturn certain sections of their respective bylaws which hampered title transfers of properties for Glencore employees.

The High Court ruled in Glencore’s favor, but Secunda and eMalahleni decided to appeal the ruling.

A full bench of the Supreme Court of Appeals upheld the High Court ruling, closing a painful chapter for architects, lawyers, draughtsman, realtors and buyers and sellers.

Though there is still a chance that Secunda and eMalahleni could appeal against the ruling of the appellate court, Steve Tshwete decided to abandon further litigation, as it had done with the appeal against the High Court ruling.