New land transactions are being disrupted by a prolonged labour dispute at the department of rural development and land affairs, the SA Geomatics Institute (SAGI) said on Friday.

"Several critical surveyor-general offices have effectively ceased to function and others are on a go-slow due to the failure of protracted negotiations about wages and staff levels over the last year," said Gavin Lloyd, president of the organisation for professionals working across the land surveying sector.

He said at the moment the worst affected surveyor-general offices were in Pietermaritzburg and Pretoria, but the disruptions could intensify in other areas if the labour dispute was not resolved.

"All new parcels of land being submitted and processed and other critical state functions are being directly affected.

"It is really quite appalling," said Lloyd.

Surveyor-general offices receive diagrams, sectional title plans and general plans from professional land surveyors.

The records need to be approved by the surveyor-general offices before they can be sent to the deeds offices for title deed registration.

It is only once that process is completed that the developer or original owner can receive payment for the transfer of the property.

Lloyd said the Cape Town-based mapping and geo-spatial information directorate — which provided geodetic, mapping and data services — was also being affected by the labour dispute.

Lloyd also expressed concern that the department was allegedly cancelling all new state bursaries for surveying in 2010, apparently due to a lack of funds.

"These are essential transformation programmes that need to continue for at least another six years," said Lloyd.

Elton Greeve, spokesman for the department of rural development and labour affairs, said the department was aware of disruptions at the surveyor-general offices.

He said the department's Director-General Tozi Gwanya had been asked to address the issues and a report on the matter was expected.

"We are engaging with all senior management... The Minister [Gugile Nkwinti] has been interacting with them and speaking to them and seeing what needs to be done," said Greeve.

Sapa

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