Software firm e4 sides with conveyancers in battle against ProxiSmart
Software-as-a-Service technology company, e4 has reiterated its support for conveyancers and legal practitioners following a ruling in the Pretoria High Court

Software firm e4 sides with conveyancers in battle against ProxiSmart

Software-as-a-Service technology company, e4 has reiterated its support for conveyancers and legal practitioners following a ruling in the Pretoria High Court, which found that administrative processes inherent to property transfers in South Africa should remain within the ambit of the legal fraternity.

Despite the High Court’s dismissal of newly established ProxiSmart and its business model, which proposed aspects of administrative work within property transfers be dealt with outside the legal profession, ProxiSmart now plans to launch an appeal.

“Conveyancers are highly skilled and qualified members of the legal profession and provide a specialised, professional service,” said Clive Bredenkamp, Head of e4’s Legal Studio division.

Papers filed by ProxiSmart in the High Court suggest the use of a custom-built, partitioned conveyancing software platform.

“For a newly established entity like ProxiSmart, it is our view that the creation of such a platform would take years to complete to cater for the level of functionality and integration with institutions as described in the court papers,” added Bredenhamp.

“e4 approached ProxiSmart twice with a written request for more detail on whether the platform has been built and its current state of readiness, or if they have engaged with an existing software vendor in this regard. ProxiSmart’s response was that it would not be appropriate to comment until the case before the court is finalised including the appeal.

The judgement of the court states that it is common cause that ProxiSmart has not yet developed the software, but this gives no status as to how it is being built.

“Given that e4 is categorically not involved with this initiative, the market should be asking how this software platform is being or will be provided and by whom, with the intent on disrupting the conveyancing process.

 

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