Vehicle deregistration red tape

[dartagnan]

G'day. I need advice on a sticky situation I've landed myself into thru my own mamparadom. I apologise for the long post, but I'm at my wits' end. I sold a car and made the unbelievably stoopid mistake of entrusting the registration certificate to the buyer and leaving the entire transfer of ownership process in his hands. He did nothing at all except selling it on to another chap who contacted me wanting the registration certificate. First buyer denied he ever had it. Went thru expense and frustration of applying for a duplicate, which I was warned would take up to five weeks. It took seven months! By this time the second buyer had sold the car on to a third who, when I contacted him, refunded me the licence renewal fee which I had had to pay in the meantime, and assured me I could leave the entire process to him .... and I believed him and doubly stoopidly gave him the certificate! About 14 months later I discovered the car was still in my name. Contacted buyer no 3, who casually told me he had sold the damn car on to a fourth buyer. The fourth buyer told me he had sold it on to a fifth! And who, I asked, is buyer number five? "I think her name is Natasha. She works at a pizza joint". I phone the pizza joint. Yes there is someone named Natasha, but she knows nothing about the car. Doesn't even drive! Ive been advised to simply scrap the car and not worry about saddling "Natsha" (or buyer no 6, or, who knows, number 32!) with a sticky problem. But without the registration certificate I can't even do that. I do have a certified copy of it, but the Post Office insists only an original or genuine duplicate will do. Having to fork out another R630 is bad enough, but facing the prospect of another seven-month wait fills me with dread. I can't believe there isn't some official who has the authority (not to mention the reasonableness) to rule that the certfied copy will suffice. If I knew who and where such an official is I could try making representations to him/her. Suggestions, anyone? I will name my next kid after you.

PS: the proviincial authority involved in this is the Eastern Cape.

 

[hawker]

Wow, you really did muck that up.

Not much else to say except good luck!

 

[psheldon]

Huh? Post Office? I would go to a municipal vehicle registration office who has access to eNatis (PE?) with I.D. and proof of address (Just in case). Here in Cape Town I had no problem scrapping my motor-bike (2 years old Chinese) although I had the registration papers. I could get a duplicate for R165 (I think the amount was). I would do this A.S.A.P 'cos you are libel for any traffic tickets.

 

[Fazda]

Yes, DO NOT try this process through the Post office - go direct to the Licencing Office and ask to speak to the person in charge. The PO is simply the middle man in this respect and can do little more than issue licence renewals.

 

[davemc]

Go the the licensing department again and get yet another copy of the logbook (certificate).
Once you have that, go to the police and put everything you told us in post one in an affidavit.
Take the logbook and the affidavit to the licensing department and scrap the car, you will have to be persistent, but they will scrap it given the facts eventually.

But, you cannot do anything without the logbook.

 

[Gnome]

Report the car stolen

Then get it back. Money PLUS a car. SCORE!

Seriously tho, what psheldon said is how I understand it also, you need to head to the licensing department. Not sure where the post office comes in with all of this...