On 1 July 2024, the PPRA formally announced that property advertising platforms — electronic or otherwise — had become a regulated industry. Every such platform was required to register and hold a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate (FFC) from that date.
That was nearly two years ago. The notice went out. The deadline passed. And as the PPRA itself confirmed in writing on 5 May 2026, not one major platform has registered.
Who This Affects
Consumers. Anyone who has booked accommodation through a short-term rental platform since July 2024 has paid booking and service fees — often 10–15% of the total — to an operator with no licence to trade in this country.
Licensed agents and agencies. Those of us who followed the rules registered with the PPRA, paid for our FFCs, completed our CPD, opened trust accounts, submitted tax clearance and B-BBEE certificates, and paid our annual levies. We then paid advertising fees to platforms that did none of it. We are audited and face prosecution for a single mistake; they face nothing.
Private sellers and landlords. Ordinary South Africans have paid listing fees, management fees and commissions to platforms operating without a licence.
What the Law Says
Section 48 of the Property Practitioners Act is unambiguous: a person must not perform the functions of a property practitioner without a valid FFC. Section 56(3) goes further — any practitioner operating without one must pay the amounts collected to the Property Practitioners Fidelity Fund.
The Excuse
The PPRA has pointed to the Sakeliga matter as a reason to hold off. That case concerns B-BBEE requirements. It has nothing to do with whether platforms need a licence. Using it to justify two years of inaction is not legally defensible.
What the Petition Demands
- Written answers to seven specific questions within 14 days — including how much has been collected, and who is accountable for the failure to act.
- Compliance notices issued to every non-compliant platform within 7 days.
- Referral for criminal prosecution under Section 48(5) where platforms refuse.
- A public register of compliant and non-compliant platforms.
- Fees collected since 1 July 2024 paid into the Fidelity Fund, as Section 56(3) requires, with a claims process so affected people can recover what they paid.
Add Your Name
This is not a request for special treatment. It is a request that the law apply equally — to multinational platforms as much as to the small, licensed businesses the PPRA has had no difficulty prosecuting.
