On 1 July 2024, the PPRA officially announced that "Property advertising platforms, whether electronic or otherwise" became a regulated industry. All such platforms were required to register and obtain a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate (FFC) from that date.

That was nearly two years ago.

The PPRA sent the notice. The deadline came. The deadline went. And nothing happened!!

As of today, not one of the major platforms has been registered.  Not a single one.

We write this petition as three groups of South Africans – all affected, all angry, all demanding action.

Group 1 – Consumers (you and me)
We have booked holiday accommodation or short-term stays through:

• Airbnb
• Booking.com
• Agoda
• LekkeSlaap

1. Every time we booked, we paid a booking fee or service fee – sometimes 10–15% of the total cost.
   We assumed these platforms were legal. We were wrong.
2. The PPRA confirmed in writing (5 May 2026) that none of these platforms hold a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate (FFC).
   That means every booking fee we paid since 1 July 2024 (when property advertising platforms became a regulated industry) was paid to an illegal, unlicensed operator.

We want our money back.

Group 2 – Licensed agents and agencies (who follow the law)
We run legitimate property businesses. We have done everything the law requires:

1. Registered with the PPRA
2. Paid for our Fidelity Fund Certificates (FFCs)
3. Completed mandatory education and CPD training
4. Opened trust accounts or obtained exemptions
5. Submitted tax clearance and B-BBEE certificates
6. Paid annual fees and levies

We have paid advertising fees to:

• Property24
• Private Property
• AddProp 

We paid these fees to list our properties, find tenants, and attract buyers. We assumed these platforms were legal. We were wrong.

1. The PPRA confirmed in writing that none of these platforms hold an FFC.
2. Meanwhile, we are fully licensed. We are audited. We face fines and prosecution if we make a mistake.
   But the platforms we pay for advertising – the platforms that facilitate property transactions – are operating illegally with no consequences.
3. That is not fairness. That is not justice. That is regulatory failure.

 Group 3 – Private sellers and landlords (who pay management and listing fees)

We are not professional agents. We are ordinary South Africans who:

• List our own properties for sale on Property24 or Private Property and pay listing fees
• Use Addprop to manage our rental properties and pay property management fees
• Use LekkeSlaap or Agoda to list our holiday homes and pay commission or service fees

We trusted these platforms to be legitimate. We paid them fees to help us sell, rent, or manage our properties. Now we discover they have no license to operate in South Africa. We want our management fees, listing fees, and commission fees back.

  
The law is clear – and the PPRA is not enforcing it

1. Section 48 of the Property Practitioners Act says:

"A person must not perform the functions of a property practitioner … unless that person is in possession of a valid FFC."

1. Section 56(3) says:

"Any property practitioner who does not have a Fidelity Fund Certificate … must immediately pay that amount to the Property Practitioners Fidelity Fund."

That means every single fee collected since 1 July 2024 has been collected illegally

This is not fair – and it is not legal. 
The hypocrisy is staggering
Licensed agents are prosecuted for operating without an FFC. The PPRA has already fined individuals for this exact violation.
Multinational platforms – worth billions – are given a free pass. No fines. No compliance notices. No prosecution.
Licensed agents pay advertising fees to these illegal platforms, unknowingly funding their own regulator's failure.
Consumers pay booking fees to illegal platforms, with no way to claim refunds.
The PPRA hides behind an unrelated court case (Sakeliga) – which challenges B-BBEE rules, NOT whether platforms need a license.
The Sakeliga case has nothing to do with FFC requirements. The PPRA knows this. They are using it as an excuse.

We the public demand answers and refunds. We are not asking for favours. We are demanding that the PPRA do its job.

OUR DEMANDS:

1. Answers to these questions – within 14 days

Questions

1) Why have you prosecuted individual licensed agents but not these 7 platforms? -This is unequal treatment under the law

2) How much money have these 7 platforms collected from South Africans since 1 July 2024? -We have a right to know the scale of illegal fees
3) Why are you using the Sakeliga case to delay enforcement when it has nothing to do with FFC requirements? - This excuse is legally indefensible
4) When will you issue compliance notices to each platform? - Give us a date
5) Will you refer this matter for criminal prosecution under Section 48(5)? - Yes or no
6) Who specifically is responsible for this regulatory failure? - Names and Titles
7) How many complaints have you received about these platforms? - Be transparent
          2. Immediate enforcement – no more excuses

We demand the PPRA:

• Issue compliance notices to Airbnb, Booking.com, Agoda, LekkeSlaap, Property24, Private Property, and Addprop within 7 days.
  Require them to submit FFC applications within 30 days.
  If they refuse, refer them for criminal prosecution under Section 48(5) of the PPA.
  Publish a public register of all compliant vs. non‑compliant property advertising platforms.
  Block payment processing for non‑compliant platforms after a reasonable deadline (recommend 90 days)
• Order all 7 platforms to pay every fee collected from South African users since 1 July 2024 into the Property Practitioners Fidelity Fund – exactly as required by Section 56(3).
• Create a simple online claims process within 60 days so every affected person can claim back:

         3. Stop protecting illegal platforms

We demand the PPRA:

• Withdraw any internal instruction that uses Sakeliga to delay enforcement.
• Issue a public statement admitting that the Sakeliga case does not suspend the law.
• Treat small and large businesses equally – no more regulatory holidays for multinationals.
• Apologise to licensed agents who have been paying advertising fees to illegal platforms. 

 Sign this petition if you believe:

1. The law must apply to everyone – not just small businesses and licensed agents
2. Consumers should not pay fees to illegal operators
3. Licensed agents should not have to fund their own competitors through advertising fees paid to unlicensed platforms
4. Private sellers and landlords deserve refunds for management and listing fees paid to unlicensed platforms
5. The PPRA must enforce the Property Practitioners Act without excuses – today, not "after Sakeliga"

You deserve your money back. Together, we can force the regulator to do its job.

 
What will happen with the signatures?
 Signatures
1,000 - Deliver petition to PPRA with a formal demand for written answers within 14 days
5,000 - Deliver to Minister of Human Settlements and Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements
10,000 - Lodge formal complaint with Public Protector for maladministration
25,000 - Seek legal advice on compelling the PPRA to perform its statutory duties through court action (mandamus)
50,000 - National media campaign – name every platform and every PPRA official who failed to act
100,000 -Approach the Competition Commission regarding unfair advantage enjoyed by illegal platforms over licensed, compliant businesses