I thought shelf companies were so you could quickly get a new company going (as it's all pre-registered), so you have an established history, which some organisations - such as banks - value, or so you can access a type of company no longer available[0]. They're not fake companies; to the extent companies are "real", they are real. They're just dormant.

[0] https://www.sars.gov.za/businesses-and-employers/small-busin...