This week(13-17 September) is National Wills Week, which encourages South Africans to have valid wills drawn up. Every year, tens of thousands of South Africans die without a valid will. The effects on their families and loved ones can be devastating, as they are effectively left without access to funds while the estate is being wound up – a process which can take up to a year, or longer. The estate will then be distributed according to the rules of intestate succession, which divides the assets equitably among the surviving family members, but would not necessarily reflect the wishes of the deceased.
