Lake Properties Lake Properties
Lake Properties Lake PropertiesLet's break it down thoroughly. In South Africa, for a will to be valid, it must comply with both substantive requirements (like legal and mental capacity, which we've already discussed) and formal requirements as set out in the Wills Act 7 of 1953.
Formal Requirements for a Valid Will in South Africa
1. The Will Must Be in Writing
- The will must be written—either typed or handwritten.
- Oral wills are not recognized, except in very limited military service cases0 (called a soldier’s will or oral will under exceptional circumstances).
2. Signature of the Testator
- The will must be signed at the end by the testator (or by someone else on the testator’s behalf, in their presence and at their direction).
- If the will consists of more than one page, each page must be signed by the testator (or by the person signing on their behalf).
- The signature must indicate the intention to give effect to the will (usually at the bottom of the document).
3. Witnessing the Will
- The testator must sign the will in the presence of two or more competent witnesses.
- These witnesses must:
- Be at least 14 years old.
- Not benefit from the will—if they are beneficiaries, their inheritance is likely to be declared invalid.
- Sign the will in the presence of the testator and each other.
- Witnesses typically sign on the last page of the will.
4. Date of the Will
- It is strongly advised to include the date on which the will was executed.
- While not a strict requirement, dating the will helps in determining which will is the most recent if more than one exists.
5. Amendments (Codicils)
- Any changes or amendments to a will (called codicils) must also:
- Be in writing.
- Be signed by the testator and two witnesses.
- If changes are made without proper signing and witnessing, they will be invalid.
6. Safekeeping of the Will
- While not a legal requirement, a will should be safely stored, either:
- With an attorney.
- In a will safe.
- At the Master of the High Court (optional).
Special Circumstances and Exceptions
- Soldiers and sailors on active duty may make oral wills under certain conditions, but these are rare and tightly regulated.
- A court may condone a will that does not comply with formalities if it's convinced the document was intended to be the deceased’s will (under Section 2(3) of the Wills Act).
No comments:
Post a Comment