National Will Week: Have your will drafted free of charge
During National Wills Week, readers can get a basic will drafted for free at participating legal firms in the city.
POLOKWANE – As has become tradition over the past few years, people will be able to have a basic will drafted by an attorney free of charge during National Wills Week, from 26-30 October.
Review earlier spoke to Gert Ehlers from DDKK about the importance of using a professional service when drafting a will.
“It is recommended that a lawyer or other competent professional draft your will and do estate planning, as the terms of a will can have far-reaching consequences. A lawyer or other competent professional is usually better equipped to ensure that all applicable laws, rules and regulations are kept in mind to ensure you are not only sitting with a valid will, but that the estate planning is done so that your heirs can benefit and not the taxman,” explains Ehlers.
Read more: This is why you should have a will
He added that if you want to save money you can draw up your own will. The benefits to this are that it is cheaper, however, the disadvantage of self-drafting a will is that not everyone is experienced and has the necessary legal knowledge to ensure that the requirements of the law are met and that the drafted will is valid.
“Anyone can make a will, however, the best wills are usually drafted by professionals with experience in estate planning and especially the administration of estates. There are financial planners who can draft excellent wills, but the public should be careful and ensure that the author is competent. The consequences of an invalid will or a will that does not ensure that estate planning is done properly can be far-reaching.”
In some cases, you might want to alter your will and according to Ehlers, the simplest way is to draft a new and updated will that will replace the previous will.
The services are offered through a partnership with Legal Aid South Africa (Legal Aid SA), the Law Society of South Africa and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
The following legal practitioners in Polokwane are taking part in this year’s initiative and interested persons are advised to make appointments to ensure that they are accommodated:
- Molepo Damara and Associates 076 480 1775
- Kabelo Mafa Attorneys Inc (015) 291 2761
- Espag Magwai Attorneys (015) 297 5374
- Du Toit, Swanepoel, Steyn & Spruyt (015) 297 7888
- Sefalafala Attorneys Inc (015) 004 0292
- Baloyi N Nevondo Inc (015) 962 0339
- Pratt, Luyt & De Lange Attorneys (015) 297 0186
- Thomas Grobler Attorneys (015) 295 6046
- Mugivhi Attorneys (015) 291 1931
- DDKK Attorneys (015) 297 3310
- AM Vilakazi Tau Inc (015) 291 1975
- A.M Carrim Attorneys Inc 061 534 1246
- Refentse Sebata Attorneys (015) 291 3784
- TS Muroa Attorneys 071 296 6164
- Mulaudzi RN Attorneys 076 876 4255
- NC Ramahuma Attorneys 076 084 0413
- TM Makgopa Attorneys 081 460 6274
