Only about a third of South African adults have a valid will, according to the Sanlam Legacy 2026 Survey on South Africans and Wills, released this week to mark the start of Wills Month. Of those that do, a large portion have not informed the person most likely to wind up the estate where the will is or what it contains.
The research was carried out online. It involved 1 200 respondents, of whom 70% were over the age of 35 and 60% lived in households with an income of more than R10 000 a month.
Some of the findings were:
- 65% didn’t have a will.
- 35% said they had a will, but only 28% said their will had been signed by two witnesses and was safely stored.
- Almost two in five (39%) of those who had a will said they had not told their next-of-kin or the person most likely to wind up their estate where the document was or what was in it.
- Those that had a will gave the following reasons for drawing one up, in descending order of preference: Death in the family; having a child; financial advice; marriage or long-term partnership; buying a home or land.
- Those that didn’t have a will gave the following reasons, in descending order: Do not own enough to justify one; intend to act but have not found the time; uncertain about the process; find the subject uncomfortable.
Sankie Morata, CEO of Sanlam Trust, debunks the common misapprehension that only people with significant assets need a will. He says estate planning is fundamentally about deciding on actions to be taken when you die – and they concern not only assets, but liabilities (debts) and the care of minor children. Even a modest estate can be a source of frustration and hardship if these decisions are left unclear.
“The value of a will lies in the protection it offers, not in the size of the estate. A properly drafted will reduces conflict, appoints the right people and gives a grieving family a clearer path at the worst possible time,” Morata says.
Financial planner and educator Adele Barnard echoes these sentiments. “A will is not just for the wealthy – it’s for anyone who wants to protect the people they love. You don’t need multiple properties or a large portfolio. If you have a bank account, a vehicle, insurance policies, retirement savings or people who depend on you, you already have an estate that must be administered when you pass away. Without a valid will, your estate is distributed under intestate succession, which may not reflect your wishes and can create delays, costs and stress. Your legacy isn’t measured by what you own – it’s measured by how well you’ve protected the people you love. A will is one of the greatest gifts you can leave behind,” she says.
The more ordered your affairs, the easier and quicker your nominated executor will be able to wind up your estate, Louise Danielz, Chief Operating Officer of Sanlam Trust, says.
“People don’t appreciate that it is the executor’s job to sort out everything that was not completed in your lifetime. They take on your affairs as they are at the time of death and must tie up all the loose ends. The process is legislated, with clear timelines, so it is very difficult to finalise an estate in under a year unless the deceased’s affairs were already in order. Appointing an executor you trust, and getting your affairs in order beforehand, are what separates a smooth process from a drawn-out one,” Danielz says.
• Also check out our Honest Money podcast “Why Most People Don’t Have Wills and Why They Should” and article on dying intestate “This is What Happens if You Die Without a Will”.
