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Belangrike lewensgebeure? Dis tyd om jou testament te hersien

’n Testament is nie ’n statiese dokument nie; dit moet aangepas word soos jou lewe verander. In Suid-Afrika kan die versuim om jou testament ná groot lewensveranderings op te dateer ernstige regs-, finansiële en emosionele gevolge vir jou geliefdes hê. Hierdie artikel bespreek die risiko’s en beklemtoon waarom gereelde hersienings noodsaaklik is.

 Waarom jy jou testament moet opdateer

Jou lewe verander gedurig en jou testament behoort saam met jou omstandighede te verander. Belangrike mylpale sluit in:

  • Huwelik of egskeiding: ’n Huwelik kan ’n vorige testament ongeldig maak. ’n Egskeiding verwyder ook nie outomaties ’n eks-eggenoot as ’n begunstigde nie. Jou testament moet dus ná ’n huwelik of egskeiding gewysig word.
  • Geboorte of aanneming van kinders: Jou testament behoort duidelike voorsiening te maak vir jou kinders se versorging en welsyn. As daar nie gepaste reëlings in plek is nie, sal die staat besluit hoe hulle versorg moet word, en dié besluit stem moontlik nie met jou wense of jou kinders se beste belang ooreen nie.
  • Afsterwe van ’n begunstigde of eksekuteur: As ’n benoemde erfgenaam of eksekuteur sterf en die testament nie opgedateer word nie, kan dit tot onduidelikheid en geskille lei.
  • Verkryging of vervreemding van bates: Nuwe eiendomme of beleggings sal moontlik nie reg verdeel word as dit nie in die testament aangedui word nie.
  • Emigrasie of verandering van verblyfstatus: Internasionale verhuising kan die administrasie van jou boedel beïnvloed en vereis dalk ’n aparte testament vir buitelandse bates.

Die risiko’s van ’n verouderde testament

  • Geskille en regsgedinge in die familie: Verouderde testamente is ’n algemene bron van konflik tussen erfgename. As jou testament nie jou huidige wense weerspieël nie, kan dit teengestaan word, wat tot langdurige en duur hofsake kan lei.
  • Vertragings in boedeladministrasie: ’n Onduidelike of betwiste testament kan die uitbetaling van bates vertraag, wat finansiële druk op afhanklikes plaas en die emosionele las vererger.
  • Intestaat-erfenisproses: As jou testament ongeldig verklaar word of nie al jou bates dek nie, sal die Wet op Intestate Erfopvolging van toepassing wees. Dit kan daartoe lei dat jou boedel op ‘n wyse verdeel word wat nie met jou wense ooreenstem nie.
  • Belasting- en regskomplikasies: Veranderings in belastingwetgewing of boedelregulasies kan jou testament beïnvloed. ’n Verouderde testament maak moontlik nie gebruik van huidige regstrukture nie en kan tot ’n hoër belastinglas of administratiewe probleme lei.

Doen die volgende:

  • Hersien jou testament jaarliks of na enige belangrike lewensgebeurtenis.
  • Raadpleeg ’n regsadviseur om seker te maak jou testament bly geldig en reflekteer jou huidige wense.
  • Herroep ou weergawe(s) om verwarring of konflik te voorkom.
  • Kommunikeer veranderinge aan jou familie en eksekuteur vir duidelikheid.

Vir gemoedsrus, werk saam met ervare boedelbeplanningsprokureurs soos Swemmer & Levin om jou testament op datum te hou. Ons maak seker dat jou testament reg opgestel word en jou doelwitte sal nakom.

Maak ’n afspraak

 

Hoewel daar redelike pogings aangewend word om die akkuraatheid van die inhoud van hierdie publikasie te verseker, sal nie die skrywers van die artikels nie, sowel as die uitgewer, verantwoordelik wees vir enige gevolge wat voortspruit uit aksies wat gebaseer is op die inligting of aanbevelings wat hierin vervat is nie. Ons materiaal is net vir inligtingsdoeleindes.

Jan Fourie

Consultant |  Attorney, Notary & Conveyancer | BA. LLB

Jan graduated in 1974 with a five-year BA LLB degree from the University of Stellenbosch, whereafter he was admitted as an advocate and prosecuted as such in the Cape Town and Wynberg Courts. In 1974, he joined Swemmer & Levin as the Candidate Attorney of Mr Levin (founding member) and was admitted as an attorney on 7 April 1976, as a conveyancer on 11 January 1978, and as a Notary on 19 December 1984. Since 1974, he has served in various committees, including the West Coast Chamber of Commerce, the Vredenburg School Committee, and the Malgas Lions Club. 

Furthermore, Jan was the author of the first bilingual law book, The New Debt Collecting Procedures (Die Nuwe Skuldinvorderingsprosedures), which was used by all the Magistrate Courts throughout South Africa. With the founding of the Small Claims Court in Vredenburg, Jan served as one of the first Commissioners. He is currently based at Swemmer & Levin’s Vredenburg office and has been with our firm for more than 47 years.

Pieter Smit

Director | Attorney & Conveyancer | BA. LLB

Pieter obtained his BA Law degree from Stellenbosch University in 1995 and his LLB degree from the North-West University in Potchefstroom in 1998. He served his articles at Marais Muller Attorneys from 1998 to 1999 and was admitted as an attorney in 2000 and as a conveyancer in 2002. Pieter is the founder of PP Smit Attorneys, which opened its doors in 2004. He also became a director of Swemmer & Levin in 2006. Pieter loves the outdoors and participating in all forms of sport, including tennis, golf, fishing, spearfishing, scuba diving, and hiking. 

Johann Maree

Consultant | Attorney | BA. LLB

Johann matriculated at Oudtshoorn High School and attended Stellenbosch University, where he obtained his BA Law and LLB degrees. Following his studies, he worked for three years as State Prosecutor at the Magistrate’s Court in Cape Town. Johann completed his legal training with the State Attorney in Pretoria and then moved to his hometown, Oudtshoorn, where he worked as a lawyer for a year. In 1983, he finally moved to Vredenburg and joined Swemmer & Levin. When he is not in the office, Johann enjoys cycling and in his earlier days, he used to be a long-distance junkie.

Richard Phillips

Director | Attorney | Bcom & BProc

After matriculating at Paarl Boys’ High School, Richard completed his BCom and BProc degrees at the University of Port Elizabeth. He served his articles with Van Wyk Fouchee in Paarl and quickly developed an affinity for litigation. Richard has always had a deep love for the ocean and when he was presented with an opportunity to join Swemmer & Levin on the West Coast, he agreed without hesitation and has been with our firm since 1997. Richard specialises in general litigation and divorces. When he is not in the office or with his family, he tries to spend as much time as possible in or on the water.

Jandré Smith

Director | Attorney | LLB

Jandré grew up and matriculated in the small Klein Karoo town of Oudtshoorn. He furthered his studies at the North-West University in Potchefstroom, obtaining his LLB degree during 2015. He completed his articles at Swemmer & Levin in 2017 and was subsequently appointed as a professional assistant. In 2020, Jandré was promoted to the position of director at the firm, where he practises in the Litigation department at our Langebaan office. When not practising law, Jandré is an avid sports fan. He has a passion for nature and enjoys camping, trail running, and mountain biking with his family.

Andre van der Walt

Director | Attorney | LLB

Andre graduated in 2015 with an LLB degree from the University of Pretoria. He later went on to obtain his NQF 7 Certificate in the Administration of Deceased Estates from the University of South Africa, which allowed him to further his career in deceased estates and the drafting of wills and trusts. Andre served his articles at Barnard & Patel Attorneys under the supervision of Mr YAS Patel. After being admitted as an attorney in 2016, he continued working at Barnard & Patel Attorneys as a professional assistant in the deceased estates department.

Andre joined Van Rensburg Attorneys in 2019 and was head of the deceased estates department until 2021. He then received the opportunity to move to the West Coast, where he joined Swemmer & Levin Attorneys. Andre loves travelling and enjoys the beauty that our country has to offer with his friends, family, and loved ones.

Harmann Potgieter

Attorney | LLB

Harmann graduated in 2018 with an LLB degree from the North-West University’s Potchefstroom Campus. He went on to study and grow in various fields, including doing a course on the Consumer Protection Act and a course at the University of South Africa where he obtained his NQF 7 Certificate in the Administration of Deceased Estates.

Harmann completed his articles of clerkship at Swemmer & Levin under the supervision of Mr Richard Phillips. After being admitted as an attorney in 2020, Harmann continued with Swemmer & Levin as a professional assistant in the deceased estates department as well as the litigation department. He loves to study, possesses a deep curiosity about the world, and is dedicated to giving back to the community.

Carla Botha

Director | Attorney, Conveyancer & Notary | LLB  

Carla obtained her LLB at the North West University, Potchefstroom Campus in 2015. She completed her articles in 2017 with Brits Dreyer Inc in Bellville. She is an admitted Attorney, Notary and Conveyancer. After her articles she relocated to Kimberley where she worked as a professional assistant in the Conveyancing department of Van de Wall Inc. Coming back to her Western Cape roots, she now joins the Swemmer & Levin team as a professional assistant.

 

Bea Hansen

Candidate Attorney | LLB  

Bea obtained her LLB degree from the University of the Western Cape. Originally from Velddrif on the West Coast, she has a strong connection to the area and its people, which has played an important role in shaping who she is.

She joined the Swemmer & Levin team in 2026 as a Candidate Attorney and is excited to begin her career in law. She is passionate about helping people, learning and growing within the legal profession, and making a meaningful contribution to her community.

 

Jana Steyn

Conveyancer | LLB  

Jana grew up in Mokopane, in Limpopo. She obtained her LL.B degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA) in 2017 and was admitted as an Attorney in 2019. Her early career provided her with broad experience across various areas of law, including litigation, debt collection, estate administration and wills, divorce matters, contracts and conveyancing.

In 2022, Jana relocated to the West Coast, and shifted her focus to conveyancing. She was admitted as a Conveyancer in 2023. Jana joined the Swemmer & Levin team in April 2026 as a Conveyancer.