Know what to check before you agree to a contract.

Learn what steps you can take when goods are defective or a service does not meet your expectations.

Understand what to look out for in a lease, how rental deposits work and what to do when a dispute arises.

Understand key workplace rights and where to turn when something goes wrong.

Learn what to check before borrowing and where to seek help if repayments become difficult.

Explore practical steps you can take when someone has not repaid money they owe you.

Understand your rights during common interactions with the police and where to seek help.

Learn how to protect your personal information and what to do if you have a privacy concern.

Learn about protection orders for domestic violence and harassment, how to apply and where to seek help.

A will is one of the clearest ways to make decisions about what should happen to your estate after your death. It gives you an opportunity to record your wishes during your lifetime and helps ensure that the people administering your estate know what you intended. South African law recognises a person’s ability to decide how their estate should be distributed after death, often referred to as freedom of testation. The Master of the High Court specifically notes that making a

Having a will allows you to record what you want to happen to your estate after your death. However, simply having a document that you call a will does not necessarily mean that you have a valid will. South African law prescribes formal requirements that must be followed for a will to be valid. Understanding those requirements is important, particularly if you decide to draft your own will. What is a will? The Wills Act 7 of 1953 provides that a “will” includes a codicil and

Your will should reflect your current wishes and circumstances. If your life changes, it may be necessary to change your will too. You are allowed to amend your will, but changes must be made carefully. An amendment that does not comply with the Wills Act 7 of 1953 may be invalid. When should you consider changing your will? You should consider reviewing your will whenever there is a significant change in your life or when your wishes change. This may include: getting married

What happens to your estate after death depends, in large part, on whether you leave a valid will. If you leave a valid will, your estate will generally be distributed according to the wishes recorded in that will. If you die without a valid will, the law determines who inherits from your estate. What is testate succession? Testate succession applies where a person dies leaving a valid will. The will determines who should inherit from the estate, subject to applicable law. Th

When a person dies, their assets do not simply pass immediately to the people named in their will or to their family. A deceased estate must first be reported and administered according to the law. This process applies whether the deceased left a valid will or died intestate, meaning without a valid will. The difference is mainly in who is entitled to inherit and how the person who will administer the estate is identified. A deceased estate must be reported When a person dies

The Constitutional Court is the highest court in South Africa. It plays a central role in interpreting, protecting and enforcing the Constitution and makes final decisions on some of the most important constitutional and legal questions in the country. Section 167 of the Constitution sets out its composition and jurisdiction. What is this court? The Constitutional Court sits at the highest level of South Africa's court system. No other South African court is above it. Althoug

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) is one of South Africa’s superior courts and is based in Bloemfontein in the Free State. As its name suggests, its primary function is to hear appeals, rather than cases being brought to court for the first time. What is this court? The Supreme Court of Appeal is South Africa’s highest court of appeal below the Constitutional Court. It is the successor to what was previously known as the Appellate Division. Today, its powers are principally g

The High Court of South Africa is a superior court with broad jurisdiction over civil, criminal and constitutional matters. Unlike the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court does not deal only with appeals. It can hear many matters for the first time, while also hearing appeals and reviews from lower courts. What is this court? There is one High Court of South Africa, which is divided into nine provincial Divisions. Each Division exercises jurisdiction within a particular ge

The Magistrates’ Courts are the courts that many South Africans are most likely to encounter in everyday legal matters. They deal with a large volume of civil and criminal cases and are generally more accessible geographically than the superior courts. South Africa’s Magistrates’ Courts are divided into District Courts and Regional Courts, each with different areas of jurisdiction and powers. What is this court? The Magistrates’ Courts form part of South Africa’s lower courts

The Small Claims Courts provide a simpler and more affordable way for individuals to resolve certain civil disputes without the formalities and costs usually associated with ordinary litigation. They are designed to make access to justice easier for relatively small claims. As of 1 August 2026, the monetary jurisdiction of the Small Claims Courts is R30 000. What is this court? A Small Claims Court is a court established to deal with certain civil claims involving relatively

Not every legal dispute in South Africa is dealt with through the ordinary court hierarchy. Some areas of law require specialised knowledge, procedures or forms of dispute resolution, and South Africa therefore has specialised courts, designated court services and statutory tribunals that deal with particular types of matters. It is important to distinguish between them. A specialised court is still a court, while a tribunal is generally a statutory adjudicative body created