Warning for divorced people in South Africa

• Divorced people in South Africa should update their estate plans within three months of their divorce decree to avoid their ex-spouse inheriting their entire estate.
• The Master of the High Court only looks at the will and not the divorce status, and a valid will remains legally binding until revoked or amended.
• Failing to update estate plans within the three-month deadline can lead to unintended consequences, as seen in the Western Cape High Court case JW v Williams-Ashman NO and Others (2020).