The process of winding up a deceased estate has long been associated with stacks of paperwork and slow moving bureaucracy. However, the legal landscape in South Africa is undergoing a significant digital shift. For those currently navigating the complexities of acting as a representative, a primary question often arises: do executors have to advertise estate notices?
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While the legal requirement to advertise is a non-negotiable part of the Administration of Estates Act, the way these notices are delivered to the public has modernized. In early 2025, the Chief Master’s Directive 1 of 2025 officially paved the way for executors to use compliant online newspapers instead of relying solely on declining print media.
Why the Master of the High Court requires estate notices
The requirement for public notices serves as a safeguard. It ensures that any person or business with a financial interest in the estate is given a fair opportunity to participate in the process. There are two mandatory advertising milestones every executor must meet:
- The Section 29 Notice: This is the notice to creditors. It must be published shortly after the executor is appointed to invite any claims against the estate within a 30-day window.
- The Section 35 Notice: This informs the public that the Liquidation and Distribution account is available for inspection at the Master’s Office for 21 days.
The transition to compliant online newspapers
Historically, executors had to place these ads in physical newspapers that circulated in the specific district where the deceased lived. As local print publications have become harder to find, the Master’s Office has adapted.
Today, executors can fulfil their obligations by publishing in compliant digital newspapers like Nuusflits. For an online notice to be legally valid, it must remain accessible to the public for free and provide the executor with a verifiable digital proof of publication. This modernization makes the process faster and ensures that the notice is searchable for anyone who might be looking for it.
Simplifying the path to compliance
Understanding that executors already face a heavy administrative burden, services like LegalNotice.co.za have emerged to bridge the gap between law and technology. By using a centralized digital service, executors can handle both the Government Gazette and the online newspaper requirements in one step.
This digital-first approach provides fixed-fee transparency and ensures that all documents meet the strict formatting standards required by the Master’s Office. For those still wondering, “do executors have to advertise estate notices in a digital world?”, the answer is yes—but the process is now more efficient than ever before.
