Overview 

Estate planning in South Africa is often approached as a document-driven exercise, yet in practice it is a complex risk-management process that intersects with succession law, trust law, tax, administration realities, and institutional oversight. Poorly aligned wills, misused trust structures, and inadequate consideration of post-death administration frequently result in delays, disputes, increased costs, and professional exposure. 

This webinar reframes estate planning as an integrated legal and administrative discipline, focusing not only on drafting instruments, but on how those instruments function in reality after death. Particular attention is given to executor liability, Master of the High Court processes, beneficiary disputes, and the growing scrutiny by SARS and the courts. 

Join Adv. Dwight Snyman on 19 February 2026 from 13:00 to 14:30 as he provides a practical and legally grounded examination of wills, trusts, and estate administration, highlighting common risk areas, structural misalignments, and best-practice approaches for practitioners operating in this space. 

Learning objectives 

Attending this webinar will equip you with the following skills: 

• Understand estate planning as a risk-allocation and risk-mitigation process 

• Identify vulnerabilities in wills and trust structures that lead to post-death disputes 

• Analyse the interaction between testamentary instruments, trusts, and estate administration 

• Assess executor powers, duties, and personal liability exposure 

• Apply best-practice principles to ensure estate plans are practical, defensible, and executable 

Content 

The webinar will cover the following topics: 

• Foundations of Estate Planning Risk in South African Law 
o Estate planning as a risk-management exercise 
o False certainty in estate planning 
o Formal validity versus functional efficacy 
o Divergence between client intention and legal outcome 

• Testamentary Instruments: Drafting, Interpretation, and Vulnerability 
o Compliance with the Wills Act and testamentary capacity 
o Interpretation risks, ambiguity, and conditional bequests 
o Substitution clauses, lapsing, ademption, massing, and revocation 
o Drafting choices and executor discretion 

• Trust Structures in an Estate Planning Context 
o Legal nature of inter vivos and testamentary trusts 
o Trustee powers, fiduciary duties, and Master oversight 
o Control risks, de facto trusteeship, and compliance failures 
o SARS and judicial scrutiny of trust structures 

• Interaction Between Wills and Trusts 
o Pour-over provisions and funding mechanics 
o Vesting versus discretionary trusts 
o Timing, liquidity implications, and coordination risks 

• Estate Administration Process and Institutional Reality 
o Reporting of estates and appointment of executors 
o Letters of Executorship or Authority 
o Liquidation and distribution accounts 
o Practical delays and compliance bottlenecks at the Master’s Office 

• Executor Functions, Powers, and Liability 
o Fiduciary duties and statutory obligations 
o Remuneration, conflicts of interest, and discretionary powers 
o Personal liability and beneficiary disputes 

• Master of the High Court: Oversight and Practical Constraints 
o Interpretative discretion and documentary requirements 
o Rejection risks and inconsistent practice 
o Impact on timelines and costs 

• Taxation in Deceased Estates and Trusts 
o Estate duty and capital gains tax on death 
o Income tax during estate administration 
o Trust taxation post-death and liquidity planning 
o SARS compliance sequencing 

• Beneficiary Rights, Disputes, and Litigation Risk 
o Challenges to testamentary validity 
o Interpretation disputes and family provision claims 
o Objections to liquidation and distribution accounts 

• Professional Risk and Duty of Care in Estate Planning Practice 
o Advisory scope and negligence exposure 
o Outdated structures and failure to recommend review 
o Holistic versus instrumental advice 

• Periodic Review and Structural Reassessment 
o Legislative change and evolving jurisprudence 
o Changes in family composition and asset structures 
o Estate planning as an ongoing professional obligation 

• Best-Practice Integration of Drafting, Advice, and Administration 
o Integrated planning methodologies 
o Alignment between documentation and administrative reality 
o Ensuring estate plans remain efficient, defensible, and executable 

About the presenter 

Adv. Dwight Snyman 

Adv. Dwight Snyman is an admitted member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates and is accredited by the Legal Practitioners Council as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa. Adv. Snyman completed articles of clerkship, and attorney’s competency exams under the auspices of the Wits Law Clinic. He completed his Advocacy pupillage under the tutelage of the esteemed Adv. Louis Du Bruyn. 

Adv. Snyman has had opportunity and success in litigation, in the High and Magistrates’ Courts of the republic, the CCMA, Disciplinary Hearings and assorted other venues and forums, and has become possessed of practical litigation experience beyond what would normally be expected from a practitioner of his age and seniority. He is the holder of a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) from the University of Cape Town, and postgraduate Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of the Witwatersrand, for which he was accorded the honour of being on the Dean’s list for his academic performance. 

Who should attend?

The following persons will benefit from attending this webinar: 

• Attorneys. 

• Corporate Legal Professionals. 

• Legal Academics. 

• Candidate attorneys. 

• Law Students. 

• Paralegals. 

Price       

• R 400.00 - Online admission - Individual.  

• Group Price 1 - From R337 per person (up to 5 users)   

• Group Price 2 - From R260 per person (up to 10 users)   

• Group Price 3 - From R224 per person (over 11 users)  

Steps to register for the event:  

If you already have a profile, login and register for the webinar. 

If you don’t have a profile, create a free profile then login and register for the webinar. 

Click here  to create a free profile (There is no charge to create a profile and gain access to our free Monthly Practice Management Series). 

Click here  to find out about the Technical Resource Centre & CPD Subscription options. 

Additional material 

By attending this webinar you will be provided with: 

• A summarised slide presentation. 

• Reference documents and/ or course material where available. 

• You can ask questions during the webinar and you will also have access to the presenter after the webinar. 

About SA Legal Academy 

Welcome to SA Legal Academy (SALA), a provider of courses to help you succeed in your chosen career. We are committed to providing our students with the highest quality training and support, to ensure that your skills and knowledge are up to date and ready to face the challenges of the modern workplace. Our courses are designed to ensure that you reach your professional goals and enhance your career prospects. With our experienced training staff and comprehensive resources, you can be confident that you will receive the highest quality of training from SA Legal Academy. 

SALA is a Level 2 B-BBEE contributor, with 125% procurement recognition. Training spend on certain solutions can be allocated against the Skills Development element of the B-BBEE Scorecard through accredited and nonaccredited training or claimed through SETA grants. In addition, 25% of your Skills Expenditure can be claimed on non-accredited training or courses. 

Corporate Training Solutions 

At SALA, we recognise the evolving needs of businesses in today's dynamic environment. Beyond our standard webinar offerings, we provide tailored corporate training solutions designed to empower your team with the latest in legal and professional skills. Whether you're looking for online sessions or face-to-face training, our programs are crafted to ensure a comprehensive and engaging learning experience. 

Drawing inspiration from modern training methodologies, our corporate solutions are interactive, adaptable, and focused on real-world applications. We prioritize hands-on learning, ensuring your team can immediately apply their newfound knowledge in practical scenarios. 

Interested in a bespoke corporate training experience? Reach out to us at [email protected] or call 012 941 0448. Together, let's design a training program that elevates your team's capabilities and aligns with your organizational goals. 

Contact Us For More Information 

Have any questions or need any assistance? Contact us today!  

• Online chat through our website.  

• Phone: +27 (0) 12 941 0448  

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