Ambrose Bierce once said, "Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate."
This is a dark outlook on estates. If you allow me to do a Jordin Sparks on you, "Why do estates always feel like a battlefield, a battlefield, a battlefield?" A certain darkness and negativity have crept into the South African media and, unfortunately, into South Africans' general opinions (as you know, next to a "braai").
Recent articles such as "The winding up of estates in SA is in shambles" and "Lawyers fed up with shambles in Master's Offices" will draw attention. To be clear, I am glad that attention is drawn to the issues we face in South Africa regarding the winding up of estates, as real matters need attention.
On the positive side, ignoring the hurdles that executors face in South Africa, I want to shine a big, bright light on South African executors and all the administrators involved in the process of winding up estates in South Africa because, despite the hurdles they face, estates are still wound up in pretty impressive turnaround times. The industry might have disorder, but it is not falling apart thanks to passionate South African executors with excellent skills.
The word "shambles" had grim connotations: "A place of terrible slaughter" or "bloodshed." If estates are a bloody battlefield and executors are soldiers, I can only see one winner triumphing at the end. Please keep fighting the battle, executors! The industry will be great again.
I am optimistic about the future of South African estates thanks to the people involved in the industry.
And although the battle was not won, we had excellent soldiers on the battlefield.
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