We are dealing with an estate where the deceased was born South Africa and he has a South African citizen ID card. He was domiciled in England.
In order to close a South African bank account held by the deceased, we need to register his death in South Africa and obtain a Death Certificate from there.
We have contacted to South African embassy for guidance, with the original Death Certificate, but have had no response. The government website isn’t particularly useful. The options available to contact them via the website only relate to residents of South Africa.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? Would you be able to advise how we register the death in South Africa?
In my experience it is near impossible to register the death of a person who passed away outside South Africa with the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa, and to obtain a South African Death Certificate.
It requires a relative of the deceased to make an attendance at the offices of the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa (or a South African Embassy abroad) with the Death Certificate issued abroad, to complete a form and pay the required fee.
I’ve tried numerous times to obtain Death Certificates on behalf of families that do not have any relatives in South Africa and have not yet been successful.
Recently, at a different office of Home Affairs (not our local one in Somerset West), I was told that I can do so with a Special Power of Attorney granted by a relative of the deceased. I am waiting for the original Special Power of Attorney to arrive from New Zealand and, once I am in receipt thereof, I will give it another try, knowing that I might be told that it can’t be done.
Anyway, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. If you want me to, I’ll gladly let you know whether I was successful.
Jan van Zyl
Miller Bosman Le Roux Attorneys
Somerset West
South Africa