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The Section 29 notice deceased estate advertisement is the first statutory step in a deceased estate. It calls on anyone with a claim against the estate and anyone who owes it money, to come forward. Until it has run and the period has closed, the estate cannot move to the liquidation and distribution stage. Getting it placed correctly and on time is part of the executor’s duty.
ALSO READ: Section 35(5) vs Section 29 Estate Notices
This guide covers who must publish, where it goes, the 30-day period and the mistakes that cost executors time.
What the Section 29 notice does
Section 29 of the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965 requires the executor to advertise the estate so that creditors and debtors are on notice. The advertisement uses the prescribed J193 form. It calls on all persons with claims against the estate to lodge them, and all persons indebted to the estate to settle, within the stated period.
The notice protects the estate and the executor. Once the period closes the executor can deal with claims on a known footing, rather than facing a creditor who surfaces after distribution.
Who must publish it
The executor publishes the Section 29 notice after Letters of Executorship are issued by the Master of the High Court. In practice the attorney or fiduciary firm administering the estate places it on the executor’s behalf. It runs early in the process, before the Liquidation and Distribution Account is drafted.
Where to publish the Section 29 notice for a deceased estate
The notice runs in the Government Gazette and in a publication circulating in the district where the deceased ordinarily resided. The newspaper requirement can now be met online. Under Chief Master’s Directive 1 of 2025 an online publication is accepted in place of a printed newspaper, provided it circulates in the relevant district, appears in English and Afrikaans where prescribed and is viewable free of charge by any interested party. The Acts require that the notice be advertised and do not prescribe print or digital format. See the full guide on publishing an estate notice online in South Africa.
The 30-day period
The Section 29 notice gives creditors and debtors a period of 30 days from the date of publication to respond. The executor cannot finalise the account until that period has run. Counting the period from the correct date, and holding a verified publication record of when the notice ran, is what keeps the timeline clean.
What executors get wrong
- Publishing in the wrong district. The publication must circulate where the deceased ordinarily resided, not where the executor or attorney is based.
- Treating the Gazette and the newspaper as interchangeable. They are separate placements. Both apply where the statute requires them.
- Losing the verified publication record. The Master’s Office works off that record. A notice that ran without a retained record creates avoidable delay.
- Miscounting the period. The 30 days run from the date of publication. Submitting the account before the period closes sends it back.
How to place a Section 29 notice
Supply the J193 form or the estate details and the notice is formatted to the prescribed wording, proofed and published, with a verified publication record supplied for the Master’s Office. LegalNotice.co.za places Section 29 notices online in line with Chief Master’s Directive 1 of 2025, in English and Afrikaans where required, with regional circulation. The next notice in the estate is the Section 35(5) Liquidation and Distribution Account notice, which runs once the Master has approved the account.
How long does a Section 29 notice run for?
A Section 29 notice gives creditors and debtors a period of 30 days from the date of publication to lodge claims against the estate or settle amounts owed to it. The executor cannot finalise the Liquidation and Distribution Account until that period has closed.
Where must a Section 29 notice be published?
The notice runs in the Government Gazette and in a publication circulating in the district where the deceased ordinarily resided. Under Chief Master’s Directive 1 of 2025 the newspaper requirement can be met online, provided the publication circulates in the relevant district, appears in English and Afrikaans where prescribed and is viewable free of charge by any interested party.
Who pays for the Section 29 notice?
The cost of publishing the Section 29 notice is an expense of the estate. The executor places it and the estate carries the cost as part of the administration.
What is the J193 form?
The J193 is the prescribed form used for the Section 29 advertisement to creditors and debtors. It sets out the estate details and calls on interested parties to lodge claims or settle debts within the stated period.
This is general information on the publication process, not legal advice on the administration of a specific estate.
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