Dear Colleague
 

“The working youth is critical to our future. The economy depends on you.
With your hard work and efforts at improving your skills,
you can make ours one of the most prosperous nations in the world.”
 
“The future belongs to our youth. As some of us near the end of our political careers,
younger people must take over. They must seek and cherish the most basic condition
for peace,namely unity in our diversity, & find lasting ways to that goal.”
Nelson Mandela

 
June is Youth Month in South Africa. In June, we not only celebrate our youth but also the future that they will shape for our Rainbow Nation.  
 
As Franklin Roosevelt said: “We cannot always build the future for our youth but we can build our youth for the future”. As it is the youth of today that will shape our future, good values and habits formed while young will make all the difference.
 

Friday, 16 June 2023, is Youth Day and, therefore,
a public holiday.
Enjoy the celebration!

 
The month of June would not be complete if we did not also pay tribute to all of the fathers in South Africa. On Sunday, 18 June 2023, we will be celebrating fathers and the contribution that they make to the lives of their children and to society as a whole.
 

Happy Father’s Day
to all our Efficient fathers!
 

COMPLETING EFBOE APPLICATION FORMS
 
We would like our service offering to you to be as efficient as possible. In most cases, the first step is to draft a Will, and that starts with an application form.
 
To enable our process to run as smoothly as possible, we require your help when completing the application form. It is imperative that the application form is completed meticulously and that any additional instructions are clearly stipulated. This will allow us to offer you a correctly drafted Will the first time around. We urge you to please ensure that identity numbers, names, and surnames are spelt correctly. Please copy these directly from your client’s identity document. It is also good practice to obtain copies of the identity documents of all of the individuals mentioned in the Will and to include these copies when submitting the application form.
 
In respect of special instructions that pertain to joint Wills, please discuss these special instructions thoroughly with your client(s) and note the instructions in chronological order on the application form:

• What should happen if the testator passes away first?
• What should happen if the testatrix passes away first?
• What should happen in the case of simultaneous demise?
• When should special bequests come into effect?

Keep in mind that, should heirs live abroad but they have not formally emigrated and/or have their tax affairs in order, it could cause delays in the payment of the inheritance, as well as in finalising the estate.
 

If any of the above is unclear, please do not hesitate to contact your EFBOE consultant. We appreciate your co-operation and thoroughness in this regard.
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PREPARING FOR THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE
 
Everyone has their own perspective on life, and the joys and sorrows thereof. Although death is part of life, most people do not want to talk about it.  An incredibly sensitive topic that needs to be addressed is how to prepare for the loss of a loved one.
 
When we are still young and healthy, death is not top of mind, let alone a topic of discussion. Things are going well and thinking about an event that is still far in the future is not seen as a priority. Thinking about the loss of a loved one is depressing and makes people sad, distressed, and uncomfortable. This topic is thus avoided, owing to the emotions attached to it.
 
As we start getting older, or life really ‘start to happen’ in the event of an illness or an accident, the issues around death may become more real. This is, however, no reason to become morbid or to dwell on all that could go wrong; we rather need to understand and accept that life is ever-changing. Life changes may be big or small, but irrespective, these changes will include loss.
 
Much has been written about death itself but not as much about how to prepare for the loss of a loved one. Especially those loved ones who have shared our hopes and dreams, celebrated our victories and joys, but also suffered through tragedies and sorrows with us. The loss of such a companion or loved one will, undoubtedly, leave a painful void.
 
Unfortunately, there is no way to fully prepare for death. Only people who have already gone through losing a loved one can really understand the loss and express what they needed to be able to carry on with their lives. People’s needs will also vary because we are all unique individuals and our experience with death is very different for each person. But it is safe to say that the loss of a loved one inflicts a similar wound on us all.
 
Although no one can fully prepare, doing a few practical things before someone passes away can alleviate a portion of the emotional burden and sorrow. The following practical steps can bring a bit of order to our lives that may otherwise feel chaotic at the time of someone’s passing.

Grief
Grief is normal and necessary after experiencing loss. To grieve is to experience sorrow. In Latin, grieving means to burden: We have the burden of a heavy heart - for our loved ones but also for ourselves, as we must carry on without them.
 
Grief is an essential part of the process of loss and enables us to eventually move on with our lives after loss. That is why making good memories is so important. It is these memories that will sustain us during times of tragedy and heartache.
 
There are no set rules in terms of how long you should grieve, and no one should tell you when it is a good time to stop grieving. Time is necessary for healing. 
 
As mentioned, grieving is a personal experience. You need your own time to find your own rhythm and your own way. There is no urgency to make rash decisions or changes. Give yourself enough time to think things through. In doing so, you afford yourself the opportunity to understand that there are other options available to you and you will be able to envision how to live your life in a different way. Remember to take care of yourself after losing a loved one.
 
Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-flux/202008/7-ways-prepare-the-death-loved-one
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A SERIES ON LEADERS WHO LEFT THE BIGGEST LEGACIES -2
 
We continue our series with another example of a selfless legacy that benefitted mankind.
 
Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
 
Mother Teresa’s legacy of selfless service is one that garners a great deal of respect. Mother Teresa, born in Yugoslavia, was a Roman Catholic nun and the founder of Missionaries of Charity. She had a heart for people and left her teaching post at a Roman Catholic girls’ school to spend the rest of her life in India. There she devoted her entire life to working among the poorest of the poor. She became famous worldwide for dedicating her life to the care of the sick, homeless and dying in the slums of Kolkata. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

The Let’s Talk EFBOE Team