A Battle Of Wills

- Hilda Van Dyk & Jana Van Der Merwe

IT’S been four months since Joost van der Westhuizen lost his battle against the disease that ravaged his body and left him a shadow of the strapping rugby hero he once was – but the fight over what he left behind shows no sign of abating.

A battle rages over two wills drawn up while Joost was still alive – one that promised everything to his estranged wife, Amor Vittone, and the other that grants her nothing but three TV sets.

Amor says she’s baffled and humiliated and willing to fight to the end for what is her right – for her kids’ sake, not hers.

As far as she’s concerned, the will she and Joost signed on 13 August 2009 – the same year their marital woes were splashed across the front pages of national newspapers – is the one that should be declared valid.

Despite their personal problems, the will made it clear they wanted each other to be comfortable should either of them pass away. Amor would inherit everything should Joost die and vice versa.

But when Joost died in February she was in for a shock. Unbeknown to her, her husband had made a new will. In terms of this one, drawn up on 2 September 2015 in the presence of his lawyer, Ferdinand Hartzenberg, his assets would go into a trust for their children, Jordan (13) and Kylie (11).

However, according to reports, the master of the high court in Pretoria has refused to accept this will as it wasn’t signed by Joost. Instead Hartzenberg, as a commissioner of oaths, signed on behalf of his client who was incapable of putting pen to paper at that stage.

Nthabiseng Ntsoane, deputy master of the high court, couldn’t confirm if Joost’s estate was registered with them.