Government · Contact details
Master of the High Court Pietermaritzburg Deceased Estates Contact Details
The Master of the High Court in Pietermaritzburg can be reached on 033 264 7000 or by email at MasterPietermaritzbu@justice.gov.za, and deceased estate documents are handed in at the Colonial Building, 241 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg. This is the Pietermaritzburg office of the Master of the High Court, part of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, which supervises deceased estates, trusts, curatorships, insolvencies and the Guardian’s Fund for its KwaZulu-Natal area.
The Master’s office is separate from the court itself. For court matters, see the High Court Pietermaritzburg contact details.
Master of the High Court Pietermaritzburg contact details at a glance
| Route | Details |
|---|---|
| Switchboard | 033 264 7000 |
| Office email | MasterPietermaritzbu@justice.gov.za |
| Guardian’s Fund helpdesk | 033 264 7046 / 7027 |
| Physical address | Colonial Building, 241 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg |
| Postal address | Private Bag X9010, Pietermaritzburg, 3200 |
| Docex | Master of the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, DOCEX 56, Pietermaritzburg |
| Public office hours | 07h45 to 16h00 |
| ICMS / online Master portals | justice.gov.za/master/icms.html |
Official deceased estates route in Pietermaritzburg
A death must be reported to the Master’s office where the deceased normally lived, within 14 days. If that was in the Pietermaritzburg office’s area, post or hand in the documents at the Colonial Building, 241 Church Street. The public office is open from 07h45 to 16h00.
For general questions, call the switchboard on 033 264 7000 or email MasterPietermaritzbu@justice.gov.za. Guardian’s Fund questions go to the Guardian’s Fund helpdesk on 033 264 7046 / 7027. The Docex address is DOCEX 56, Pietermaritzburg, and the online Master portals and ICMS web portal are linked from justice.gov.za/master/.
The Master does not accept faxed reporting documents. They must be posted or handed in.
What you need before contacting the Master
Which documents you need depends on whether there is a valid will and on the value of the estate:
- Every estate: Death Notice J294, a certified copy of the death certificate, proof of marriage where it applies, and the original will and any codicils.
- No valid will: a Next-of-Kin Affidavit J192.
- All estates: an Inventory J243.
- Estates over R250 000: the heirs’ nominations, an Acceptance of Trust as Executor J190 with a copy of the executor’s ID, and a bond of security J262 unless the executor is exempt. These estates need letters of executorship.
- Estates under R250 000: an Acceptance of Master’s Directions J155, a list of creditors, proof of the value of the assets and the nominee’s ID. For these estates the Master may issue letters of authority under section 18(3) of Act 66 of 1965.
The Master’s site notes that magistrates’ service points only have jurisdiction when there is no valid will and the gross estate is under R125 000 where there is no PEAS. Check this before you choose where to report a small estate.
Step-by-step contact process
- Complete Death Notice J294 and gather a certified death certificate, proof of marriage and the original will and codicils.
- If there is no valid will, complete the Next-of-Kin Affidavit J192. Complete the Inventory J243.
- For an estate over R250 000, add the heirs’ nominations, the Acceptance of Trust as Executor J190 with an ID copy, and a bond of security J262 unless exempt.
- For an estate under R250 000, add the Acceptance of Master’s Directions J155, the list of creditors, proof of asset values and the nominee’s ID.
- Post or hand in the documents at the Pietermaritzburg office, 241 Church Street, within 14 days of the death. The Master then issues the letters.
The office’s officials list shows that Pietermaritzburg deceased estate appointments run on weekday tables, for example Tables 1 and 2 on Monday, 3 and 4 on Tuesday, 5 and 6 on Wednesday, 7 and 8 on Thursday and 9 and 0 on Friday, for both testate and intestate estates. That list is dated 07 March 2022, so confirm the current arrangement with the switchboard.
Escalation route
The Master’s office does not publish a separate escalation line. If your query is not resolved, write to MasterPietermaritzbu@justice.gov.za with the estate number, or ask the switchboard on 033 264 7000 for the official handling your file. The officials extension list on the justice.gov.za contacts page may help, but it was last updated in March 2022.
For other state offices, see the government hub or the government directory L to M.
FAQs
What is the Master of the High Court Pietermaritzburg contact number?
The switchboard is 033 264 7000. The Guardian’s Fund helpdesk is 033 264 7046 / 7027.
What is the Master’s office email in Pietermaritzburg?
The office email is MasterPietermaritzbu@justice.gov.za.
How long do I have to report a deceased estate?
The estate must be reported within 14 days to the Master’s office where the deceased normally lived.
Can I fax deceased estate documents to the Master?
No. Faxed reporting documents are not accepted. Post them or hand them in at 241 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg.
What are the Master’s office hours in Pietermaritzburg?
The public office is open from 07h45 to 16h00.
Sources
- Department of Justice, Master of the High Court contacts: justice.gov.za/master/contacts.htm, read 2026-09-27
- Department of Justice, Master’s Office Pietermaritzburg officials list (PDF): justice.gov.za/master/contacts/moh-pmb.pdf, read 2026-09-27
- Department of Justice, How to report a deceased estate: justice.gov.za/master/deceased-how.html, read 2026-09-27
- Department of Justice, Master of the High Court home: justice.gov.za/master/, read 2026-09-27