Prescription is when a debt is extinguished after a period of time. South African law stipulates that contractual debts and delictual debts expire and become unenforceable after a prescription period of three years from the date when they initially became due. Other types of debts have different prescription periods. The prescription period can be interrupted or delayed for various reasons. This is a complex topic, so it is advisable to speak to a registered Debt Collector.
