Do contracts require witnesses?

[neliusmit]

Hi to all the legal boffs.

I know that the law requires some contracts (such as a will and a marriage) to be signed by two witnesses.

But do other contracts - such as a loan or employment contract or a business agreement need to be signed by witnesses?

I have read that the purpose of witnesses only really comes into play if the person who signed the contract says that they did so under duress or claim that they did not sign ... and generally the witnesses are then untraceable as no other information appears other than their signatures ... which kind of makes it moot.

It is recommended that the witness will also print their names under their signatures. I make provision in my contracts for 2 witnesses together with their physical addresses, cell no, email and fax number should I wish to contact them in case of a dispute arising.