Yes It Does Require at least once a year. Unfortunately, with regular use, the appliances wear out, and you have to purchase new ones. But you don't need to run out and replace it right away, and it could just require some maintenance. Knowing the warning signs on your geyser could save you a lot of money in the long run.
TOP 5 SIGNS FOR A GEYSER SERVICE
1. No Hot Water coming out or taking much time to heat.
2. If It Leaks. It Could be a water leakage or current leakage.
3. Strange Sounds coming out. It normally sounds while heating But if you are getting louder strange sound it could be an error.
4. Rusty Water
5. Overheating

It happens when you least expect it. The day your geyser decides that it's had enough. In fact, Santam's claims figures show that geysers mostly tend to give our policyholders problems on a Monday.

When your geyser bursts, you're also more than likely to find out if you have the right insurance cover.

They say prevention is better than cure, which is why Santam's Risk Management team put together these handy tips for you to check when maintaining your geyser:

Insulate your geyser with a geyser blanket. This prevents heat loss, reducing the cost of electricity needed to keep water hot.
The ideal geyser thermostat temperature should be set between 50 – 60 degrees Celsius. This will save some money on your electricity bill.
Check that the electrical isolator switch is within 1 meter of the geyser. This was not a requirement on old geysers. The geyser also has to be earthed.
Check that you have a drip tray and that it can safely drain away any leaks from a burst geyser. This will save you a lot of discomfort from having to claim for water damage.
There should be a cover over the thermostat and element. These are often just left lying next to the geyser.
Maintain your geyser by replacing the self-sacrificing anode. Anode rods come installed with geysers and are generally made of magnesium or aluminium which are screwed into the inside of the geyser. This anode, or rod, prevents corrosion of the geyser by "self-sacrificing" its metal which attracts the corrosion of the water and its minerals preventing corrosion of the tank. Therefore, you can save money by maintaining your geyser with a replacement anode.
Check that you have the appropriate plumbing piping. The geyser may be fed with a plastic pipe, up to the shut off valve, but the pipe into and out of the geyser must be copper or galvanised steel.
Finally, we recommend that you ask a plumber to check that your geyser has all of the important safety features, such as the vacuum breakers, shut off valve, temperature and pressure safety valve and the multi (pressure) valve. These are important safety features of the whole water heating system.

Here's to being a little more prepared for those unexpected days.

Always maintain 2 feet of clearance around the appliance unless the manual specifically states otherwise. Drain about a quarter of the tank a few times a year to remove sediment and debris. Turn off the cold water supply, hook up a garden hose to the drain valve, then run into a bucket until the water is clear.

While selecting a geyser look for important features like:
Automatic thermal cut-out.
Adjustable thermostat settings.
Safety valve for pressure release.
Glass coated heating element.
Rust proof outer body and so on.

Most homeowners should flush their water heaters every six months or so, but if you have extremely hard water, you may want to do it more often. Flushing your hot water heater could be necessary as often as every few months depending on the mineral content of your local water supply

Most geysers have a limited life span of 10 to 12 years, while they can last that long it is generally not intended to be used beyond that

The cost of water heater maintenance ranges from $75 to $300+, depending on the following factors: What the plumber checks during a maintenance visit. Whether you choose a single visit or an annual maintenance plan. The overall quality of the plumber.

Bajaj New Shakti.
Havells Monza.
V Guard Victo.
AO Smith Green.
Faber FWG Vulcan.
Crompton Arno Neo.
Bajaj Immersion Rod.
Panasonic Duro Digi.

If not regularly flushed, your water heater can corrode more quickly. The sediment can also block or clog the pressure and relief valve (which helps keep your water heater from exploding)

Typically a residential hot water heater lasts between 6 and 13 years.

Your geyser accounts for 40 to 60 percent of your electricity bill. The implication is that geyser is the most energy consuming of all your home appliances.

Geyser Electricity Consumption Test
Max. Power drawn 3836W
Average energy used per day 9.24kWh
Total energy consumed in 4 days 36.97kWh

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While electricity provider Eskom has encouraged people to switch off their electric geysers overnight in order to save electricity, plumbers warn that leaving them off could damage the hot water pipes and even cause the geyser to burst.

Geyser Use: How to Reduce Energy Consumption and Save
Insulate your geyser. Each day, a small amount of heat dissipates into your electric geyser's surrounds, which results in gradual cooling. ...
Turn down your geyser's thermostat. ...
Only use what's needed. ...
Change your showerhead.