Tax deduction for vacant months in property

I bought a rental property but didn't have a tenant for the first 3 months. Can I deduct the interest and rates for the first 3 months where I did not get any rental income?

Were you actively seeking a tenant over those months?

Hi yes but nothing I can prove because we didn't look through an agent.

You are allowed to deduct the costs provided you were actively seeking, it does not need to be via an agent. You can demonstrate it if SARS asks by perhaps ads you placed in the papers or online.