MARRIAGE LAWS

Changes to our marriage laws could have a significant impact on what it means to be a spouse, reports Bellville law firm Visagie Vos. In May, the government published a green paper stating that current legislation was not informed by an overarching policy based on constitutional provisions. “Despite the efforts of the State to redress the injustices of the past, the current marriage statutes still deprive certain cultural and religious communities from concluding legally recognised marriages. This includes Islamic and Hindu marriages, customary marriages in some African communities, and marriages of transgender persons,” the law firm said. It said a crucial public discourse has started that will redefine marriage in South Africa, ending with the submission to parliament of a new Marriage Bill by March 2024.