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,SOUTH AFRICANFAMILY LAW
JACQUELINE HEATON
BLC LLB (Pret) LLM (Unisa)
Professor of Private Law, University of South Africa
HANNERETHA KRUGER
BIur LLB (UOFS) LLD (Unisa)
Professor of Private Law, University of South Africa
FOURTH EDITION
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© 2015
ISBN 978 0 409 12059 2
E-BOOK ISBN 978 0 409 12060 8
First Edition 1999
Second Edition 2004
Reprinted 2005, 2006, 2007
Third Edition 2010
Copyright subsists in this work. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the publisher’s written permission. Any unauthorised reproduction of this work will constitute a copyright
infringement and render the doer liable under both civil and criminal law.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information published in this work is accurate, the editors,
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any person as a result of the reliance upon the information contained therein.
Editor:Lisa Sandford
Technical Editor: Liz Bisschoff
Printed in South Africa by Interpak Books Pietermaritzburg
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PREFACE ................................................................................................................................. xvii
PART 1: CIVIL MARRIAGES
1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 3
1.1 The definition of the family .................................................................................... 3
1.2 The scope of this book ............................................................................................. 3
2 THE ENGAGEMENT ........................................................................................................ 5
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 5
2.2 The requirements for a valid engagement ............................................................. 5
2.3 The content and consequences of the engagement .............................................. 6
2.4 Termination of the engagement ............................................................................. 6
2.4.1 General ......................................................................................................... 6
2.4.2 The consequences of termination of the engagement ............................. 7
(a) Delictual damages for personality infringement ............................... 7
(b) Contractual damages for breach of promise ..................................... 8
(c) Return of the engagement gifts .......................................................... 9
2.5 Satisfaction and damages on the ground of seduction.......................................... 10
3 THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A CIVIL MARRIAGE .......................................... 13
3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 13
3.2 Capacity to act .......................................................................................................... 14
3.2.1 General ......................................................................................................... 14
3.2.2 Declared prodigals ...................................................................................... 14
3.2.3 Mentally ill persons...................................................................................... 15
3.2.4 Persons who have been placed under curatorship because they are
incapable of managing their own affairs .................................................... 15
3.2.5 Minors .......................................................................................................... 16
(a) General ................................................................................................. 16
(b) Consent which is required for the civil marriage of a minor ........... 16
(c) Instances in which a minor requires no consent to enter into a
civil marriage ....................................................................................... 19
(d) The effect of absence of the necessary consent ................................. 20
3.3 Agreement ................................................................................................................ 24
3.3.1 General ......................................................................................................... 24
3.3.2 Mistake ......................................................................................................... 24
3.3.3 Misrepresentation ........................................................................................ 25
3.3.4 Duress ........................................................................................................... 25
3.3.5 Undue influence.......................................................................................... 25
v
,vi South African Family Law
Page
3.4
Lawfulness................................................................................................................. 25
3.4.1 General ......................................................................................................... 25
3.4.2 An existing civil or customary marriage or civil union ............................. 25
3.4.3 Persons who are of the same sex ................................................................ 26
3.4.4 Adoptive parents and their adopted children ........................................... 26
3.4.5 Persons who are within the prohibited degrees of relationship............... 26
(a) General ................................................................................................. 26
(b) Blood relations in the direct line ....................................................... 27
(c) Collateral blood relations ................................................................... 27
(d) Relations by affinity in the direct line ................................................ 28
(e) Relations by affinity in the collateral line .......................................... 28
3.4.6 Legal guardians and their wards................................................................. 29
3.4.7 Persons who belong to different race groups ............................................ 29
3.5 The prescribed formalities ...................................................................................... 30
3.5.1 Marriage officers .......................................................................................... 30
3.5.2 Formalities preceding the marriage ceremony ......................................... 31
3.5.3 Formalities during the marriage ceremony ............................................... 31
3.5.4 Registration of the civil marriage ............................................................... 32
4 VOID, VOIDABLE AND PUTATIVE CIVIL MARRIAGES ............................................. 33
4.1 Void civil marriages .................................................................................................. 33
4.1.1 The definition of a void marriage .............................................................. 33
4.1.2 The grounds for nullity ............................................................................... 33
4.1.3 The consequences of a void marriage ........................................................ 34
4.2 Voidable civil marriages ........................................................................................... 34
4.2.1 The definition of a voidable marriage ....................................................... 34
4.2.2 The grounds for setting aside a voidable civil marriage ........................... 34
(a) Minority ................................................................................................ 34
(b) Material mistake .................................................................................. 35
(c) Duress ................................................................................................... 35
(d) Undue influence.................................................................................. 35
(e) Stuprum ................................................................................................. 35
(f) Impotence ............................................................................................ 36
(g) Sterility ................................................................................................. 36
4.2.3 The consequences of a voidable civil marriage ......................................... 37
4.3 Putative marriages .................................................................................................... 38
4.3.1 The definition of a putative marriage ........................................................ 38
4.3.2 The requirements for a putative marriage................................................. 38
4.3.3 The consequences of a putative marriage ................................................. 39
(a) General ................................................................................................. 39
(b) Children born of a putative marriage ................................................ 39
(c) The patrimonial consequences of a putative marriage ..................... 39
5 THE INVARIABLE CONSEQUENCES OF A CIVIL MARRIAGE ................................. 41
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 41
5.2 The status of the spouses ......................................................................................... 41
5.3 Consortium omnis vitae ............................................................................................... 42
5.3.1 The content and protection of consortium omnis vitae ............................... 42
5.3.2 The relationship between consortium omnis vitae, the right to family life
and the right to dignity ............................................................................... 43
5.4 Spousal maintenance ............................................................................................... 44
5.4.1 The reciprocal duty of support between spouses ...................................... 44
(a) General ................................................................................................. 44
(b) Liability as against third parties .......................................................... 45
(c) Termination of the duty of support ................................................... 45
, Table of contents vii
Page
5.4.2
Household necessaries ................................................................................ 46
(a) General ................................................................................................. 46
(b) The requirements for the capacity to incur debts for household
necessaries ............................................................................................ 47
(c) Revocation or limitation of a spouse’s capacity to purchase
household necessaries ......................................................................... 48
5.4.3 The Maintenance Act 99 of 1998................................................................ 49
(a) General ................................................................................................. 49
(b) The maintenance complaint and maintenance enquiry .................. 49
(c) The orders the court may make ......................................................... 51
(d) Appeals ................................................................................................. 52
(e) Enforcement of a maintenance order................................................ 52
5.5 The matrimonial home............................................................................................ 57
5.6 Donations between spouses ..................................................................................... 58
5.7 The family name....................................................................................................... 59
5.8 Headship of the family ............................................................................................. 59
6 THE VARIABLE CONSEQUENCES OF A CIVIL MARRIAGE –
MARRIAGE IN COMMUNITY OF PROPERTY .............................................................. 61
6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 61
6.2 Cases in which community of property does not arise .......................................... 61
6.3 The nature of universal community of property .................................................... 62
6.4 The content of universal community of property .................................................. 63
6.4.1 Assets ............................................................................................................ 63
(a) General ................................................................................................. 63
(b) Separate assets ..................................................................................... 64
(c) Attachment of separate assets ............................................................. 66
6.4.2 Liabilities ...................................................................................................... 67
(a) General ................................................................................................. 67
(b) Antenuptial debts ................................................................................ 67
(c) Debts incurred during the subsistence of the marriage ................... 68
(d) Debts which are outstanding at the dissolution of the
joint estate ............................................................................................ 69
6.5 Administration of the joint estate ........................................................................... 70
6.5.1 Abolition of the marital power ................................................................... 70
6.5.2 The principle of equal administration of the joint estate ......................... 71
6.5.3 Acts for which the consent of both spouses is required ............................ 71
(a) General ................................................................................................. 71
(b) Prior written consent, attested by two competent witnesses,
in respect of each transaction separately ........................................... 72
(c) Written consent, attested by two competent witnesses,
in respect of each transaction separately ........................................... 72
(d) Written consent without any further requirements .......................... 73
(e) Oral or tacit consent............................................................................ 73
6.5.4 Acts for which the other spouse’s consent is unnecessary ........................ 74
6.5.5 Protective measures in respect of the administration of the
joint estate .................................................................................................... 75
(a) Protection of third parties .................................................................. 75
(b) Protection of the spouses as between themselves .............................. 77
6.5.6 Capacity to litigate ....................................................................................... 81
(a) General ................................................................................................. 81
(b) Insolvency............................................................................................. 81
(c) Suing for joint debts ............................................................................ 82
,viii South African Family Law
Page
7 THE VARIABLE CONSEQUENCES OF A CIVIL MARRIAGE –
MARRIAGE OUT OF COMMUNITY OF PROPERTY.................................................... 83
7.1 The antenuptial contract ......................................................................................... 83
7.1.1 The purpose of an antenuptial contract .................................................... 83
7.1.2 The formalities for the creation of a valid antenuptial contract .............. 84
(a) General ................................................................................................. 84
(b) Postnuptial execution and registration of an antenuptial
contract ................................................................................................ 84
7.1.3 Additional requirements which apply to the antenuptial contract of
a minor ......................................................................................................... 85
7.1.4 The contents of an antenuptial contract ................................................... 86
(a) General ................................................................................................. 86
(b) The matrimonial property system ...................................................... 86
(c) A right of recourse in respect of household necessaries .................. 86
(d) Succession ............................................................................................ 87
(e) Marriage settlements ........................................................................... 87
7.1.5 Interpretation of an antenuptial contract ................................................. 88
7.1.6 Cancellation and amendment of an antenuptial contract ....................... 88
7.1.7 Termination of an antenuptial contract .................................................... 90
7.2 Marriage out of community of property and community of profit and loss
without the accrual system ....................................................................................... 90
7.3 Marriage out of community of property with retention of community of
profit and loss ........................................................................................................... 91
7.4 The accrual system ................................................................................................... 91
7.4.1 Introduction................................................................................................. 91
7.4.2 Marriages to which the accrual system applies .......................................... 92
7.4.3 When and how accrual sharing takes place ............................................... 92
(a) General ................................................................................................. 92
(b) The accrual claim ................................................................................ 92
(c) The difference between the accrual claim and the right to
accrual sharing..................................................................................... 93
(d) The difference between accrual sharing and sharing of assets ........ 93
7.4.4 Calculating the accrual................................................................................ 94
(a) General ................................................................................................. 94
(b) The commencement value (or the initial value) .............................. 94
(c) Assets which do not form part of the accrual .................................... 95
(d) The date on which the value of a spouse’s estate is to be
calculated for purposes of accrual sharing ........................................ 97
(e) An example of the accrual calculation............................................... 98
7.4.5 Protection of a spouse’s right to share in the accrual ............................... 99
7.4.6 Satisfaction of the accrual claim ................................................................. 101
7.4.7 Renouncing the accrual claim .................................................................... 101
7.5 Advantages and disadvantages of the main matrimonial property systems.......... 102
7.5.1 General ......................................................................................................... 102
7.5.2 Marriage in community of property ........................................................... 102
7.5.3 Complete separation of property ............................................................... 102
7.5.4 The accrual system ...................................................................................... 102
8 ALTERATION OF THE MATRIMONIAL PROPERTY SYSTEM................................... 105
8.1 The principle of immutability in matrimonial property law ................................. 105
8.2 Court-sanctioned alteration of the matrimonial property system in terms of
section 21(1) of the Matrimonial Property Act 88 of 1984 ................................... 106
8.2.1 General ......................................................................................................... 106
8.2.2 Statutory requirements................................................................................ 106
, Table of contents ix
Page
8.2.3
Procedural requirements ............................................................................ 107
(a) Notice ................................................................................................... 108
(b) The financial position of the spouses................................................. 108
(c) Sound reasons ...................................................................................... 108
(d) Absence of prejudice ........................................................................... 108
(e) Domicile and residence ...................................................................... 108
8.2.4 Retroactive alteration .................................................................................. 108
8.2.5 The effect that changing from community of property to separation
of property has on jointly owned property ................................................ 109
8.3 Extra-judicial alteration of the matrimonial property system ............................... 109
9 DISSOLUTION OF A CIVIL MARRIAGE – GENERAL ................................................. 113
9.1 The ways in which a marriage is dissolved .............................................................. 113
9.2 Judicial separation .................................................................................................... 113
9.3 Extra-judicial separation .......................................................................................... 113
10 DISSOLUTION OF A CIVIL MARRIAGE BY DEATH ................................................... 115
10.1 Marriage in community of property ....................................................................... 115
10.2 Marriage out of community of property ................................................................. 116
10.3 Maintenance of Surviving Spouses Act 27 of 1990 ................................................. 116
10.3.1 General ......................................................................................................... 116
10.3.2 Reasonable maintenance needs ................................................................. 117
10.3.3 Disposal of the maintenance claim ............................................................ 117
10.3.4 The order of preference ............................................................................. 118
11 THE GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE .................................................................................... 119
11.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 119
11.2 Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage ............................................................... 119
11.2.1 The test for irretrievable breakdown.......................................................... 119
11.2.2 The guidelines in section 4(2).................................................................... 121
(a) General ................................................................................................. 121
(b) Section 4(2)(a): The parties have not lived together as husband
and wife for a continuous period of at least one year immediately
prior to the date of the institution of the divorce action .................. 121
(c) Section 4(2)(b): The defendant has committed adultery and
the plaintiff finds it irreconcilable with a continued marriage
relationship .......................................................................................... 121
(d) Section 4(2)(c): A court has declared the defendant a
habitual criminal and the defendant is undergoing
imprisonment as a result of the declaration ...................................... 122
11.3 Incurable mental illness or continuous unconsciousness ..................................... 122
11.3.1 General ......................................................................................................... 122
11.3.2 The criteria contained in section 5 ............................................................ 122
11.3.3 Divorcing a mentally ill or unconscious spouse in terms of section 4
instead of section 5 ...................................................................................... 123
11.3.4 Special rules in respect of divorce on the ground of incurable
mental illness and continuous unconsciousness ....................................... 123
(a) Section 5(3) ......................................................................................... 123
(b) Section 5(4) ......................................................................................... 123
(c) Section 9(2) ......................................................................................... 123
(d) Maintenance ........................................................................................ 123
11.4 Defences against an action for divorce ................................................................... 124
11.5 The court’s discretion to refuse a decree of divorce ............................................. 124
,x South African Family Law
Page
12 THE PATRIMONIAL CONSEQUENCES OF DIVORCE ............................................... 127
12.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 127
12.2 Settlement agreements ............................................................................................ 127
12.3 The patrimony of the spouses ................................................................................. 129
12.3.1 General ......................................................................................................... 129
12.3.2 Pension interests .......................................................................................... 130
(a) General ................................................................................................. 130
(b) Meaning and calculation of “pension interest” ................................. 131
(c) The difference between a pension interest and a
pension benefit .................................................................................... 132
(d) Payment or transfer of the non-member spouse’s portion of the
pension interest ................................................................................... 133
(e) Excluded marriages ............................................................................. 134
12.4 Forfeiture of patrimonial benefits........................................................................... 135
12.4.1 The requirements for a forfeiture order.................................................... 135
12.4.2 Benefits which can be forfeited .................................................................. 136
12.5 Redistribution of assets ............................................................................................ 138
12.5.1 The introduction of redistribution as a reformative and
remedial measure ........................................................................................ 138
12.5.2 The prerequisites for a redistribution order ............................................. 138
(a) General ................................................................................................. 138
(b) Marriages that are subject to complete separation of property
by operation of the law ........................................................................ 139
(c) The constitutionality of the prerequisites in section 7(3) ................ 141
12.5.3 The requirements for a redistribution order ............................................ 143
(a) General ................................................................................................. 143
(b) The nature of the contribution to the maintenance or increase
of the other spouse’s estate ................................................................. 144
12.5.4 Other considerations the court takes into account ................................... 145
(a) General ................................................................................................. 145
(b) Misconduct........................................................................................... 146
(c) The interrelationship between section 7(2) and 7(3) of the
Divorce Act 70 of 1979, and the clean-break principle ..................... 146
(d) Various other factors the courts have taken into account ................ 147
12.5.5 Assets which can be considered for purposes of a
redistribution order..................................................................................... 148
12.5.6 The date on which the value of the spouse’s estate
is to be calculated ........................................................................................ 151
12.5.7 The criterion for establishing the extent of the redistribution ................ 151
12.5.8 The form a redistribution order may take ................................................. 153
12.5.9 Consideration of a claim and a counter-claim for redistribution ............ 154
12.5.10 The nature of the discretion the court exercises ...................................... 154
13 MAINTENANCE OF A SPOUSE AFTER DIVORCE ...................................................... 157
13.1 General ..................................................................................................................... 157
13.2 Maintenance orders in terms of section 7(2) of the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 ....... 157
13.2.1 General ......................................................................................................... 157
13.2.2 Factors the court must take into account .................................................. 158
13.2.3 The movement towards rehabilitative maintenance or
no maintenance at all .................................................................................. 160
13.2.4 Lump-sum maintenance ............................................................................. 162
13.2.5 Token or nominal maintenance................................................................. 163
, Table of contents xi
Page
13.3 Rescission, suspension and variation of a maintenance order .............................. 164
13.3.1 General ......................................................................................................... 164
13.3.2 The meaning of “sufficient reason” for purposes of section 8(1) of
the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 .......................................................................... 165
13.3.3 Waiver of the right to claim rescission, suspension or variation of a
maintenance order ...................................................................................... 166
13.4 Termination of a maintenance order ..................................................................... 167
13.4.1 General ......................................................................................................... 167
13.4.2 An order in terms of section 7(1) of the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 ............. 167
13.4.3 An order in terms of section 7(2) of the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 ............. 168
14 THE INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN OF DIVORCING PARENTS .......................... 171
14.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 171
14.2 The best interests of the child ................................................................................. 171
14.3 The Mediation in Certain Divorce Matters Act 24 of 1987 ................................... 174
14.4 The Divorce Act 70 of 1979 ..................................................................................... 175
14.5 Aspects the court may regulate ............................................................................... 177
14.5.1 General ......................................................................................................... 177
14.5.2 Guardianship ............................................................................................... 178
(a) The meaning of “guardianship” ......................................................... 178
(b) The order the court may make in respect of guardianship .............. 179
14.5.3 Care .............................................................................................................. 180
(a) The meaning of “care” ........................................................................ 180
(b) The order the court may make in respect of care ............................. 180
14.5.4 Contact ......................................................................................................... 184
(a) The meaning of “contact” ................................................................... 184
(b) The order the court may make in respect of contact........................ 184
14.5.5 Maintenance ................................................................................................ 187
(a) The meaning of “maintenance” ......................................................... 187
(b) The order the court may make in respect of maintenance .............. 187
14.6 Enforcement of guardianship, care and contact ................................................... 189
14.6.1 Introduction................................................................................................. 189
14.6.2 Interdict ....................................................................................................... 189
14.6.3 An order directing compliance .................................................................. 190
14.6.4 Reasonable force ......................................................................................... 190
14.6.5 Criminal sanctions ....................................................................................... 190
14.7 Rescission, suspension and variation of an order made upon divorce ................. 191
15 MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS REGARDING DIVORCE .............................................. 193
15.1 Personal consequences of divorce .......................................................................... 193
15.1.1 General ......................................................................................................... 193
15.1.2 The effect of divorce on a will .................................................................... 193
15.2 Divorce proceedings ................................................................................................ 194
15.2.1 The meaning of the concept “divorce action”........................................... 194
15.2.2 Jurisdiction in a divorce action ................................................................... 194
15.2.3 Instituting a divorce..................................................................................... 195
15.2.4 Procedure in divorce and other family-law matters .................................. 195
15.3 Relief pendente lite...................................................................................................... 198
15.3.1 General ......................................................................................................... 198
15.3.2 Maintenance pendente lite and a contribution towards costs ..................... 199
15.4 A final order for costs .............................................................................................. 200
15.5 Limitation on the publication of particulars of a divorce ..................................... 201
15.6 The abolition of orders for judicial separation ...................................................... 201
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