Home Affairs Customary Marriage Registration Deadline Falls Today, Urges Couples to Act
- The Department of Home Affairs launched a special registration drive in September 2024 for unregistered customary marriages
- Deputy Director-General Thulani Mavuso urged qualifying couples to visit Home Affairs offices before the window closes today
- Mavuso warned that failing to register could create serious legal complications when a spouse dies and marital property is disputed
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SOUTH AFRICA — The Department of Home Affairs has issued a final call to couples in unregistered customary marriages, with the special registration period closing today.
According to SABC News, Deputy Director-General Thulani Mavuso urged all qualifying couples to complete the process at their nearest Home Affairs offices before the deadline passes. The initiative was launched on 1 September 2024 to give spouses in unregistered customary unions the opportunity to formalise their marital status.
Who qualifies for the registration drive
The campaign covers two categories of customary marriages: those entered into before the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act came into effect in November 2000, and those concluded after the Act was enacted but never registered within the required timeframe.
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Mavuso reassured the public that missing today's cut-off does not strip a customary marriage of its legal standing. Under South African law, unregistered customary marriages remain valid. However, he stressed that the absence of an official Home Affairs certificate creates practical difficulties that couples may not anticipate.
Why registration matters after death of a spouse
The most significant consequence of remaining unregistered becomes apparent when one partner dies. Without formal documentation, the surviving spouse may struggle to prove the existence of the marriage, complicating the division and settlement of matrimonial property during an already difficult time.
Mavuso pointed out that an official certificate from Home Affairs serves as the clearest proof of marital status in such circumstances. Securing that proof retrospectively, once a spouse has passed away, is considerably more difficult and can expose the surviving partner to prolonged legal disputes over assets. The Department encouraged all eligible individuals to make use of the remaining hours of the registration window and visit Home Affairs offices to complete the process.
SIU probes Home Affairs syndicate
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the Special Investigating Unit's revelations regarding a visa fraud syndicate within South Africa's Department of Home Affairs. This exposed network, involving fraudulent study visas, has reportedly funneled millions in kickbacks to officials.
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Source: Briefly News
