To make provision for the recognition of customary marriages; to specify the requirements for a valid customary marriage; to regulate the registration of customary marriages; to provide for the equal status and capacity of spouses in customary marriages; to regulate the proprietary consequences of customary marriages and the capacity of spouses of such marriages; to regulate the dissolution of customary marriages; to provide for the making of regulations; to repeal certain provisions of certain laws; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Latest Developments:

The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998), has been updated with a Notice in terms of Section 4(3)(a) of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998, as per Notice No. 5484 of GG51462, dated 29 October 2024.

The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) is amended by the publication of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Amendment (Act No. 1 of 2021) as per Notice No. 319 of GG 44646, dated 1 June 2021.

This Act has been updated with two Government Notices, No. R. 1390 and No. R. 1391 printed in Government Gazette No. 31735 dated 24 December 2008.

The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) has been updated by an amendment to the regulations as published in Government Gazette No. 25023 dated 14 March 2003.

The period for registration of customary marriages has been extended until 14 November 2002 as Gazetted in GG 22839 dated 23 Nov 2001.

The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998, has been added to the site, as published in Government Gazette 19539 dated 2 December 1998.

This includes the Regulations to the Act published in Government Gazette 21700 dated 1 November 2000. Commencement of the Act - 15 November 2000 - was also published in Gazette 21700 dated 1 November 2000.