Sorry mam, we cannot recognize your customary marriage... What now?
17 August 2016
After losing her husband in a tragic motor vehicle accident, Ms Simelane had to face the emotionally draining task of... winding up her husband’s estate. She reported her husband’s estate to the office of the Master of the High Court were she was advised that the customary marriage between herself and her husband could not be recognised due to the fact that the deceased was a party to a civil marriage in terms of the records of Home Affairs and thus, a letter of executorship could not be issued to her. It later transpired that her late husband had concealed to his now civil spouse, that he was already a party to a customary marriage with Ms Simelane. Could this whole situation have been avoided?