Religious leaders have emphasised the importance of marriage registration for Hindu, Christian, and Muslim couples to avoid legal complications regarding inheritance and divorce.
RELIGIOUS leaders have emphasised the importance of marriage registration for Hindu, Christian, and Muslim couples to avoid legal complications regarding inheritance and divorce.
This, they said, was to avoid disputes regarding inheritance, insurance and pension payout after the death of spouses, and challenges during divorces, should marriages not be registered under South African law.
Simi Sharma, head of the legal advisory committee of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, said Hindu spouses needed to take into consideration whether the marriage had been formally recognised under South African law and what legal consequences flowed from that status.
“When a Hindu marriage is not formally registered, practical legal difficulties may arise. The potential risks include disputes after the death of a spouse regarding inheritance, difficulties claiming pension, insurance or death benefits, and disputes during divorce or separation proceedings.
