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The Supreme court of appeal recently ruled in the case of Z versus Z , case number 556/2021 that a parent of an adult dependent child do have locus standi in terms of section 6 of the Divorce Act 70 of 1970 to claim maintenance from other parent for and on behalf of adult dependent child of their marriage upon their divorce.

On the breakdown of a marriage or similar relationship it is mostly mothers who become the custodial parent and have to care for the children. This puts an further financial burden on them and suppresses their ability to acquire remunerative employment. Divorced or separated mothers consequently face the double disadvantage of being weighed down in terms of responsibilities and under-resourced in terms of means. Fathers, on the other hand, continue actively employed and usually become economically enriched. Maintenance payments are for that reason essential to relieve this financial burden.

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Introduction

Each day there are people heading to family court to lodge personal maintenance claims against partners and/or on behalf of their children. All maintenance claims are governed by the Maintenance Act 99 of 1998, as amended. The Act correlates with all other legislation that speaks to maintenance. The Prescription Act is one of the examples of legislation where the Supreme Court of Appeal in Arcus v Arcus determined that an undertaking to pay maintenance in a divorce order constitutes a ‘judgment debt’ and not just any debt. Therefore, in terms of section 11(a)(ii) a maintenance claim prescribes after 30 years. All other debts are subject to a three year prescription period.

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The Departments of Justice and Correctional Services and Home Affairs have hit a roadblock in the creation of the new Marriage and Divorce Laws in South Africa – and if it isn’t resolved soon, the country will have a significant legislative mess on its hands.

The Divorce Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Divorce Act of 1997 and provide a legislative framework for Muslim Marriages in South Africa.

The Constitutional Court ruled in June 2022 that the divorce act was unconstitutional as it did not recognise Muslim Marriages.

The ConCourt suspended the constitutional invalidity for 24 months from the date of the order to allow the Cabinet and the President to remedy the issues in the existing legislation.

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’n Nuwe selfoon-app help geskeide ouers om die slaggate van mede-ouerskap te navigeer. Altesame 46% van Suid-Afrika se kinders woon by net een biologiese ouer. In baie van hierdie gevalle beteken dit jy het twee ouers wat in die eerste plek nie met mekaar oor die weg kon kom nie, wat nou oor ’n afstand moet saamwerk om ’n kind of kinders te versorg. Die meeste van hierdie ouers sal ruiterlik erken, dis verskriklik baie gevra.

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