Home Affairs to study ruling on Muslim marriages
The Department of Home Affairs says it will study Friday’s judgment in Western
Cape High Court which ordered the government to change the law to
formally recognise Muslim marriages.
The court gave the government 24 months to implement new legislation and avoid being in breach of the constitution.
The application was brought forward by the Women’s Legal Centre, which argued that the current state of affairs limits the options of Muslim women to seek legal recourse in the event of divorce.
Home Affairs spokesperson Thabo Mokgola says the department has noted the judgment.
“We have noted the judgement by the Western Cape high court that orders the state to introduce a legislation that will recognise Mulsim marriages within a period of 24 months. We are in the process of studying the order and we will make further comments in due course.”
Attorney Charlene May says it has been a long and difficult road for the Women’s Legal Centre.
“I think we have a great sense of relief. For us it’s been a long road, we have taken on this case with the support of a lot of different people who have made donations and so we relieved that the arguments presented were good and that the court found in our favour. I think more importantly that the court found in favour of many women on whose behalf we brought this application. On the last day of women’s month we celebrate a small victory.”