Women empowered in marital legislation
Scores of women attended a Mayoral round table Women’s Day programme focusing on issues that impact society on August 2 at Alberton Civic Centre.
To welcome Women’s Month, the City of Ekurhuleni spearheaded an empowering programme shedding light on marital laws.
Throughout the day, law experts discussed legislation on the various marital contracts, which include the types of marriages within the South African context.
These ranged from customary law marriage, same-sex marriage in South Africa, and a Muslim marriage contract. They also touched on estates, drafting a will, domestic violence and issues around child support.
The session was also open to the audience to ask some of the burning questions.
Advocate Kemi Behari, corporate legal services, who addressed attendees on gender-based violence, said his passion is dealing with gender equality.
He stressed ways in which victims can access help, also noting how the legislation has changed to the extent that more protection is being offered to GBV victims.
“We also encourage people to start looking into the drafting of wills. When a will is not drafted, and someone passes on, then you have to look at an interstate succession process, which can be a problem,” Behari said.
MMC Bakang Lethoko, who was acting executive mayor on the day, said: “As we commemorate the annual Women’s Month, we pay tribute to the thousands of brave women who marched to the union building in 1956.
As the women of today, we have received the batten to continue the fight against inequality and injustices against women.”
Attorney Mudi Mavhengani advised women to be cautious of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act.
“This type of marriage is very dangerous when entered into without proper knowledge. The dangerous part about this is that people don’t divorce, they just separate,” he said.
