Dataset / Tabular

Marriages and Divorces 2016 (South Africa)

author(s) Statistics South Africa
from World Bank Group (WB)
permalink open
themes
regions
  • Southern Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Africa
  • World
citation

Statistics South Africa, 'Marriages and Divorces 2016 (South Africa)', 2020

Publications and datasets provided via GARDIAN

Abstract

Marriage data:
In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore, the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data:
The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2016, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2016 by DJCD.

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