Virtual public hearing on the Recognition of Customary Marriages Amendment Bill
The Standing Committee on Community Safety, Cultural Affairs and Sport invites stakeholders and interested parties to attend a virtual public hearing on the Recognition of Customary Marriages Amendment Bill [B 12–2019] being organised as part of the committee’s constitutional responsibility.
“The purpose of the Amendment Bill is to regulate further the proprietary consequences of customary marriages entered into before the commencement of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act 120 of 1998). This is in order to bring the provisions of the Act in line with the judgments of the Constitutional Court as the Court found certain provisions to be constitutionally invalid because these provisions discriminate unfairly against certain women in customary marriages. The effect of this amendment is that the proprietary consequences of a polygamous customary marriage will no longer be governed by customary law,” say Mr Reagen Allen, Chairperson of the Standing Committee.
The public hearing is arranged as follows:
Date 22 September 2020
Time 09:00 -13:00
Interested persons and organisations are encouraged to attend and participate in the virtual public hearing and to submit written input on the Amendment Bill to the Standing Committee on Community Safety, Cultural Affairs and Sport for consideration. Only input on the content of the Amendment Bill will be considered.
Submissions should be submitted to the Procedural Officer, Mr Waseem Matthews, either by email to wmatthews@wcpp.gov.za or as a WhatsApp voice note on 076 633 3133 by 28 September, with an indication whether a verbal presentation on the written submission will be made.
“We would like to encourage the public to participate in this process. All information, including the bill, is available on the Western Cape Provincial Parliament’s website at https://www.wcpp.gov.za/node/8490. All meetings of the Standing Committee can be viewed live by simply clicking on the link under the scheduled event on the website calendar at www.wcpp.gov.za/event-created/month/,” says Allen.
