Spotlight on impact of Customary Marriage Registration on families

Customarily married couples with unregistered unions have until Monday, 31 August 2026, to regularise their marriages with Home Affairs.

The registration is important because it provides legal proof of the union and can help protect spouses and families from disputes over property, inheritance and children when one partner dies.

But what does the deadline mean for couples from different cultural backgrounds, and what should they do to ensure their marriage, assets and loved ones are properly protected?

Fiduciary attorney Zola Mbatha and Sihawu Ngubane—a professor of languages and UKZN cultural expert—join us to unpack the legal and estate-planning implications, and how this registration interacts with customary practices across South Africa.

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