Section 10 of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998 allows parties, who have entered into a customary marriage, to "convert" such marriage into a civil marriage, governed by the Marriage Act of 1961.  Such "converted marriage" remains a marriage in community of property and cannot be converted into one of out of community of property by the mere entering into of an antenuptial contract, prior to the solemnization of the "conversion" before a marriage officer.  Where parties are desirous to change their matrimonial property regime, from in community of property to out of community of property, they must jointly approach the High Court for an order in terms of Section 20 or 21 of the Matrimonial Property Act 88 of 1984 to effect such change.
 
The misconception as to whether a marriage is one of in or out of community of property can have dire consequences on property transactions, and it is thus incumbent on all practitioners to ensure that they, by way of an affidavit or otherwise, confirm that NO customary marriage was entered into prior to the entering into of the antenuptial contract.

Notaries beware!

Artikel 10 van die Wet op Erkenning van Gebruiklike Huwelike 120 van 1998 magtig partye, wat 'n gebruiklike huwelik aangegaan het, om sodanige huwelik te "omskep" van 'n gebruiklike huwelik na 'n sivielregtelike huwelik, beheers deur die Huwelikswet van 1961.  Sodanige "omskepte huwelik" bly 'n huwelik binne gemeenskap van goed en kan nie omskep word na 'n huwelik van buite gemeenskap van goed, deur slegs die aangaan van 'n huweliksvoorwaardekontrak wat aangegaan word, voor die bevestiging van die "omskepping" deur die huweliksbevestiger nie.  Waar partye begerig is om hulle huweliksgoederebedeling te verander, van binne gemeenskap van goed na buite gemeenskap van goed, moet daar aansoek gedoen word by die Hof vir 'n bevel om die bedeling te verander, in terme van Artikel 20 of 21 van die Wet op Huweliksgoedere 88 van 1984.
 
Die miskonsepsie of sodanige huwelik binne of buite gemeenskap van goedere is, mag ernstige gevolge inhou by eiendomstransaksies.  Dit is dus noodsaaklik dat alle praktisyns moet verseker, by wyse van 'n beëdigde verklaring of andersins, dat daar geen gebruiklike huwelik aangegaan was voor die aangaan van die huweliksvoorwaardekontrak nie.

Notarisse Oppas!