Cape Town - The Al-Jama-ah party will be resuming their advisory services at some Home Affairs offices to assist married Muslim couples with the issuing of South African marriage certificates.
The party established “oversight desks” at four Department of Home Affairs offices.
In the Western Cape, these advisory desks are situated at the Mitchells Plain and Wynberg offices.
Two more advisory desks are situated at Harrison Street in Johannesburg and Umgeni Road in Durban.
The desks were set up after it was reported that marriages of Muslim couples were registered as customary instead of Muslim marriages.
Al Jama-ah national spokesperson Shameemah Dollie Salie said the services would resume after the elections.
The Women’s Legal Centre (WLC) said the Department of Home Affairs reported to Parliament that they are registering Muslim marriages as customary marriages under the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act.
“There is still no law that allows for the registration of a Muslim marriage, and the Marriages Bill which the Department introduced into Parliament is meant to remedy this shortcoming.
“The bill, however, lapsed on Tuesday and will need to be reintroduced into the new Parliament after the election.”
Women were also welcomed to contact the centre through its legal advice unit should they require assistance or need to understand the validity of their marriage and the various processes being undertaken, WLC said.
Requirements for the registration of a Muslim marriage includes certified copies of identity documents.
Two witnesses who were present at the wedding (one from each side of the family) will also be required to draft an affidavit stating they were in attendance of the wedding, and the names of both parties must be detailed.
The witnesses are also required to produce copies of their identity documents.
“On the day, the couple will go to Home Affairs with the two witnesses.
“Hence a date that suits all parties to be at Home Affairs needs to be arranged and one needs to confirm days Home Affairs will be available for these applications,” Dollie Salie said.
The couple will also need to bring along their original and certified copies of their Sharia law marriage certificate.
A hotline number, 021 023 4425, has also been set up.
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za
Cape Argus