Text in Afrikaans / By ontbinding van 'n huwelik buite gemeenskap van goed beskik die hof oor 'n diskresionere bevoegdheid om 'n herverdeling van bates van die onderskeie boedels te gelas. Die voorvereiste, naamlik 'n bydrae tot die instandhouding of vergroting van die boedel van die ander en die uitleg van die bewoording van die wet bring egter mee dat die hof se diskresie om 'n billike herverdeling te beveel ingekort is. Bydrae behoort op gelyke vlak tesarne met al die relevante faktore 'n rol te speel. Huwelikswangedrag behoort 'n beperkte rol te speel by herverdelingsbevele. In sekere gevalle sal dit egter onbillik wees om skuld as faktor te ignoreer. Die skuld van die party teen wie die verdeling gevra word behoort nie 'n rol te speel nie. Sekere wetswysiginge is nodig ten einde die doel van die wet, naamlik bereiking van geregtigheid tussen die partye, te bewerkstellig. / On dissolution of a maniage out of commwrity of property the court has discretionary power to order a distribution of the assets of the different estates. The precondition, namely a contribution to the maintenance or increase of the estate of the other, and the interpretation of the words of the act, however, results in a curtailment of the court's discretion to order a just and equitable distribution. Contribution should play a role on the same level as all the other relevant factors. Misconduct should play a restricted role in a redistribution order. However, in certain cases it would be inequitable to ignore misconduct as a factor. The misconduct of the party against whom the redistribution is sought should not play a role. Certain amendments of the act are necessary to achieve the aim of the act, namely the attaining of equity between the parties. / Private Law / LL. M.

Generally, traditional "marriages" according to Islamic custom are void in South African law because they are potentially polygynous and do not comply with the formalities prescribed by the Marriage Act 25 of 1961 . A valid concern for those who oppose polygyny is that it may enforce and promote gender inequality in that it is practised in patriarchal Muslim societies. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996 contains numerous provisions aimed at combating gender inequalities, and these could be used to justify the policy of non-recognition. On the other hand, the Constitution has ushered in an era of tolerance and empathy; and the equality and religion clauses could be used to ensure that polygynous marriages are no longer ignored. This study will examine the tensions between Muslim personal law and clauses in the Constitution which have led to calls for the reformation and codification of Muslim personal law. / Private Law / LL. M.

Text in Afrikaans / By ontbinding van 'n huwelik buite gemeenskap van goed beskik die hof oor 'n diskresionere bevoegdheid om 'n herverdeling van bates van die onderskeie boedels te gelas. Die voorvereiste, naamlik 'n bydrae tot die instandhouding of vergroting van die boedel van die ander en die uitleg van die bewoording van die wet bring egter mee dat die hof se diskresie om 'n billike herverdeling te beveel ingekort is. Bydrae behoort op gelyke vlak tesarne met al die relevante faktore 'n rol te speel. Huwelikswangedrag behoort 'n beperkte rol te speel by herverdelingsbevele. In sekere gevalle sal dit egter onbillik wees om skuld as faktor te ignoreer. Die skuld van die party teen wie die verdeling gevra word behoort nie 'n rol te speel nie. Sekere wetswysiginge is nodig ten einde die doel van die wet, naamlik bereiking van geregtigheid tussen die partye, te bewerkstellig. / On dissolution of a maniage out of commwrity of property the court has discretionary power to order a distribution of the assets of the different estates. The precondition, namely a contribution to the maintenance or increase of the estate of the other, and the interpretation of the words of the act, however, results in a curtailment of the court's discretion to order a just and equitable distribution. Contribution should play a role on the same level as all the other relevant factors. Misconduct should play a restricted role in a redistribution order. However, in certain cases it would be inequitable to ignore misconduct as a factor. The misconduct of the party against whom the redistribution is sought should not play a role. Certain amendments of the act are necessary to achieve the aim of the act, namely the attaining of equity between the parties. / Private Law / LL. M.

Generally, traditional "marriages" according to Islamic custom are void in South African law because they are potentially polygynous and do not comply with the formalities prescribed by the Marriage Act 25 of 1961 . A valid concern for those who oppose polygyny is that it may enforce and promote gender inequality in that it is practised in patriarchal Muslim societies. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996 contains numerous provisions aimed at combating gender inequalities, and these could be used to justify the policy of non-recognition. On the other hand, the Constitution has ushered in an era of tolerance and empathy; and the equality and religion clauses could be used to ensure that polygynous marriages are no longer ignored. This study will examine the tensions between Muslim personal law and clauses in the Constitution which have led to calls for the reformation and codification of Muslim personal law. / Private Law / LL. M.

Text in Afrikaans. / Die definisie van 'n huwelik tref 'n onderskeid tussen heteroseksuele en homoseksuele lewensmetgeselle ten opsigte van die bevoegdheid om te trou. Hierdie onderskeid op grond van seksuele georiënteerdheid mag moontlik ongrondwetlik wees. Voorts is daar 'n menigte regte en verpligtinge wat outomaties uit huweliksluiting spruit, maar nie outomaties op lewensverhoudings van toepassing is nie. Hierdie onderskeid op grond van huwelikstaat mag eweneens moontlik teen die bepalings van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 indruis. Hierdie studie is gevolglik daarop toegespits om ondersoek in te stel na die grondwetlikheid van hierdie twee onderskeide. Die ondersoek word geloods met verwysing na relevante wetgewing en regspraak. 'n Bondige oorsig van fundamentele regte word as agtergrond verskaf. Na afhandeling van die ondersoek word daar aandag geskenk aan die huidige en voorgestelde toekomstige erkenning en regulering van lewensverhoudings in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg, waarna die bevindings saamgevat en krities beoordeel word. SUMMARY The definition of marriage differentiates between heterosexual and homosexual life partners with regard to the capacity to marry. This differentiation on account of sexual orientation may possibly be unconstitutional. Furthermore there are a multitude of rights and obligations that automatically flow from marriage, which are not automatically applicable to life partnerships. This differentiation on account of marital status may also violate the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Accordingly this study is aimed at investigating the constitutionality of these two differentiations. The investigation is conducted with reference to relevant legislation and case law. A concise overview of fundamental rights is provided as background. In conclusion of the investigation, attention is paid to the present recognition and regulation of domestic partnerships in South African law, after which the findings are summarised and evaluated critically. / Jurisprudence / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie ondersoek is navorsing gedoen oor die Romeinse huweliksverhouding ten einde vas te stel of die klassieke Romeinse reg die Romeinse vrou se huweliksverhouding beskerm het indien dit deur haar man se wangedrag geskend is. Die navorsing het getoon dat, soos in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg, die Romeinse huweliksverhouding teen die klassieke tydperk 'n consortium omnis vitae met veral morele huwelikspligte was en dat die nie-nakoming van hierdie pligte op wangedrag en skending van die huweliksverhouding neergekom het. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat, soos in die moderne reg, ook die Romeinse man die huweliksverhouding kon skend deur wangedrag, beperkte vorme van seksuele wangedrag, iniuria en bigamie. Die klassieke Romeinse reg het egter nie aan die Romeinse vrou direkte regsbeskerming verleen by die man se skending van die huweliksverhouding deur wangedrag nie. Sy het egter wel indirekte regsbeskerming in die vorm van toevlugof afskrikmiddels (soos egskeiding en die dos) geniet. / In this study research has been done on the Roman marital relationship in order to determine whether classical Roman law protected the Roman wife's marital relationship if it had been breached by her husband's misconduct. Research has shown that by the classical period, as in South African law, the Roman marital relationship was a consortium omnis vitae with primarily moral marital duties. Non-compliance with these duties amounted to misconduct and breach of the marital relationship. It was concluded that, as in modern law, the Roman husband too could be in breach of his marital relationship through misconduct, limited forms of sexual misconduct, iniuria and bigamy. However, classical Roman law did not grant the Roman wife any direct legal protection where her husband was in breach of the marital relationship because of misconduct. She nevertheless enjoyed indirect legal protection in the form of deterrents (such as divorce and the dos). / Law / LL.M.

With the advent of a new constitutional dispensation in South Africa, intimate relationships that were not formally recognised, such as customary marriages, became fully recognised through designated legislation. Domestic partnerships are, however, afforded only limited recognition despite compelling reasons that lead people to domestic partnerships. Domestic partners are also discriminated against based on marital status despite a Constitution that forbids discrimination based on equality, human dignity and marital status. The object of this study is to investigate whether there are sufficient grounds to afford domestic partnerships full recognition similar to that granted to civil marriage. This study includes arguments in favour and against the recognition of domestic partnerships and a discussion of the reasons that lead people into domestic partnerships. There will also be an analysis of the draft Domestic Partnership Bill 36 of 2008 to determine the suitability of the draft Bill to regulate domestic partnerships. This investigation is conducted with reference to relevant draft Bills, legislation, and case law. / Private Law / LLM

Text in Afrikaans. / Die definisie van 'n huwelik tref 'n onderskeid tussen heteroseksuele en homoseksuele lewensmetgeselle ten opsigte van die bevoegdheid om te trou. Hierdie onderskeid op grond van seksuele georiënteerdheid mag moontlik ongrondwetlik wees. Voorts is daar 'n menigte regte en verpligtinge wat outomaties uit huweliksluiting spruit, maar nie outomaties op lewensverhoudings van toepassing is nie. Hierdie onderskeid op grond van huwelikstaat mag eweneens moontlik teen die bepalings van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 indruis. Hierdie studie is gevolglik daarop toegespits om ondersoek in te stel na die grondwetlikheid van hierdie twee onderskeide. Die ondersoek word geloods met verwysing na relevante wetgewing en regspraak. 'n Bondige oorsig van fundamentele regte word as agtergrond verskaf. Na afhandeling van die ondersoek word daar aandag geskenk aan die huidige en voorgestelde toekomstige erkenning en regulering van lewensverhoudings in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg, waarna die bevindings saamgevat en krities beoordeel word. SUMMARY The definition of marriage differentiates between heterosexual and homosexual life partners with regard to the capacity to marry. This differentiation on account of sexual orientation may possibly be unconstitutional. Furthermore there are a multitude of rights and obligations that automatically flow from marriage, which are not automatically applicable to life partnerships. This differentiation on account of marital status may also violate the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Accordingly this study is aimed at investigating the constitutionality of these two differentiations. The investigation is conducted with reference to relevant legislation and case law. A concise overview of fundamental rights is provided as background. In conclusion of the investigation, attention is paid to the present recognition and regulation of domestic partnerships in South African law, after which the findings are summarised and evaluated critically. / Jurisprudence / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie ondersoek is navorsing gedoen oor die Romeinse huweliksverhouding ten einde vas te stel of die klassieke Romeinse reg die Romeinse vrou se huweliksverhouding beskerm het indien dit deur haar man se wangedrag geskend is. Die navorsing het getoon dat, soos in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg, die Romeinse huweliksverhouding teen die klassieke tydperk 'n consortium omnis vitae met veral morele huwelikspligte was en dat die nie-nakoming van hierdie pligte op wangedrag en skending van die huweliksverhouding neergekom het. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat, soos in die moderne reg, ook die Romeinse man die huweliksverhouding kon skend deur wangedrag, beperkte vorme van seksuele wangedrag, iniuria en bigamie. Die klassieke Romeinse reg het egter nie aan die Romeinse vrou direkte regsbeskerming verleen by die man se skending van die huweliksverhouding deur wangedrag nie. Sy het egter wel indirekte regsbeskerming in die vorm van toevlugof afskrikmiddels (soos egskeiding en die dos) geniet. / In this study research has been done on the Roman marital relationship in order to determine whether classical Roman law protected the Roman wife's marital relationship if it had been breached by her husband's misconduct. Research has shown that by the classical period, as in South African law, the Roman marital relationship was a consortium omnis vitae with primarily moral marital duties. Non-compliance with these duties amounted to misconduct and breach of the marital relationship. It was concluded that, as in modern law, the Roman husband too could be in breach of his marital relationship through misconduct, limited forms of sexual misconduct, iniuria and bigamy. However, classical Roman law did not grant the Roman wife any direct legal protection where her husband was in breach of the marital relationship because of misconduct. She nevertheless enjoyed indirect legal protection in the form of deterrents (such as divorce and the dos). / Law / LL.M.

With the advent of a new constitutional dispensation in South Africa, intimate relationships that were not formally recognised, such as customary marriages, became fully recognised through designated legislation. Domestic partnerships are, however, afforded only limited recognition despite compelling reasons that lead people to domestic partnerships. Domestic partners are also discriminated against based on marital status despite a Constitution that forbids discrimination based on equality, human dignity and marital status. The object of this study is to investigate whether there are sufficient grounds to afford domestic partnerships full recognition similar to that granted to civil marriage. This study includes arguments in favour and against the recognition of domestic partnerships and a discussion of the reasons that lead people into domestic partnerships. There will also be an analysis of the draft Domestic Partnership Bill 36 of 2008 to determine the suitability of the draft Bill to regulate domestic partnerships. This investigation is conducted with reference to relevant draft Bills, legislation, and case law. / Private Law / LL. M.