Muslim Marriages

Muslim marriages will be recognised as legal from Wednesday for the first time in South African history – a move described as more than 300 years in the making.


More than 100 Muslim clerics, or imams, will on Wednesday graduate as marriage officers in a pilot project by the Department of Home Affairs which will allow them to officiate over unions that will be recognised by law.

The imams graduating on Wednesday completed a three-day course during which they learned about the Marriage Act of 1961 and wrote an exam.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor, her deputy Fatima Chohan and Muslim leaders are to attend the graduation in Pinelands on Wednesday.

All first-time Muslim marriages will now be recorded on the National Population Register, said Home Affairs spokesman Lunga Ngqengelele.