Divorce Attorney Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban

Who become the gaurdian of my children after I die?

People don't usually want to think about death, but as a parent, what will happen to your children after you passed away? As a parent you will have to take steps now to secure your children's future care.

The following scenario happens all too often. Judy and Mark divorced after having three children. Mark had an affair and left Judy for someone else. Judy is now in a relationship with Ben and she and the children lived with Ben for the past 5 years in Cape Town. Ben is an awesome father and has taken care of the children as if they were his own. Mark paid little maintenance and did not show much interest in the children for the past few years. Judy then passes away. Within a few weeks after her death Mark appeared on the scene demanding that children live with him and his new wife in Johannesburg. Ben is devastated as loves the children and the children are devastated too.

The parents of a child who are married or have been married to each other are normally both the co-guardians of the child, unless a court order specifies otherwise or in the case of parents who never married, the biological father if he acquired parental rights and responsibilities and guardianship. In case of death the surviving parent normally becomes the sole natural guardian of the child.

Section 27 of the Children's Act specifies that a parent who is the sole guardian of a child may appoint a fit and proper person as guardian of the child in the event of death of that parent. Such an appointment must be contained in a Will made by the parent. So if one parent has sole care or guardianship then that parent can appoint a fit and proper person to take care of the children when he/she dies. If one parent has only been granted care (opposed to sole care) the ex-spouse automatically obtains care on the death of the other parent. So in the event that you nominate another person where you don't have sole care or guardianship your ex-spouse will have to consent or give up on his/her rights. If your ex-spouse is the co-holder then he will automatically gain care and guardianship in case of your death. If a parent is unfit the court may well award guardianship to someone else, it has to be noted that all decisions in relation to a child must be made in the best interests of the child and the court will consider a number of facts, such as the commitment the person applying has shown towards the child, the extent in which he contributed to the child's expenses, the relationship between the child and that person whose rights and responsibilities are being challenged and any other factor that the court will deem necessary to take into in account.

So, any wish you have as to whom should be taking care of your child on your death should be contained in your Will, providing that you have sole care and guardianship, otherwise it will not be enforceable.

Care in terms of the Act means, providing the child with a suitable place to live, offering living conditions that are conducive to the child's health, well-being and development and the necessary financial support, safeguarding and promoting the well-being of the child, protecting the child from maltreatment, abuse, neglect, degradation, discrimination, exploitation and any other physical, emotional or moral harm or hazards, guiding, directing and securing the child's education and upbringing, including religious and cultural education and upbringing, in a manner appropriate to the child's age, maturity and stage of development, guiding, advising and assisting the child in decisions to be taken by the child in a manner appropriate to the child's age, maturity and stage of development, the behaviour of the child in a humane manner, maintaining a sound relationship with the child, accommodating any special needs that the child may have and generally, ensuring that the best interests of the child is the paramount concern in all matters affecting the child.

In terms of Section 31 of the Children's Act, before a person holding parental responsibilities and rights in respect of a child takes any decision involving the child, such as the assignment of guardianship or care in respect of the child to another person that person must give due consideration to any views and wishes expressed by the child, bearing in mind the child's age, maturity and stage of development. There is no specific age set in terms of the Act, but the older and more mature the child the more their wishes will be taken into account.

Section 10 of the Act also stipulates that every child that is of such an age, maturity and stage of development as to be able to participate in any matter concerning that child has the right to participate in an appropriate way and views expressed by the child must be given due consideration.

If you die and the other parent is also no longer alive the grandparents on either side may apply for the child's care or guardianship.

Compiled by Bertus Preller

Family Law Attorney

KWJ Inc.

info@divorceattorney.co.za

www.divorceattorney.co.za

 

Egskeiding - wat sé die reg

Getroude gades kan hul huwelike deur egskeiding ontbind. Dit beëindig die huwelik en geskeide partye kan weer wettig daarna trou.
Die loop van die egskeidingsproses sal afhang daarvan of die huwelik 'n burgerlike huwelik of 'n gebruiklike huwelik is. Burgerlike huwelike word ontbind in ooreenstemming met die reëls en prosedures vervat in ons land se Egskeidingswet. Huwelike wat kragtens die Afrika Gewoontereg aangegaan word, moet in ooreenstemming met die burgerlike reg ontbind, maar sommige van die gevolge word deur sodanige gebruike en tradisies bepaal. Moslem en Hindoe huwelike word kragtens die plegtighede en rituele van die betrokke gelowe ontbind.

Daar is 'n aantal aangeleenthede wat by 'n egskeiding voorkom en welke aandag moet geneiet, naamlik:

• toesig en beheer oor die kinders
• toegang tot die kinders
• onderhoud
• verdeling van eiendom
• Onderhoud vir die gade

TOESIG EN BEHEER OOR DIE KINDERS

Voordat ‘n hof 'n egskeidingsbevel sal toestaan, moet daar besluit word wie na die kinders gaan omsien en wie die primere sorg oor die kinders sal verkry. Die ouers kan 'n reëling tref of die hof kan besluit. Die belangrikste oorweging wanneer daar besluit word oor watter ouer toesig die primere sorg van die kinders sal verkry, is die beste belang beginsel van die kinder wat in Artikel 7 van die Kinderwet saamgevat is. Die Gesinsadvokaat by die hof kan helpgewoonlik om te bepaal watter ouer die beste in staat is om die primere sorg oor die kinders sal verkry en kan, indien nodig, die kinders in die hof verteenwoordig. Indien die egskeiding uitgerek is, byvoorbeeld wanneer die partye nie ooreen kan stem nie, kan 'n tussentydse versorgingsbevel uitgereik word waarin uiteengesit word wie na die kinders sal omsien onderwyl die egskeiding afgehandel word, dit geskied gewoonlik by wyse van ‘n Reel 43 aansoek.

In Hindoe, Afrika en Moslem gebruiklike huwelike kry die vrou gewoonlik beheer en toesig oor die kinders. Ooreenkomstig Afrika gewoontereg bly die vader gewoonlik die kinders se natuurlike voog. Kinders wat uit Hindoe en Moslem huwelike gebore is, word as buite-egtelik beskou en gevolglik is die moeder ook die natuurlike voog. In alle gevalle het die vader steeds 'n plig om die kinders te onderhou.

TOEGANG TOT DIE KINDERS

Die ouer wat nie die primere sorg kry nie, sal gewoonlik nog hulle kinders wil sien. Dit is dus nodig dat daar ooreengekom moet word wanneer, waar en hoe hierdie ouer toegang tot die kinders kan kry. As dit nie in die beste belang van die kinders is dat die ander ouer toegangsregte het nie, kan die hof toegang beperk.

ONDERHOUD

Wanneer 'n paartjie skei, is die een gade dikwels in 'n beter finansiële posisie as die ander. Die gade wat toesig en beheer oor die kinders verkry, sal ook uitgawes hê wat die ander ouer nie het nie. Die hof sal dan 'n onderhoudsbevel uitreik wat vereis dat onderhoud vir die kinders en, na gelang van omstandighede, vir die ander party betaal moet word.

Onderhoud vir die kinders word aan die ouer betaal wat toesig en beheer gekry het (maar dit is belangrik om te onthou dat hierdie reg die kind s'n en nie die ouer s'n is nie). Alle ouers het 'n plig om hul kinders te onderhou, insluitend kinders wat buite-egtelik is.
Indien daar probleme met die onderhoud is nadat die egskeiding deur is, kan hierdie probleme na die Onderhoudsbeampte by die landdroshof geneem word.

Of die een party vir die onderhoud of ondersteuning van die ander party aanspreeklik gaan wees, sal van die omstandighede afhang. Indien die partye nie ooreen kan kom oor hoeveel betaal moet word nie, sal die hof besluit.
Omdat Hindoe en Moslem huwelike nie ten volle as wettige huwelike erken word nie, het die vrou geen regstatus om onderhoud na die egskeiding te eis nie.

VERDELING VAN EIENDOM

Hoe die gesinseiendom verdeel gaan word hang af van watter eiendomstelsel die gades aangeneem het toe hulle in die huwelik getree het. Dit sal gewoonlik in die huweliksvoorwaarde-ooreenkoms of HVK uiteengesit word en, as daar geen HVK is nie, sal dit deur die wet bepaal word.

Die verstekregstandpunt is dat burgerlike huwelike binne gemeenskap van goedere met aanwas is. Dit beteken dat alles wat die gades besit, gedeel word met die insluiting van eiendom en skuld. Aanwas beteken dat alles wat hulle verdien of gekoop het nadat hulle getroud is, ook deel word van die gesamentlike boedel.

In geval van egskeiding, word die gedeelde eiendom gelyk tussen die gades verdeel. Enige skuld word ook gedeel.

As die gades ‘n HVK aangaan, kan hulle besluit om te trou:

• buite gemeenskap van goedere sonder aanwas;
• buite gemeenskap van goedere met aanwas.

Indien die huwelik buite gemeenskap van goedere sonder aanwas is, hou elke persoon sy/haar eie eiendom van voor die huwelik en hou wat hulle ook al gedurende die huwelik verdien of bekom het.
Indien die huwelik buite gemeenskap van goedere met aanwas is, hou elke persoon sy/haar eiendom van voor die huwelik, maar alles wat gedurende die huwelik bymekaargemaak is, word gedeel. Sommige goed soos erflatings of geskenke word nie ingesluit nie.

VOORSKRIFTE:

• Ontbinding van 'n burgerlike huwelik
• Ontbinding van 'n huwelik kragtens afrika gewoontereg
• Ontbinding van 'n huwelik ooreenkomstig die moslem of hindoe gelowe

ONTBINDING VAN 'n BURGERLIKE HUWELIK

'n Burgerlike huwelik moet deur 'n hof ontbind word.

Gronde vir egskeiding

‘n Gade kan slegs 'n egskeiding bekom indien hy/sy aan die hof kan bewys dat die huwelik "onherstelbaar verbrokkel" het of dat een van die gades sielsiek of voortdurend bewusteloos is.

Onherstelbare verbrokkeling beteken dat die gades nie langer saam kan leef nie en dat daar geen redelike kans is dat hulle hul geskille sal kan bylê nie. Stawing hiervan kan bewyse insluit wat aandui dat:

• Die paartjie 'n ruk lank nie saam gebly het nie.
• Een maat die ander bedrieg het;
• Een maat die ander verlaat het;
• Een maat die ander mishandel het;
• Die paartjie mekaar nie langer lief het nie.

‘n Gade kan 'n egskeiding verkry indien die ander gade vir minstens twee jaar in 'n inrigting vir sielsiekes is en dokters van mening is dat hy/sy nooit gaan herstel nie.

‘n Gade kan 'n egskeiding kry indien die ander gade vir minstens ses maande nie by sy/haar bewussyn is nie en dokters van mening is dat hy/sy nooit gaan herstel nie.

Die egskeidingsproses

Indien ‘n Gade die hof om 'n egskeiding wil vra, moet ‘n Gade 'n dagvaarding voorberei met die volgende inligting:

• Wie die primere sorg oor die kinders gaan verkry
• Hoe die ouer wat nie primere sorg het nie, toegang tot die kinders gaan verkry
• Wie onderhoud gaan ontvang, hoeveel dit sal beloop en hoe en wanneer dit betaal sal word
• Hoe u eiendom verdeel gaan word

Indien die gades 'n skikkingsooreenkoms kan bereik voordat die dagvaarding uitgereik word, sal dit die proses baie vinniger en makliker maak. Indien die gades 'n ooreenkoms bereik, moet dit dit op skrif gestel en onderteken word. Die toestemmingsakte moet dan by die dagvaarding vir 'n egskeiding aangeheg word.

'n Verhoordatum sal bepaal word. Ten tye van hierdie verhoor sal die regter vrae vra om die inligting in die dagvaarding te bevestig. Wanneer alles afgehandel is, sal 'n egskeidingsbevel toegestaan word. Indien u die Gesinshof in stede van 'n Hooggeregshof gebruik, mag u egskeiding vinniger en goedkoper afgehandel word.

ONTBINDING VAN 'n HUWELIK KRAGTENS AFRIKA GEWOONTEREG

Gebruiklike huwelike stem ooreen met burgerlike huwelike in soverre 'n hof 'n egskeidingsbevel moet uitreik en die egskeiding slegs toegestaan sal word indien daar gronde vir 'n egskeiding is (dit wil sê onherroeplike verbrokkeling, sielsiekte of volgehoue bewusteloosheid).

Die partye kan oor die bepalings van die egskeiding besluit en die regter sal dan die toepaslike bevele ten opsigte van beheer en toesig en onderhoud uitreik. Indien die hof oor hierdie aangeleenthede moet besluit, sal dit enige reëlings in ag neem wat kragtens gewoontereg gemaak is.

Daar kan van die vrou se familie verwag word om die hele of 'n deel of van die lobola aan die man se familie terug te gee, tensy die man in die openbaar sy vrou sonder hoegenaamd enige rede verwerp het.

ONTBINDING VAN 'n HUWELIK OOREENKOMSTIG DIE MOSLEM OF HINDOE GELOWE

Indien 'n man en 'n vrou deur 'n imam in die Moslem geloof of 'n priester in die Hindoe geloof in die huwelik bevestig is, is hulle kragtens die burgerlike reg nie getroud nie. Hulle kan dan skei sonder om na 'n hof te gaan, maar hulle moet die reëls van hulle geloof nakom.

WAT STAAN ‘n PARTY TE DOEN WANNEER HY/SY WIL SKEI

Eerstens kan jy besluit om ‘n prokureur te gaan sien. As die egskeiding onbestrede is, met ander woorde waar die partye kan ooreenkom om te skik sal die koste tussen R 4000 - R 20 000 wees. Die gades kan egter gebruik maak van ‘n aanlyn egskeidingsdiens soos eDivorce, sien http://www.edivorce.co.za en die fooi hiervoor beloop R 950.

 

 

Most divorces nowadays are nasty and all too long. Not to mention how expensive it can be.

The average cost of an uncontested divorce in South Africa can be anything between R 4 000 to R 20 000.

So why is it so expensive?

The bulk of the money, predictably enough, goes straight to your attorney or advocate. In the USA alone, Matrimonial law work is currently a staggering $28 billion-a-year industry.

The simplest and the cheapest way of handling divorce proceedings are to do all the negotiating and paperwork on your own. The internet has changed how we do things these days and booking a flight or accommodation is so much easier, also obtaining legal assistance. A Web site like eDivorce located at http://www.edivorce.co.za offers an array of information and a DIY Divorce service to assist you to conclude your own Divorce for a mere R 950. If your finances are relatively simple and you and your spouse can reach an agreement on the care and contact arrangements of the children, this may be an attractive option.

Another inexpensive option for those whose divorces are relatively amicable is mediation. During mediation, the couple hire a mediator trained in conflict resolution and family law (and often, but not always, a lawyer) to oversee their negotiations.  But comparing the cost of mediation with that of a service like eDivorce is no comparison.

So if you want a cheap alternative eDivorce is easy, fast and affordable. The documents are generated fast, within 24 hours and depending which plan you opt for your divorce can be done in a mere 3 weeks.

For further information contact eDivorce on info@edivorce.co.za or call the 24-hour hotline on 0835334428.

 

Failure to Pay Maintenance

What are the legal steps one can take if your spouse fails to pay maintenance?

If your spouse was ordered to pay maintenance in terms of a divorce order or maintenance court order and he fails to do so, the following are the remedies available to you:

1.      Maintenance enquiry in terms of the Maintenance Act.

• Lodge a complaint with your local maintenance officer at the Magistrate's Court where you reside that your spouse, although legally liable to maintain your children, has failed to do so;
• The maintenance officer will then investigate the complaint and may decide then institute an enquiry;
• If the maintenance officer is satisfied that your complaint is justified, he will require your spouse to appear before a magistrate for examination.
• After considering all the evidence and facts, the maintenance court will make such order as it deems fit including granting a garnishee order requiring your spouse's employer to deduct the maintenance amount from his salary and paying it over to you.

2.      If your maintenance order was granted by the maintenance court

• If your spouse fails to make payment, you can execute against his movable property, attach goods, emoluments (any monies that may be due to him) or any debts that are due to him.
• You must approach the maintenance court for the authorization of the issue of a warrant of execution to attach goods, emoluments or debts.
• The application for the authorization of a Warrant of Execution to attach goods, emoluments or a debt must be accompanied by a copy of the maintenance or other order and a statement under stating the amount which the person against whom the order was made as though to pay.

3.      If your maintenance order was granted pursuant to a decree of divorce

• You can apply to the High Court that issued that decree for the issue of a Warrant of Execution against the property of your spouse.You will need your attorney to assist you in that regard. Obviously, you will not take such a step unless your spouse has movable assets.
• Similarly, you could ask your attorney to take steps to obtain a garnishee order against your spouse's salary if he is employed or even to attach the proceeds of an insurance policy or pension scheme.

4.      Criminal procedure

• Subject to the defence that failure to pay maintenance is because of lack of means, a person who fails to make a particular payment in accordance with a court or maintenance order is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 1 year or to imprisonment without the option of a fine.
• Your are entitled to lay a criminal charge against your spouse if he fails to stick to the terms of the decree of divorce or any order made by a maintenance court. Although this step will likely result in your spouse's being arrested it will not necessarily result in your receiving payment.
• On a practical level, if your spouse is arrested and he immediately pays all the arrears it is more than likely that the state will drop the charge so this is yet another lever that you have to extract payment.

 

Let us help you to claim maintenance anywhere in South Africa:

Contact: info@divorceattorney.co.za

 

Compiled by Bertus Preller

Family Law Attorney

KWJ Inc.

www.divorceattorney.co.za

 

Custody of children

Section 10 of the Children's Act 38 of 2005  provides that every child that is of such an age, maturity and stage of development as to be able to participate in any matter concerning that child has the right to participate in an appropriate way and that views expressed by the child must be given due consideration.

The application of the section arose in HG v CG 2010 (3) SA 352 (ECP). The matter concerned four children whose parents were divorced in 2006. The eldest, a boy, M A was then aged eleven and his siblings, a set of eight year old triplets, comprising two boys R A and M N and a girl, K E. In terms of the settlement agreement the parents were awarded joint custody of the children, the intention being that the children would spend an equal amount of time with each parent. They agreed to sell two of the immovable properties jointly owned by them and divide the proceeds equally among themselves and further agreed that in order to facilitate the joint custody regime, they would each purchase a home. These homes were duly acquired and the contemplated arrangement became a reality, the children spending alternate weeks with each parent.

Three years later when the eldest child was fourteen years of age and the other three (triplets) were eleven years of age, the applicant, Mrs G, approached the High Court by way of urgent application for variation of the custody order. In the application Mrs G sought an order declaring her the primary care provider of the children as well as the authority to permanently remove them from South Africa to Dubai, a Persian Gulf state, there to live with a new man whom she planned to marry.

Experts commissioned by the applicant, being a social worker and clinical psychologist, recommended that the applicant be the primary care provider and that she relocate with the children to Dubai as proposed. Experts not commissioned by the applicant held a different view, finding that relocation would not be in the best interest of the children as they would miss their father, school friends and the city of Port Elizabeth to which they were accustomed. Chetty J dismissed the application and ordered each party to pay own costs.

The guiding principle in matters involving children is that the interests of the children are paramount. This is entrenched in the Constitution, section 28 of which provides that "a child's best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning a child". The Children's Act was promulgated to give effect to this constitutional imperative, section 9 of which echoes the constitutional injunction.

Section 6 of the Act under the rubric, General principles, contains various guidelines and inter alia provides that -

(2)  All proceedings, actions or decisions in a matter concerning a child must-

(a) respect, protect, promote and fulfil the child's rights set out in the Bill of Rights, the best interests of the child standard set out in section 7 and the rights and principles set out in this Act, subject to any lawful limitation;"

The best interests of the child standard referred to in the preceding paragraph is given content in section 7 of the Act which provides -

7.   Best interests of child standard.-(1)  Whenever a provision of this Act requires the best interests of the child standard to be applied, the following factors must be taken into consideration where relevant, namely-

(a)       the nature of the personal relationship between-

(i)         the child and the parents, or any specific parent; and

(ii)        the child and any other care-giver or person relevant in those circumstances;

(b)       the attitude of the parents, or any specific parent, towards-

(i)         the child; and

(ii)        the exercise of parental responsibilities and rights in respect of the child;

(c)        the capacity of the parents, or any specific parent, or of any other care-giver or person, to provide for the needs of the child, including emotional and intellectual needs;

(d)       the likely effect on the child of any change in the child's circumstances, including the likely effect on the child of any separation from-

(i) both or either of the parents; or

(ii) any brother or sister or other child, or any other care-giver or person, with whom the child has been living;

(e)       the practical difficulty and expense of a child having contact with the parents, or any specific parent, and whether that difficulty or expense will substantially affect the child's right to maintain personal relations and direct contact with the parents, or any specific parent, on a regular basis;

(f)        the need for the child-

(i)         to remain in the care of his or her parent, family and extended family; and

(ii)        to maintain a connection with his or her family, extended family, culture or tradition;

(g)       the child's-

(i) age, maturity and stage of development;

(ii) gender;

(iii) background; and

(iv) any other relevant characteristics of the child;

(h)      the child's physical and emotional security and his or her intellectual, emotional, social and cultural development;

(i) any disability that a child may have;

(j) any chronic illness from which a child may suffer;

(k)       the need for a child to be brought up within a stable family environment and, where this is not possible, in an environment resembling as closely as possible a caring family environment;

(l)        the need to protect the child from any physical or psychological harm that may be caused by-

(i)        subjecting the child to maltreatment, abuse, neglect, exploitation or degradation or exposing the child to violence or exploitation  or other harmful behaviour; or

(ii)     exposing the child to maltreatment, abuse, degradation, ill-treatment, violence or harmful behaviour towards another person;

(m)      any family violence involving the child or a family member of the child; and

(n)      which action or decision would avoid or minimise further legal or administrative proceedings in relation to the child.

(2)   In this section "parent" includes any person who has parental responsibilities and rights in respect of a child."

The Act has brought about a fundamental shift in the parent/child relationship from that which prevailed in the pre-constitutional era and now not only vests a child with certain rights but moreover gives a child the opportunity to participate in any decision making affecting him or her. Thus section 10 of the Act explicitly recognizes a child's inherent rights in any matter affecting him or her and provides that -

"10.   Child participation.-Every child that is of such an age, maturity and stage of development as to be able to participate in any matter concerning that child has the right to participate in an appropriate way and views expressed by the child must be given due consideration."

The court said that the Act brought about a fundamental shift in the parent/child relationship and not only vested a child with certain rights but also gave a child the opportunity to participate in any decision-making affecting him. The court was enjoined by the Act to give due consideration to the views of the children. In the present case the minor children were of an age and level of maturity to make an informed decision, namely to preserve the status quo of joint custody by both parents and reject relocation to Dubai.

Compiled by Bertus Preller

Family Law Attorney

Abrahams & Gross Inc.

www.divorceattorney.co.za

bertus@divorceattorney.co.za