Daniels v Campbell

Daniels v Campbell NO and Others,^[1] an important case in South African law, was heard in the Constitutional Court^[2] on November 6, 2003, with judgment handed down on March 11, 2004.

Facts

An application was made for confirmation of an order of the Cape High Court which declared invalid and unconstitutional certain provisions of the Maintenance Act^[3] and the Intestate Succession Act^[4] for their failure to recognise as "spouses" persons married according to Muslim rites, and therefore to allow partners in Muslim marriages to benefit from their protections, which include the provision of relief to widows to ensure that they receive at least a child's share of their husbands' estates.

It is important to note that the question before the court was not whether Muslim marriage is lawful under the Marriage Act.^[5] Muslim marriages have not yet been expressly recognised in South African law, although there is a Draft Muslim Marriages Bill.

Judgment

Sachs J held that the word "spouse," in its ordinary meaning, should include parties to a Muslim marriage, because this corresponds to the way the word is generally understood and used, and because it would be far more awkward from a linguistic point of view to exclude Muslim partners than to include them. The historic exclusion in South Africa flowed not from the courts' giving the word its ordinary meaning but from a linguistically-strained usage and from cultural and racial prejudices. Both the intent and the impact of the restrictive interpretation were discriminatory.^[6]

The words "spouse" and "survivor" as used in the Acts would henceforth apply to partners to monogamous Muslim marriages. The court intentionally did not deal with the question of polygamous Muslim marriages.

See also

• Amod v MMVF
• Hassam v Jacobs
• Ismail v Ismail
• Kahn v Kahn
• South African family law
• Women's Legal Centre Trust v President of the Republic of South Africa

References

Cases

• Daniels v Campbell NO and Others 2004 (5) SA 331 (CC).

Statutes

• Intestate Succession Act 81 of 1987.
• Maintenance of Surviving Spouses Act 27 of 1990.
• Marriage Act 25 of 1961.

Notes

1. ^ 2004 (5) SA 331 (CC).
2. ^ Chaskalson CJ, Langa DCJ, Ackermann J, Mokgoro J, Ngcobo J, O'Regan J, Sachs J, Yacoob J, Madala J and Moseneke J.
3. ^ Act 27 of 1990.
4. ^ Act 81 of 1987.
5. ^ Act 25 of 1961.
6. ^ Para 19.