Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2018, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2018 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recorded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2018 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records data [adm]

Mode of data collection

Other [oth]

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable, but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2016, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2016 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2016 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2015, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2015 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2015 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records data [adm]

Mode of data collection

Other [oth]

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2017, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2017 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recorded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2017 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records data [adm]

Mode of data collection

Other [oth]

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable, but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2012, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2012 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2012 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes only divorces from civil marriages and those granted in 2010 at only 12 of the 62 divorce courts mandated to deal with divorce cases in South Africa.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2010 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

The divorces data file only provides data on divorces from civil marriages. It is limited in its usability by this and by the fact that the data is on divorces that were granted in 2010 by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development at only 12 of the 62 divorce courts mandated to deal with divorce cases in South Africa. The lack of geographical data in the dataset further compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2018, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2018 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2018 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore, the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2016, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2016 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2016 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records data [adm]

Mode of data collection

Other [oth]

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes only divorces from civil marriages and only those granted in 2009.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2009 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2015, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2015 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2015 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes only divorces from civil marriages and those granted in 2011 at only 12 of the 62 divorce courts mandated to deal with divorce cases in South Africa.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2011 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

The divorces data file only provides data on divorces from civil marriages. It is limited in its usability by this and by the fact that the data is on divorces that were granted in 2011 by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development at only 12 of the 62 divorce courts mandated to deal with divorce cases in South Africa. The lack of geographical data in the dataset further compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2014, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2014 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2014 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2013, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2013 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2013 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.

Abstract

Marriage data: In South Africa Civil Marriages are administered through the Marriage Act, 1961 (Act No. 25 of 1961) as amended, and its associated regulations. Customary marriages are governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998 (Act No. 120 of 1998) which came into effect on 15 November 2000. Civil unions (relationships between same-sex couples that are legally recognized by a state authority) are covered by the Civil Union Act, 2006 (Act No. 17 of 2006) which came into operation on 30 November 2006.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is responsible for the administration of marriages in South Africa, under these laws. After the ceremony of a marriage or a civil union, the marriage officer submits the data to the nearest office of the Department of Home Affairs (DHS), where the marriage / civil union details for citizens and permanent residents are recorded in the National Population Register (NPR). Statistics South Africa obtains data on marriages and civil unions from DHA through the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) for this dataset.

NOTE: In customary marriages, the two spouses and their witnesses present themselves at a DHA office in order to register a customary marriage. Therefore the province of registration is not necessarily the province of the place of usual residence of the couple since the registration of the marriage can take place in any DHA office.

Divorce data: The dissolution of registered marriages and civil unions is governed by the Divorce Act, 1979 as amended, and its associated regulations (Act No.70 of 1979) and the Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 32 of 2008) as amended which came into effect on 9 August 2010. The South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCD) is responsible for managing divorces under these Acts. Statistics South Africa obtains the divorce data from the DJCD for this dataset.

NOTE: The data includes divorce applications that were concluded in 2017, that is, that were finalised and issued with decrees of divorce in 2017 by DJCD.

Geographic coverage

The data has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

The data covers all civil marriages that were recoreded by the Department of Home Affairs and all divorce applications that were granted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in 2017 in South Africa.

Kind of data

Administrative records

Mode of data collection

Other

Data appraisal

Geography is problematic in this dataset as not all the data files have geographic data. The Civil Marriages and Civil Unions data files include a Province of Registration variable but the Customary Marriages data file does not. There is also no geographical data in the Divorces file. As this data file includes divorce data from only a subset of divorce courts, this lack of geographical information compromises its usability.