SA’s legal system currently doesn’t provide the same rights and protections to cohabiting partners
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GUEST – Angie Poole, Manager Estates, Business Restructuring at BDO South Africa
Oh, how times have changed. Many couples today choose to live together rather than get married, embracing cohabitation as a legitimate form of partnership. This shift reflects evolving societal values and a preference for flexibility over formal commitment. But, while many South Africans believe that by living together for a period of time, you become common law husband and wife, the law doesn’t currently recognise cohabitation as a formal legal relationship. This means that cohabiting partners do not enjoy the same rights and protections as married couples, often leading to complex legal and financial complications.
Oh, how times have changed. Many couples today choose to live together rather than get married, embracing cohabitation as a legitimate form of partnership. This shift reflects evolving societal values and a preference for flexibility over formal commitment. But, while many South Africans believe that by living together for a period of time, you become common law husband and wife, the law doesn’t currently recognise cohabitation as a formal legal relationship. This means that cohabiting partners do not enjoy the same rights and protections as married couples, often leading to complex legal and financial complications.
