05/06/2026 Bertus Preller Abuse, Balance of probabilities, Domestic Violence, Emotional Abuse, Irreparable harm test, Physical Abuse, Psychological Abuse, Spoliation accrual system, balance of probabilities, civil remedies, divorce proceedings, domestic relationship, domestic violence, Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998, emotional abuse, evidence affidavit, family law South Africa, final protection order, Gauteng Division, harm threshold, High Court appeal, IKM v GRM, interdict, Interim Protection Order, magistrates court, matrimonial property, protection order, protection order misuse, psychological harm, Rule 43, section 1 DVA, section 6(4) DVA, spoliation, warrant of arrest, Wentzel J, Wilson J, ZAGPJHC 461 When Collecting Your Own Car Is Not Domestic Violence — IKM v GRM (A2025-156276) [2026] ZAGPJHC 461 (7 May 2026). The Facts: A Car, a Parking Lot, and a Protection Order The parties in IKM v GRM (A2025-156276) ZAGPJHC 461 (7 May 2026), decided by Wilson J (with whom Wentzel… READ MORE
28/05/2026 Bertus Preller Alimony, Clean Break Principle, Divorce, Maintenance, Maintenance termination, Matrimonial Properties Act, Matrimonial Property Act 88 of 1984, Pension Funds, Post-divorce maintenance, Rehabilitative maintenance, Section 7(2) maintenance, Spousal Maintenance accrual system, Antenuptial Contract, clean break principle, conduct of parties, contribution towards costs, CPI escalation, Divorce Act 70 of 1979, divorce South Africa, duration of marriage, earning capacity, employability, Family Law, financial needs and obligations, GEPF, industrial psychologist, Maintenance Order, marital standard of living, matrimonial property, Matrimonial Property Act 88 of 1984, onus to prove need, pendente lite maintenance, pension interest, rehabilitative maintenance, retirement, Section 7(2), section 7(8), spousal maintenance, stay-at-home spouse, termination of maintenance When the Money Must Stop: Rehabilitative Maintenance and the Clean Break in M.I.B (born H[…]) v D.B (2023-079189) [2026] ZAGPPHC 411 (2 May 2026). M.I.B (born H) v D.B (2023-079189) ZAGPPHC 411 (2 May 2026) This judgment of Smit AJ in the Gauteng Division, Pretoria, is a useful working example of how a court… READ MORE
16/03/2026 Bertus Preller Alimony, Appeal, Arrear Maintenace, Arrear Maintenance, Arrear maintenance claims, Best Interests of the Child, Child Maintenance, Children, Divorce, Duty to maintain, Interim Maintenance, Interlocutory applications, Irregular proceedings, Leave to appeal Superior Courts Act, Maintenance, Maintenance Court, Parental Rights, Pendente Lite, Procedural Law, Punitive costs orders, Rule 43, Rule 43 Appeal, Rule 43 Applications, Rule 43 orders, Rule 58, Spousal Maintenance, Stepparents, Variation Rule 43(6) accrual system, appealability, blended families, common law development, Divorce, divorce proceedings, duty of support, Family Law, Govindjee AJA, interests of justice, interim maintenance, interim relief, jurisdictional threshold, maintenance pendente lite, non-appealability, out of community of property, piecemeal appeals, Rule 43, Rule 43(6), SCA, section 16(3), section 173 Constitution, South African divorce law, statutory bar, stepchildren, stepparent maintenance, Superior Courts Act, Supreme Court of Appeal, Western Cape High Court Blended Families, Bitter Disputes and a Blocked Appeal: The SCA Draws the Line on Rule 43 Appealability in B.E v N.T and Others (505/2025) [2026] ZASCA 25 (11 March 2026). The Facts: A Blended Family, a Breakdown, and a Battle Over Stepchildren's Maintenance BE and NT married on 27 April 2018, out of community of property subject to the accrual… READ MORE
27/01/2026 Bertus Preller Adultery, Divorce, Exceptional circumstances separation, In Community of Property, Infidelity, Liquidator, Liquidator, Receiver Divorce, Separation Applications, Separation of issues, Trusts, Trusts accrual system, conceptual separability, convenience test, De Wet NO v Jurgens, divorce litigation, divorce proceedings, divorce South Africa, Estate Sayle, family law South Africa, Gillespie v Gillespie, interim maintenance, joint estate division, marriage in community of property, matrimonial property law, Matrimonial Property Regime, NK v KM, receiver and liquidator, separation of issues, strike date, T.S.Y v L.E.Y, TD v LD, trust assets joint estate, undivided share, Wilson J, ZAGPJHC 34 You Can’t Have Your Divorce and Keep the Estate Too: T.S.Y v L.E.Y (2022/3952) [2026] ZAGPJHC 34 (26 January 2026) on the Inseparability of Divorce and Asset Division in Marriages in Community of Property. The Factual Matrix: A Long-Separated Couple and the Quest for a "Clean" Divorce The applicant, TSY, and the respondent, LEY, married in community of property on 27 July 1989. The… READ MORE
15/01/2026 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculation, Accrual Calculator, Accrual claims, Accrual system, Divorce, Eviction, PIE Act, Procedural Law, Procedure accrual claim, accrual disputes, accrual system, constitutional arguments, contingent rights, conveyancing law, divorce and property, divorce litigation, doctrine of notice, eviction defence, eviction proceedings, family law practitioners, finality in litigation, leave to appeal, matrimonial home, matrimonial property, PIE Act, property ownership, property transactions, reconsideration applications, registered ownership, section 17(2)(f), South African Family Law, spousal occupation, Superior Courts Act, Supreme Court of Appeal, third party purchasers, transfer of property Accrual Rights, Ownership and Eviction: Clear Limits on Spousal Claims Before Divorce — J.M.M and Another v Cara Dorothy Masureik and Others (807/2024) [2026] ZASCA 1 (8 January 2026). Factual Background and Procedural History The matter in J.M.M and Another v Cara Dorothy Masureik and Others arose from protracted and unresolved divorce proceedings between the first applicant and her… READ MORE
08/12/2025 Bertus Preller Accrual system, Clean Break Principle, Cohabitation, Costs, Direct financial contributions, Division of Estate, Divorce, Divorce Act 70 of 1979, EB v ER Constitutional Court, Equitable redistribution, Marriage, Marriage equality, matrimonial asset division, Out of community of property, Procedure, Punitive Cost Orders, Redistribution Claim, Rehabilitative maintenance, Section 7(2) maintenance, Section 7(3) Divorce Act, Section 7(4) contributions, Universal Partnership accrual system, antenuptial contract without accrual, Attorney and Client Costs, Beaumont v Beaumont, clean break principle, cohabitation before marriage, direct financial contributions, domestic partnership, EB v ER Constitutional Court, equitable redistribution, estate valuation disputes, family law redistribution, full court binding precedent, household duties, indirect contributions to estate, matrimonial asset division, Matrimonial Property Regime, out of community of property, Ponelat v Schrephfer, post-separation conduct, redistribution claims, rehabilitative maintenance, section 7(2) maintenance, section 7(3) Divorce Act, section 7(4) contributions, South African divorce law, spousal maintenance, trust asset disclosure, universal partnership Beyond Marriage: 30 Years, 40% Redistribution and the Universal Partnership Principle – E.L.M v L.M (9360/2022P) [2025] ZAKZPHC 127 (5 December 2025). Facts and Matrimonial Background: A 30-Year Relationship The parties in this matter were married out of community of property without the accrual system on 27 March 1999, following a six-year… READ MORE
26/10/2025 Bertus Preller Accrual claims, Divorce, Divorce Act 70 of 1979, Matrimonial Property Act 88 of 1984, Member spouse, Non-member spouse, Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956, Pension interest, Procedural Law, Procedure, Referee report, Retirement fund divorce, Section 37D, Settlement agreements, Tax liability pension interest accrual claims, accrual system, C.N.N v N.N, Divorce Act 70 of 1979, divorce settlement agreement, divorce trial court, legislative lacuna pension law, matrimonial property, Matrimonial Property Act 88 of 1984, member spouse, motion court jurisdiction, Ndaba v Ndaba, non-member spouse, Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956, pension funds legislation, pension interest, pension sharing divorce, referee report, retirement benefits divorce, retirement fund divorce, Reynolds v Reynolds, section 3 Matrimonial Property Act, section 37D, section 7(8), South African Family Law, T.M.W v J.J.W, tax liability pension interest, withdrawal benefits tax, ZAGPPHC 1093 2025 When Retirement Funds Cannot Settle Accrual Claims: D E C B v J M B (37464-2020) [2025] ZAGPPHC 1093 (21 October 2025) and the Jurisdictional Dilemma in South African Divorce Law. Factual Matrix: When a Referee's Report Reveals More Questions Than Answers The parties in this matter were married out of community of property with the application of the accrual system… READ MORE
15/08/2025 Bertus Preller Accrual Calculator, Maintenance Calculator, Technology in Law accrual calculator, accrual sharing, accrual system, ai in law, Antenuptial Contract, assets liabilities, automated calculations, child expenses, child support, court reports, cpi inflation, divorce lawyers, divorce proceedings, divorce tools, estate growth, excluded assets, family law attorneys, free web apps, inflation adjustment, legal efficiency, legal professionals, maintenance calculator, Matrimonial Property Act, pdf exports, South African Family Law, south african maintenance law, spousal guidelines, spousal maintenance, technology legal practice Discover Two Free Tools Revolutionising South African Family Law: Maintenance and Accrual Calculators. In the complex world of family law, especially during divorce proceedings, accuracy and efficiency are paramount. For attorneys, divorce lawyers, and legal professionals in South Africa, handling calculations for child… READ MORE
03/07/2025 Bertus Preller Customary Law, Customary marriage requirements, Customary Marriages, Marriage registration, Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, Section 8 RCMA, Traditional marriage validity accrual system, African marriage, ante-nuptial contract, civil law, civil marriage, community of property, cultural marriage, customary law, customary marriage, Deeds Office, Family Law, legal concessions, Limpopo High Court, lobola, marital property, Marriage Act, marriage certificate, marriage disputes, marriage regimes, marriage validity, matrimonial law, matrimonial regimes, Property Division, Recognition of Customary Marriage Act, Rule 33, spousal property rights, stated case, traditional marriage, wedding ceremonies When Spouses Cannot Agree on Their Marriage Regime: L.M.P v N.J.D.P (Appeal) (HCAA33/2024) [2025] ZALMPPHC 122 (19 June 2025) and the Impossibility of Concurrent Matrimonial Systems. Factual Matrix: When Spouses Disagree on Their Marriage Regime The dispute in this matter exemplifies a peculiar but increasingly common phenomenon in South African family law where spouses find themselves… READ MORE
02/07/2025 Bertus Preller Appeal, Divorce, Procedural Law, Procedure, Rule 42 variation application accrual system, appellate procedures, collateral attack judgments, common mistake divorce, costs follow the cause, divorce decree variation, ex tempore judgment, final judgment finality, fraudulent misrepresentation, High Court North West Division, joint estate division, judicial officers function, legal certainty principles, legal representation errors, litigation finality, marriage out of community of property, matrimonial disputes, Matrimonial Property Act 88 of 1984, Matrimonial Property Regime, pleadings integrity, pre-nuptial contract, procedural missteps, property division claims, Rule 42 variation application, South African Family Law, Uniform Rules of Court, Zweni case finality When Variation Applications Fail: The Limits of Rule 42 Common Mistake in K.P.M v O.L.M and Another (Reasons) (1751/2008) [2025] ZANWHC 103 (17 June 2025). The Genesis of the Dispute: A Marriage Out of Community of Property Revisited The roots of this protracted legal dispute stretch back to 7 February 1991, when the applicant and… READ MORE