‘This Is Us, Three Decades Later’: Implementing Living African Customary Law in South Africa Through the Flexibility Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2522-6800/15920Keywords:
living customary law, African customary law, flexibility approach, right to cultural recognition, primogeniture rule, gender discriminationAbstract
The article discusses the challenges faced by the development of African Customary Law (ACL) in the post-democratic South African legal system. It highlights issues such as Eurocentric bias, the distortion of official ACL and the judicial misunderstanding of ACL. The proposed solution is a ‘flexibility approach’, which addresses imbalanced jurisprudence and curbs inconsistencies in judicial interpretation. The approach involves a three-phase process: assessment, sifting and feasibility study. The aim is to accommodate both ACL values and constitutional values equally. The approach is community-centered, ensuring development is rooted in the lived realities of the people and not assimilated into common law. However, its application is limited to the living version of ACL and must balance African values with legal certainty and vested rights.
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Cases
Alexkor Ltd and Another v Richtersveld Community and Others 2003 (12) BCLR 1301 (CC).
Bhe and Others v Magistrate Khayelitsha 2005 (1) SA 580 (CC).
Carmichele v Minister of Safety and Security 2001 (4) SA 938 (CC).
Gumede (born Shange) v President of the Republic of South Africa (CCT 50/08) [2008] ZACC 23.
Mabena v Letsoalo 1998 (2) SA 1068 (T).
Mabuza v Mbatha [2002] ZAWCHC 11; 2003 (4) SA 218 (C); 2003 (7) BCLR 743 (C) (4 March 2003).
Maluleke and Others v Minister of Home Affairs and Another (02/24921) [2008] ZAGPHC 129 (9 April 2008).
Mayelane v Ngwenyama (CCT 57/12) [2013] ZACC 1.
Mthembu v Letsela and Another 1997 (2) SA 936 (T).
Mthembu v Letsela and Another 1998 (2) SA 675 (T).
Mthembu v Letsela and Another 2000 (3) SA 867 (SCA).
Nwamitwa v Philia and Others 2005 (3) SA 536 (T).
Shilubana and Others v Nwamitwa (CCT 03/07) [2008] ZACC 9; 2008 (9) BCLR 914 (CC); 2009 (2) SA 66 (4 June 2008).
Sigcau v Sigcau 2013 (9) BCLR 1091 (CC).
Sigcau and Another v Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Others 2018 (12) BCLR 1525 (CC).
Legislation
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
The Black Administrations Act 38 of 1927.
The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998.
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