Imams graduate as marriage officers

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Pretoria-The accreditation of over 100 Imams as marriage officers will enable the legal official recognition of marriages of Muslim couples, says Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

The Deputy President was speaking at the graduation ceremony for Imams qualifying as marriage officers in Cape Town on Wednesday.

Now, for the first time in South Africa’s history, Muslim marriages conducted by these Imams will be recorded on the National Population Register, thereby receiving legal status and recognition afforded by the Constitution.

“Today, in partnership with the Muslim community, government has been able to accredit over one hundred Imams as marriage officers under the 1961 Marriage Act. This will enable the legal official recognition of the unions of Muslim couples.

“Out of this initial step we will be able to push back the frontiers of exclusion that have so long been visited on the Muslim community,” said Motlanthe.

The graduation, which the Deputy President said was a happy occasion, will begin a new chapter in the history of the Muslim community in the country.

Deputy President Motlanthe added that as South Africa celebrates 20 years of democracy the vision of unity, non-racialism and non-sexism is slowly becoming a reality in South Africa.

“As a result of the Imams being designated as Marriage Officers in terms of the Marriages Act (25) of 1961, the registration of Muslim unions will accord Muslim Marriages legal status and with that, the protective instruments of the secular state may be accessed to ensure that these Qur' anic values are realised and complied with, within the Constitutional state,” said the Deputy President.

Deputy President Motlanthe congratulated the Imams which are from KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape on their graduation.

“Impressively we are advised that to pass the two hour exam set by the Learning Academy of the Department of Home Affairs, candidates had to obtain a mark of no less than 70%, and many were able to exceed that requirement.

“Let me take this opportunity to wish you all the very best as you begin your new responsibility in the service of our people,” said Motlanthe.-SAnews.gov.za