Page 122 - The Circle of Life

What about his divorced (or deceased) wife's sister or aunt or niece? Yes, but

not her mother or daughter even if by a prior marriage. This is for practical
medical reasons. Inbreeding is never good and in certain communities it shows.
Very sad that is for the children who now suffer because of the idiocy of the

parents.

Since the law was written for official marriage officers at the local magistrate
office at one stage it was seen that you could only be married during office hours

meaning 8am to 4pm and not during lunch or tea time. This is not enforced
anymore. You may be married over weekends or after hours as you please but

not in a civil ceremony at the Magistrate Offices. They won't be there to marry
you.

Marriage officers

This is very important for if your marriage officer is not appointed as one by law
he cannot legally marry you. Simply put all Magistrates and justices of the peace

are automatically marriage officers but note not a Regional Court Magistrate
(much more senior in rank and years) who will need special permission to marry

someone and become (very briefly during the ceremony) a Magistrate again.

Keep in mind please that a commissioner of oaths is not also a marriage officer.
He must be appointed as a justice of peace also which is not a peace officer like

a policeman or army officer at all. This is a judicial position.

Marriage officers are appointed by the Minister of Home Affairs and you may ask
to see the appointment before getting married. Many Reverends (of all faiths)
are appointed after writing a very simple test. Don't take for granted your

Reverend is a legal marriage officer. Make sure for this affects your life seriously.

What about a captain of a ship? Yes, he has that power and allowed to perform a
marriage ceremony at sea if he is on a South African registered ship. Remember

a ship, like an aircraft, always follows the flag of the country it is registered in.
We advise you to always marry again at the court house after such a ceremony.

What about a command pilot on an aeroplane? No. He is not the same as the
captain of a ship. Too busy and the much shorter duration of the flight makes

121