Prepared by: Clayton Mutseneki

Prepared for: Family Law tutorials

FAMILY LAW GENERAL OVERVIEW ASPECTS

Prescribed Statutes
1. Antenuptial Contracts Act .................…................................ Cap 5:01
2. Births and Deaths Registration Act ....................................... Cap 5:02
3. Child Abduction Act .....................…... . .................................. Cap 5:04
4. Children's Act …………………….………….................................... Cap 5:06
5. Customary Marriages Act ................................................... Cap 5:07
6. Guardianship of Minors Act ................................................. Cap 5:08
7. Maintenance Act ...........................….................................... Cap 5:09
8. Maintenance Orders (Facilities for Enforcement) Act ............Cap 5:10
9. Marriage Act ............................……..................................... Cap 5:11
10. Married Persons Property Act ............................................. Cap 5:12
11. Matrimonial Causes Act ..................….................................. Cap 5:13
12. Customary Law and Local Courts Act .......…......................... Cap 7:05
13. SI 161/04 – Child Abduction (Contracting States) Notice 2004

TOPIC 1
INTRODUCTION & HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO FAMILY LAW

i. The State, Marriage, Families, Women and Children

ii. Definitions of the family, family forms, functions of the family & legal
protection of the family

TOPIC 2

MARRIAGE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

1. The nature and scope of the new Marriage Act

2. The legal regimes brought about by the new Marriage Act
The types of marriages in Zimbabwe

(i) Civil Marriage

(ii) Customary Marriage
(iii) Unregistered Customary Union (UCLU)
(iv) Changes in marriage types in the new Marriage Act.

3. Formation of Marriage

i. Competency to Marry

ii. Formalities for formation of marriage

iii. Consent

iv. Marriage of Minors

v. Void and Voidable marriages

TOPIC 3

ADULTERY

Main Discussion points:

Is the delict of adultery still relevant for our society if we speak of equality and
non-discrimination?

The Constitutionality test of adultery damages in Zimbabwe in light of the

South African case of DE v RH [2015] ZACC

Key cases to note

Georgina Njodzi V Lorraine Matione HH 37-16 HC 11253/14

Amiya Nyakudya v Moreblessing Chabvonga HH 559-19 HC 10584/14

(Constitutionality of adultery damages)

South African case of DE v RH [2015] ZACC (validity of adultery damages

Additional Case Law on Adultery

i. Rateiwa v Venge: HH -152-11: Assessment of damages, contumelia and loss of

consortium
ii. Muhwati v Nyama HH -137-11

iii. Chiwandamira v Mupandawana HH -06- 11

iv. Katsumbe v Buyanga 1991 ( 2) ZLR 256

v. Sidubi v Middlemiss HB -130- 87

vi. Chapman v Chapman and Anor 1977 ( 4) SA 142

vii. Muyambo v Bere HH -30- 2007: Defendant claimed to have married

plaintiff’s husband under an UCLU but this was dismissed by the court.

viii. Jhamba v Mugwisi HB- 1-10

ix. Nyandoro v Tirizai HH- 12-06

TOPIC 4

DIVORCE, MATRIMONIAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, AND ANCILLARY RELIEF

4.1. Dissolution of Marriage through Divorce

i. History of Divorce Law in Zimbabwe

ii. The New Divorce Law

iii. Consequences of divorce

4.2. Jurisdiction and Divorce Proceedings

i. Divorce Proceedings

ii. Variation of Divorce Order: Divorce orders should have clauses to protect
litigants in the event that someone does not fulfill their end of the
bargain.*See* Ncube v Ncube HB-13/14

iii. Maintenance Procedures and Proceedings

iv. Applications in the Children’s Court

4.3. Matrimonial Property Rights of Spouses and Ex-Spouses

v. General law proprietary consequences of marriage

vi. Customary law proprietary consequences of marriage

vii. Property Rights of Spouses at Divorce

TOPIC 5

MAINTENANCE (SPOUSAL & CHILD)

Topics Covered

1. Children born out of wedlock under general law

2. Children born out of wedlock under customary law

3. Children born inside wedlock

4. Maintenance pendete lite

5. Step children

6. How is maintenance claimed and jurisdiction?

7. Nature of maintenance hearing

8. Maintenance under customary law

9. Arrear maintenance

10. How is maintenance assessed?

11. Can a maintenance order be varied?

12. How are maintenance orders enforced?

13. Discharge and termination of maintenance orders

14. Effect of appeal against a maintenance order

15. Application and enforcement of maintenance orders for persons outside

Zimbabwe

TOPIC 6

PATERNITY

Topics to be covered

i. Children born in wedlock under general law

ii. Children born out of wedlock

iii. Rebutting the presumption of paternity

iv. Insufficient defences

v. Ex-spouses

vi. Customary law paternity

vii. Out of wedlock children

viii. Lying in expenses

TOPIC 7

SEDUCTION and BREACH OF PROMISE TO MARRY

Topics Covered

1. What is seduction?

2. Seduction under general law

3. Corroboration

4. Seduction under customary law

5. LAMA and effect on seduction

6. Effect of Magaya case on seduction

7. Breach of promise to marry under general law

8. Breach under customary law

9. Return of engagement gifts