Courts around South Africa are battling a surprising divorce backlog. This is such a problem that a plan to fast-track annulments of more than 11 000 failed marriages in Limpopo alone has had to be devised.
Limpopo is not the only province with a heavy load of divorce applications. The South Gauteng High Court heard 33 unopposed divorces last Friday.
Through lockdown level 5, there was a marked increase in divorce enquiries, but these were not able to be proceeded with through the courts at such time and all matters had to wait for level 4 before they could be issued out through the courts.
As far as international trends go, South Africa seems to be in line with the statistics we are seeing from many countries around the world.
Speaking to many colleagues, the primary reason for separations and divorces since lockdown level 4 is that couples thrust together 24 hours a day under lockdown have realised that they simply no longer love each other or that one of the parties no longer loves the other.
Statistics SA revealed in data published last year that four out of 10 marriages in the country ended in divorce. Based on the sheer volume of divorce cases issued out through the courts this year, this number is likely to be significantly higher in 2020.
Divorce mediation is an excellent way to speed up the divorce process and keep costs down as it allows the parties to better find common ground in settling the proprietary consequences of the divorce.
Here at Mc Naught and Company Incorporated, we have assisted many couples in the divorce mediation process and thereby assisted them in making a traumatic and stressful experience, just that little bit easier and more cost effective.
Should you or your spouse, be it in a marriage or civil union, have decided that this is the end of the road for you, contact us for assistance with your mediation and finalising settlement agreements and uncontested divorces country wide.