Lockdown Regulations On Marriages Ease As Weddings Are Now Allowed

Chief Justice  Luke Malaba has eased lockdown regulations with regard to the solemnization of marriages during the lockdown period.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba had directed the country’s civil courts to cancel all pre-booked weddings after social gatherings had been banned as a way to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

He directed parties to approach the courts for rebooking after two months.

Malaba announced on Friday that solemnization of marriages could, starting on the 4th of June, be conducted albeit under lockdown regulations including social distancing and wearing of masks. He said:

Practice Direction 3 of 2020 is amended in Paragraph 11 by the deletion of that paragraph and substitution with the following: 11 Solemnisation of marriages shall be conducted provided that, only the parties to the marriage and their witnesses shall be allowed to attend, and the conditions set out in paragraph 12 are fully complied with.

JSC acting secretary Mr. Walter Chikwana, however, said the new amendment to Practice Direction 3 of 2020 is only applying to magistrate and judges only adding that he was not aware of the status of religious ministers in terms of solemnizing marriages.