SELLING” memos for the year 2024.
LJU4804
Private International Law
PORTFOLIO
MEMO - MAY/JUNE 2025
SEMESTER 1 – 2025 - UNISA
UNIQUE NUMBER: -
DUE DATE: - 9 - 16 MAY 2025
Footnotes/Bibliography included
ASSIGNMENT PREVIEW
QUESTION 1 Instructions: Read the set of facts below and answer the questions that follow. Michael and
Martha Kumwenda got married in Mauritius in December 1983. They concluded an antenuptial contract
excluding all forms of accrual and of profit and loss. At that time, they were Zambian citizens and Martha
was domiciled in Lusaka and working there as a senior accountant, while Michael was working in New
York on a two-year fixed term contract with the possibility of further renewal.
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,QUESTION 1
Instructions: Read the set of facts below and answer the questions that follow.
Michael and Martha Kumwenda got married in Mauritius in December 1983. They
concluded an antenuptial contract excluding all forms of accrual and of profit and
loss. At that time, they were Zambian citizens and Martha was domiciled in Lusaka
and working there as a senior accountant, while Michael was working in New York
on a two-year fixed-term contract with the possibility of further renewal.
They relocated to Johannesburg in January 1985 and established a domicile there.
Michael assumed the position of chief operations officer (COO) of a cellular service
provider and Martha obtained a position as chartered accountant at Deloitte. One
child with special needs was born from the marriage in 1995 and Martha resigned
from her work to look after him full-time.
In 2023, Martha filed for divorce in the South Gauteng High Court. She also applied
for a redistribution of assets.
1.1 Which legal system applies to the formal validity of Michael and Martha’s
marriage in terms of the South African rules of private international law? (2)
1.2.1 Which legal system applies to the material validity of Michael and Martha’s
marriage in terms of the South African rules of private international law? (2)
1.2.2 Provide a brief discussion of the exceptions to the rule in 1.2.1. (6)
,1.3.1 How would the South African court determine where Michael was domiciled
at the time of entering into the marriage?
(Note: The court must determine where he was domiciled in December 1983.) (2)
1.3.2 Would the position in respect of determining Michael’s domicile be different
if the court had to determine where he was domiciled in 1994? (3)
1.4 In the case of EB (born S) v ER (born B) and Others; KG v Minister of Home
Affairs and Others \[2023] ZACC 32, the Constitutional Court found that the time
limit (1 November 1984) in respect of the availability of a claim for redistribution in
terms of section 7(3) of the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 is unconstitutional. However, to
date, no definitive judgment has been delivered concerning the availability of
section 7(3) to effect a redistribution of assets in the case of proprietary
consequences of a marriage being governed by a foreign matrimonial domicile.
Therefore, the classification of redistribution orders is paramount in determining
whether a party to a marriage with a foreign matrimonial domicile may rely on
section 7(3) of the Divorce Act 70 of 1979 to effect a redistribution of assets upon
divorce. Discuss this statement with reference to the relevant cases.
Guidelines:
• No discussion of the 2023 Constitutional Court case is required.
• Your answer must include a full case discussion of Esterhuizen v Esterhuizen
1999 (1) SA 492 (C), properly referenced and not taken from the study guide or any
other secondary source. Pay heed to the requirements of a case discussion:
discuss the facts, identify the legal question and summarise the decision (ratio
decidendi) in your own words. Provide footnote references to the relevant page
and/or paragraph numbers of the case for every statement made.
• Also discuss the other relevant cases briefly. (15)
, 1.5 Michael executed a will in Mauritius in which he appointed Martha as his sole
heir. At the time of execution of the will, he was domiciled in Zambia and a Zambian
citizen. He retained his Zambian citizenship throughout his life. After his divorce
from Martha was finalised, Michael executed a second will in Germany that
expressly revoked his first will and appointed his child as his sole heir. At the time
of its execution, he was domiciled in South Africa. Michael’s first will was formally
valid in terms of Mauritian law (only). Michael’s second will was formally invalid in
terms of all its possible testing systems, but formally valid in terms of Mauritian
law. In terms of the rules of intestate succession of Mauritius, Germany and South
Africa, his child would be his intestate heir. Michael died in a car accident in May
2024. Who would inherit his estate?
(Note: You must apply the relevant provision of the Wills Act 7 of 1953.) (5)
1.6 As mentioned in 1.5, Michael tragically died in a motor vehicle accident while
on a business trip in Namibia. At the time of his death, he was still domiciled in
Johannesburg and a Zambian citizen. The accident was caused by a negligent
truck driver employed by a multinational courier company with depots in all the
SADC countries. The lawyers representing Michael’s heir plan to sue the truck
company based on delict. If the action is instituted in the South Gauteng High
Court, which legal system will be applied to the matter? (5)
\[40]
QUESTION 2