Matrimonial Property Act, 1984/1993-09-01

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as amended by

Matrimonial Property Amendment Act, No. 91 of 1986 Intestate Succession Act, No. 81 of 1987 Marriage and Matrimonial Property Law Amendment Act, No. 3 of 1988 Insolvency Amendment Act, No. 122 of 1993

 17. (1) A spouse married in community of property shall not without the written consent of the other spouse institute legal proceedings against another person or defend legal proceedings instituted by another person, except legal proceedings—

in respect of his separate property;

for the recovery of damages, other than damages for patrimonial loss, by reason of the commission of a delict against him;

in respect of a matter relating to his profession, trade or business.

(2) A party to legal proceedings instituted or defended by a spouse may not challenge the validity of the proceedings on the ground of want of the consent required in terms of subsection (1).

(3) If costs are awarded against a spouse in legal proceedings instituted or defended by him without the consent required in terms of subsection (1), the court may, with due regard to the interest of the other spouse in the joint estate and the reason for the want of consent, order that those costs be recovered from the separate property, if any, of the ﬁrst-mentioned spouse and, in so far as those costs cannot be so recovered, that they be recovered from the joint estate, in which case the court may order that upon the division of the joint estate an adjustment shall be effected in favour of the other spouse.

(4) (a) An application for the surrender of a joint estate shall be made by both spouses.

(b) An application for the sequestration of a joint estate shall be made against both spouses: Provided that no application for the sequestration of the estate of a debtor shall be dismissed on the ground that such debtor's estate is a joint estate if the applicant satisfies the court that despite reasonable steps taken by him he was unable to establish whether the debtor is married in community of property or the name and address of the spouse of the debtor.

(5) Where a debt is recoverable from a joint estate, the spouse who incurred the debt or both spouses jointly may be sued therefor, and where a debt has been incurred for necessaries for the joint household, the spouses may be sued jointly or severally therefor.





