South African Court Recognizes Hindu Marriages

In South Africa,the Durban High Court issued a ruling yesterday that for the first time recognizes Hindu marriages for purposes of the country's Intestate Succession Law-- the law that governs inheritance when someone does not leave a will. IOL reports that the decision allows Saloshinie Govender to inherit her husband's property as his "spouse" under that law. On the other side were the parents of Govender's late husband. They would have inherited his property if he did not leave a wife recognized by the law as a survivor.