South African men can assume their wives’ surnames

South Africa’s Constitutional Court has ruled that men may legally adopt their wives’ surnames, finding parts of Section 26 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act unconstitutional.

The case, brought by two couples, challenged the law as discriminatory on gender grounds. Justice Leona Theron stated that the existing rule was based on colonial-era patriarchy, which placed women in inferior positions.

Parliament has been given 24 months to amend the law to ensure it aligns with constitutional principles of equality.