Imitsetfosimiso yekudla lifa imiswe ngendlela yekumelana nemphumela locanganisako wekufa kwesitfunti seluphiko lwemndeni. Umtsetfo ngaloko-ke ucondze kucinisekisa tidzingo letisembili talabo bebahlobene ngalokusondzelene nemufi. Ngekubuka tingucuko lesetiselubala letenteke emphakatsini nakumnotfo weNingizimu Afrika, injongo lesembili yaloMculu wekuCocisana kuchibiyela umtsetfo wesintfu wekudla lifa khona utawunakekela ngalokufanelekile esimeni sesimanje setinhlobo temndeni.
Nanobe uMtsetfosisekelo udzinga kuhlonishwa kwemafa lasemtsetfweni ase-Afrika, uphindze uniketele ngekutsi lilungelo lemasiko, ngalokunjalo nemtsetfo wesintfu, lingaphasi kwekuphatfwa ngekulingana. Ngetulu kwaloko, ngenca yekutsi lilungelo lekuphatfwa ngekulingana lisebenta kubudlelwano bebantfu ngamunye ngasese, nobe nguyiphi imitsetfosimiso yemtsetfo wesintfu yekudla lifa lebandlulula ngalokungenabulungiswa ngesizatfu sebulili, umnyaka nobe kutalwa kumele iguculwe.
Kungunyalo iNingizimu Afrika yemukela lokungenani tinhlobo letimbili letehlukene tekudla lifa: ngekwemtsetfo wendzabuko (common law) (kanye nemitsetfo leyehlukene leyiwuchibiyelako) kanye nemitsetfo yesintfu leyehlukahlukene lehlobene ngalokusedvute. Imitsetfosimiso leminyenti yesintfu lokungunyalo lesetjentiswa tinkantolo ayingcubutani kuphela nemgomosimiso wekuphatfwa ngekulingana kepha ibuye ingahambisani nenchubo yetenhlalakahle. Esikhundleni sekwetama kugucula umtsetfo wesintfu, umtsetfo wendzabuko kumele ukhishwe kufakwe lomunye. Nanobe lesisombululo singahle sibe nenzuzo yekuniketa umtsetfo munye wekudla lifa eveni lonkhe, akumelanga semukelwa ngaphandle kwekucabangisisa, ngobe emacembu lehlukene emasiko angahle angakufuni kwehlukana nemafa awo lasemtsetfweni. Kugcina inchubomgomo yemitsetfo lemibili kwemukela lokwehlukahlukana kwemitsetfo nemasiko aseNingizimu Afrika, lokuyintfo lekhona futsi uMtsetfosisekelo lofuna kutsi ihlonishwe.
Uma seloku kugcinwa imitsetfo yekudla lifa leyehlukene, kunemitsetfosimiso letawudzingeka kutsi iphawule kutsi ngabe ngumtsetfo wesintfu nobe ngumtsetfo wendzabuko lokumele usebente esimeni lesitsite setintfo. Kumklamo walo wekuTsandzaniswa kweMtsetfo weNdzabuko neMtsetfo weSintfu: kuNgcubutana kwemiTsetfo (Harmonisation of the Common Law and Indigenous Law: Conflicts of Law) (1999), liKhomishani leMtsetfo lente tiphakamiso tekuguculwa kwemitsetfosimiso lokungakhetfwa kuyo. LeliKhomishani litfole kutsi imane icangacangene ngaphandle kwesizatfu futsi yesekelwe kuleminye imisimeto lengasenako kubaluleka esikhatsini sanamuhla. Lomunye walemisimeto - luhlobo lwemshado lwemufi - ungagcinwa njengenkhomba-tsite kumtsetfo losebentako, ngobe ucacile futsi kulula kuwusebentisa, kepha luhlobo lwemshado alusiyo inkhomba lephelele naletsembekile yekutikhetsela kumasiko kwemuntfu; kantsi, ngalokunjalo, luhlobo lwemshado alusetjentiswa uma umuntfu bekangakashadi. Kuba nekugucugucuka kudzingekile khona kutawucinisekisa kutsi nanobe nguwuphi umtsetfo losetjentiswako utawubonisa kutikhetsela ngekwemasiko kwemuntfu loshonile.
3.3 Imitsetfosimiso yemtsetfo lokukhetfwa kuyo ngaphasi kwemitsetfo yaKaZulu naseNatali yencike eluhlotjeni lwemshado nobe ekutseni umufi akazange ashiye umuntfu lomdvuna lotawudla lifa. Lemitsetfosimiso nayo kumele ichitjiyelwe.
Umtsetfo wesintfu wekudla lifa, lokungenani eluhlotjeni lolusemtsetfweni, uyabandlulula macondzana nalabasikati kanye nalabadvuna labasebancane. Ngalokwemukelekile, lowo lodla lifa unemtfwalo wekondla bondliwa bemufi kulelifa, kantsi, ngekwemandla alomtfwalo, kuye kwancunywa kutsi umtsetfo wesintfu ngalokusemtsetfweni uhambisana neluCwebu lwemaLungelo. Nanobe kunjalo, lomtsetfo awusasebenti kuphumelelisa inhloso yawo lenkhulu kutenhlalakahle, lokukuniketa sisekelo lesisembili sekondliwa kwemlingani lophilako kanye nebondliwa labasondzelene bemufi. Ngaloko-ke sikhatsi sesifikile kutsi sichibiyele imitsetfosimiso yesintfu lebandlulula ngetizatfu tebulili, ngemnyaka nobe ngekutalwa futsi kuniketwe nemndeni losondzelene kakhulu wemufi emalungelo lacinisekiswe kancono.
Lona mgomo ungazuzwa ngekusebentisa uMtsetfo wekuDla lifa ngaphandle kweNcwadzilifa (81 wanga-1987) kuwo onkhe emafa, nanobe umufi bekangaphasi kwemtsetfo wesintfu. Uma sigaba 1(4)(b) saloMtsetfo sichitfwa, letigaba letilandzelako titawusebenta ekuncumeni luhla lwekudla lifa uma kwenteka kube nencenye lengenayo incwadzilifa nobe ingabi khona sanhlobo leyo ncwadzilifa: sigaba 1(1), lesicinisekisa kudla lifa kwemlingani lophilako kanye nebantfwana kanye, uma labo behluleka, nebatali, telamani kanye netihlobo letichele bucadlwana; sigaba 1(2), lesiniketela ngekutsi kutalelwa ngaphandle kwemshado akuvimbeli ligunya lesihlobo lesitsite sengati kutsi sidle lifa lalesinye sihlobo sengati; kanye nesigaba 1(4)(e)(i), lesiniketela ngekutsi umntfwana lowemukelwe emndenini utsatfwa njengentalelwane yebatali bakhe labamemukele.
Ngaphasi kwemtsetfo wesintfu, tikhundla tebuholi bendzabuko tiyashiyelwana ngekulandzela imitsetfosimiso yekuba litibulo ngaselusendvweni kulabadvuna. Lemitsetfosimiso etikhatsini letinyenti ivama kusolwa ngekutsi ingcubutana ngemgomosimiso wentsandvo yelinyenti ngaphasi kwemtsetfosisekelo, lotsi tikhundla tahulumende tivulekele wonkhe wonkhe ngekwesisekelo selukhetfo lolukhululekile, ngaphandle kwekubandlulula ngesizatfu sebulili. Akuhambisani-ke, nanobe kunjalo, kutsi kubukanwe naloludzaba kumtsetfo locondze kusombulula simo setemnotfo sebafelokati nebantfwana. Ngaloko-ke, uma kusetjentiswa kweMtsetfo wekuDla liFa ngaphandle kweNcwadzilifa kutawelulwa, ngaloko kumele kwentiwe sibonelelo lesikhetsekile kukhiphela ngaphandle kungena etikhundleni tebuholi bendzabuko kusebenta kwaloMtsetfo.
Uma uMtsetfo wekuDla liFa ngaphandle kweNcwadzilifa wentiwa usebente jikelele, umtfwalo wetindlalifa ngekwesintfu wekuchubeka nekondla bondliwa bemufi kumele uchitfwe. Timiso letimbalwa temitsetfo yaseNatali naKaZulu kumele nayo tichitjiyelwe khona kutawucinisekiswa kutsi loMtsetfo usetjentiswa ngalokufanako kuyo yonkhe iNingizimu Afrika.
Ngekulandzela umtsetfo wesintfu, tindlalifa tinemtfwalo wekukhokhela tonkhe tikweledi temufi, nanobe lelifa linemphahla lencane kunetikweledi. Uma tidzingo letisembili temndeni lophilako wemufi tingacinisekiswa ngelilungelo lekudla lifa, bulungiswa busitjela kutsi imitfwalo yendlalifa ngekwemtsetfo wesintfu, ikakhulukati lowo mtfwalo wetikweledi temufi, kumele iphele. Ngenca yekutsi kusetjentiswa jikelele kweMtsetfo wekuDla liFa ngaphandle kweNcwadzilifa angeke kube nalomphumela, kumele kube netimiso leticacile kutsi tindlalifa ngaphasi kwaloMtsetfo tingabi nako kutiphendvulela mayelana netikweledi temtsetfo wesintfu temufi.
Ngenca yekutsi ngekwemasiko labasikati abakavami kuba nemphahla nobe babe setikhundleni temagunya, kudla lifa kwalabasikati ngekwemtsetfo wesintfu bekungatsatfwa njengentfo lebalulekile. Ngalokulandzelako, imitsetfosimiso leyengamele kwabiwa kwelifa lalabasikati beyingesito-nje tincetwana kuphela kepha beyehlukile kumitsetfosimiso lebeyisetjentiswa elifeni lalabadvuna. Uma loMtsetfo wekuDla liFa ngaphandle kweNcwadzilifa ungasetjentiswa jikelele, nobe nguyiphi imitsetfosimiso ngekwemtsetfo wesintfu letsintsana nebulili lenekuphambana ngalokulandzelako itawuchitfwa, ngobe loMtsetfo usebenta ngaphandle kwekugagula bulili bemufi.
Njengobe uMtsetfo wekuDla liFa ngaphandle kweNcwadzilifa ubhaliwe, balingani labaphilako bangadla lifa kuphela uma bangabonisa kutsi bebashade ngalokusemtsetfweni. Kusetjentiswa ngekucinisa sandla kwalemfuneko kungaholela ekubekelweni ngaphandle kwebantfu labangahle bazuze labanyenti, ikakhulukati labo labashade ngaphasi kwemtsetfo wesintfu, lovamise kushiya simo setemshado singakacaci kahle. UMtsetfo wekweMukelwa kwemiShado yeSintfu (120 wanga-1998) utawuniketela ngelusito lolutsite kubalingani labanebumatima ekufakazeleni imishado yabo, ngakulolunye luhlangotsi ngenca yekutsi lomtsetfo utsatsa imishado lengakabhaliswa njengalesemtsetfweni kantsi ngakulolunye ngenca yekutsi wemukela ngalokgcwele yonkhe imishado lekhona. Nanobe kunjalo, kunekwenteka kutsi balingani labafanelekile labanyenti bangemukeleki 'njengebalingani'. Lomcondvo 'wemlingani lophilako' kumele uchazwe ngendlela yekutsi ufake ekhatsi balingani bebudlelwano bekukipita. Kumele kuchutjekelwe embili nemsebenti lowengetiwe, nanobe kunjalo, njengobe liKhomishani leMtsetfo selivele lineMklamo weBudlelwano bekuHlalisana (Project on Domestic Partnerships) lomayelana nekuchazwa kwebudlelwano bekukipita kanye nemiphumela yako ngekwemtsetfo.
Ngenca yekutsi uMtsetfo wekweMukelwa kwemiShado yeSintfu ngalokucacile wemukela imishado yesitsembu, kumele kufakwe timiso kuMtsetfo wekuDla liFa ngaphandle kweNcwadzilifa kutsi kube nekudla lifa kwebafati lababili nobe ngetulu bemufi. Ngulowo nalowo mfati kumele avunyelwe kutfola ngalokulinganako kulelifa.
Kungakakhatsaleki kutsi ngabe lingakanani lifa lelitfolwe ngaphasi kweMtsetfo wekuDlaliFa ngaphandle kweNcwadzilifa, umlingani lophilako kumele aniketwe lilungelo lelikhaya lasemshadweni kanye naloko lokunekhatsi. Kunetizatfu letimbili ngalesincomo. Kwekucala, loMtsetfo bewucatjangelwa kumshado lohlanganyele yonkhe imphahla (marriage in community of property), lapho umlingani lophilako atawuvele ngekutentakalela atsatse incenye yelifa lasemshadweni. Ngekulandzela imishado yesintfu, nanobe kunjalo, emadvodza avamise kuba banikati bayo yonkhe imphahla, lokuba nemphumela wekutsi bafati balahlekelwa ngunobe nguyiphi imphahla lebatitfolele yona matfupha. (Imishado yesintfu itawuba ngeyekuhlanganyela yonkhe imphahla kuphela uma uMtsetfo wekweMukelwa kwemiShado yeSintfu ucala kusebenta.) Kwesibili, uMtsetfo wekuDla liFa ngaphandle kweNcwadzilifa ungahle udzinge kutsi lifa lehlukaniswe tincetwana, indlela yekwaba lecabanga ngelifa lelikhulu bese ngaloko kuba nelizinga lelisetulu lekucaba. Emafa lamancane kumele agcinwe ahlangene khona kutawucinisekiswa kwengciswa lokushelelako kwemnotfo. Lomphumela kungunyalo utfolwa kuloMtsetfo ngekulandzela lomtsetfosimiso wekutsi balingani banesicinisekiso selinanincane leliyimali lengu-R125 000. Kumlingani lophilako, nanobe kunjalo, tintfo letibaluleke kakhulu elifeni likhaya lasemshadweni kanye naloko lokungekhatsi. Khona kutawugwenywa kudzabula lemphahla ekhatsi, umlingani kumele abe nelilungelo lelicinisekisiwe lekudla lifa lelikhaya kanye naloko lokungekhatsi nanobe letintfo tingetulu kwa-R125 000 ngelinani.
Uma tindlalifa tisetincane kakhulu kutsi tingatsatsa imitfwalo lehambisana nesikhundla sato, kumele kukhetfwe umphatsi lotawubukana nelifa. Ngekwemtsetfo wesintfu, kokubili kuphatfwa kwelifa kanye nekuba ngumnakekeli wendlalifa bekubekwa etandleni temuntfu lomdvuna lomdzala elusendvweni. Nanobe tinkantolo betivamile kuyicinisekisa imitsetfosimiso, betinekungenelela ekuhlelenjisweni kwekukhishwa kwebanakekeli esikhundleni khona kutawuvunyelwa tisombululo tekuphatsa kabi nobe kusetjentiswa kwemagunya ngekuhlukumeta kanye nekucacisa labantfu labanelilungelo lekutsatsa letinyatselo. Nyalo kudzingeka umtsetfo lotawukhipha tigatjana tekubandlulula ngebulili ekukhetfweni kwebanakekeli kanye nekuniketela ngemitsetfosimiso leshayemhlolweni ngemisebenti yebanakekeli. Letindzaba tinganconotiswa ngaphasi kweMklamo weliKhomishani leMtsetfo wekuPhatfwa kwemaFa alabaShonile (Project on the Administration of Deceased Estates).
Uma imindeni ihlela imishado yekungena nobe yekutsatsa inhlanti, kunekwenteka njalo-nje kutsi lowo lomsikati lotsintsekako utawuphocelelwa kutsi emukele loko kuhlela ngaphandle kwentsandvo yakhe. Nanobe uMtsetfo wekweMukelwa kwemiShado yeSintfu umisa imvume yebalingani njengemfuneko lesisekelo kuyo yonkhe imishado yesintfu, imishado yekungena neyekutsatsa inhlanti kungenteka iwele ngaphandle kwemagunya alomtsetfo, ngobe kungesiyo imishado lemisha. Umtsetfo lokhetsekile wekuvikela balingani bemishado lefana nalena awukadzingeki, nanobe kunjalo, ngobe umlandvo ngekwemtsetfo vele sewumisiwe ngekutsi akukho imishado yekuphocelelwa letawemukelwa.
Ngaphasi kwemtsetfo wendzabuko, wonkhe wonkhe unenkhululeko yekutikhetsela lowo lophiwa lifa. Bantfu lababopheleke kumtsetfo wesintfu ngaloko-ke batfola indlela yekugwema timfuno tetindlalifa tabo letidla lifa ngaphandle kwencwadzilifa. Nanobe lesimo singabukeka njengalesingenabo bulungiswa, ligunya lekubhala incwadzi yekwaba lifa belivele likhona eNingizimu Afrika kantsi kulihocisa nyalo kulabo bantfu labalandzela umtsetfo wesintfu kungafana nekubandlulula.
Ngaphasi kwemtsetfo wendzabuko, lowo lowaba lifa akanako kutsi kulelifa lakhe encabe umtfwalo wekondla balingani nebantfwana labangebondliwa. Bantfwana banelilungelo ngekwemtsetfo wendzabuko kutsi bondliwe kantsi nebalingani labaphilako banelilungelo lelifanako ngaphasi kweMtsetfo weKondla baLingani labaPhilako (27 wanga-1990). LoMtsetfo utawusebenta kubalingani bemishado yesintfu uma uMtsetfo wekweMukelwa kwemiShado yeSintfu ucala kusebenta. Umbuto ube sewuyavela, nanobe kunjalo, kutsi ngabe kuvikeleka ngekwemtsetfo kwemlingani nebantfwana bemufi kumele kwelulwe khona kutawufaka ekhatsi labanye bondliwa, njengebatali kanye nabodzadze nebanaketfu, labebangahle balindzele kondliwa ngaphasi kwemtsetfo wesintfu.
Tigatjana 23(1) na (2) teMtsetfo wekuPhatfwa kwalabaMnyama (38 wanga-1927) tencabela bantfu labamnyama kutsi babe imphahla yabo yasendlini nobe umhlaba lophetfwe ngaphasi kwelilungelo lekukhoseliswa. Loluhlobo lwekucala kumele luhambe ngekulandzela umtsetfo wesintfu wekudla lifa ngaphandle kwencwadzilifa bese loluhlobo lolungasemuva luhambe ngekulandzela imitsetfosimiso yemtsetfo (leyesekelwe kumtsetfo wesintfu). Letigatjana kumele tichitfwe ngenca yetizatfu letehlukene, ikakhulukati ngobe atizuzi injongo lesembili yekuvimbela inkhululeko yekutikhetsela lowo lophiwa lifa: kuvikela kwebalingani labaphilako kanye nebantfwana.
Nanobe, ngekulandzela umtsetfo wesintfu, akukho umuntfu loyedvwa lonemalungelo laphelele ekuba ngumnikati emphahleni nemhlaba wemndeni, sigaba 23(3) seMtsetfo wekuPhatfwa kwalabaMnyama ngalokungangabateki sivumela tincwadzilifa letabela totimbili letinhlobo temphahla. Lesigaba sibanga bulukhuni lobungakahloswa kutemtsetfo kantsi-ke ngaloko kumele sichitfwe. Ngekubuka simo sekutsi kungenteka ngaphasi kwemtsetfo wendzabuko wekwaba lifa lalomunye umuntfu, nobe ngumuphi umtamo wekuhlelembisa kwabiwa kwemphahla yemndeni ngencwadzilifa ibukeka ingakadzingeki. Kungavele kucatjangwe kutsi, uma lebaba emafa alaba ngalolo hlobo, bacondze kwaba kuphela leyo ncenye lekungeyabo. Umhlaba lophetfwe ngaphasi kwemtsetfo wesintfu ngulenye indzaba, nanobe kunjalo, ngobe lilungelo ngekwesintfu liniketa imindeni, baholi bendzabuko kanye nemphakatsi wonkhana lilungelo kumhlaba. Ngaphasi kwaletimo, labo lebaba emafa akumelanga ngekwemgomo babe nenkhululeko yekwaba emalungelo abo.
Ngaseluhlangotsini lwemtsetfo wesintfu, uma babe nobe make engcisa kunakekelwa kwemntfwana lomcane ngencwadzilifa, leso simiso angeke sibe semtsetfweni, ngobe kahle-hle lowo lowaba lifa akanalo lilungelo lekwengcisa. Umtsetfo awukadzingeki kutsi usombulule lenkinga, nanobe kunjalo, ngobe uMtsetfo webuNakekeli (192 wanga-1993) uniketela ngekutsi bobabili balingani banemalungelo nemagunya lalinganako ebantfwaneni labasebancane, kantsi-ke nanobe ngukuphi kungabata mayelana nelilungelo lamake lebunakekeli kuphendvulwa ngekwencatjelwa kwekubandlula ngebulili esigabeni 9 seMtsetfosisekelo.
1. Ngekwenhloso yekucinisisa kabanti loluhlaka lweMtsetfosivivinyo liKhomishani limema kuphawula lokucacile kulemibuto lelandzelako, linyenti layo lelivele ekucocisaneni netiNdlu tebaHoli beNdzabuko ngesimo setimphendvulo kuleSiphakamisomtsetfo sekucala kanye nangesikhatsi sekulalelwa kwetimvo ephalamende.
Inhloko yemndeni kuyenteka ngalesinye sikhatsi, ngalesikhatsi isaphila, isho tifiso tayo mayelana nekwabiwa kwetimphahla letitsite ngemuva kwekushona kwayo. Loluhlelo lwekuticabela luyemukeleka etinhlelweni letinyenti temtsetfo wesintfu. Kuye kwaphakanyiswa kutsi ngenca yetizatfu tekucinisekiseka lokwabiwa ngaloluhlobo kumele kubhalwe phasi futsi kusayindwe bese kugcinwa lirekhodi ngumkhandlu wendzabuko kuniketwe emakhophi emndenini. Ngabe umtsetfosimiso lofana nalona kumele ufakwe kumtsetfo?
Umtsetfo wesintfu bewungenalo luhlelo lwekwabiwa kwelifa ngencwadzilifa, kepha bewuvumela tindlalifa kutsi temukwe kudla lifa kanye nekutsi imphahla iniketwe emalunga latsite emndeni. Lusendvo bekumele lutivume letinhlelo tekwaba ngaloluhlobo, lobekuvamise kuba sekufeni kwenhloko yemndeni. Ngekwenjwayelo yekwenta, tincwadzilifa tisetjentiswa kuphela ngulabo labanemali yekukhokhela bameli, kantsi letinchubo leticacile tesintfu tisebentela luchungechunge lolwenabile lwebantfu. Ngabe letinchubo, letihambisana netincwadzilifa telilungelomgomo lebetisetjentiswa ngekulandzela uMtsetfo weRoman-Dutch, kumele tifakwe kuMtsetfo wetiNcwadzilifa (7 wanga-1953) Ngakulolunye luhlangotsi, ngabe letinchubo tesintfu kumele tihlelenjiswe ngekwemtsetfo, kwenta sibonelo, ngekuniketa tindlalifa letemukwe kudla lifa lilungelo lekulalelwa ngubelusendvo kanye/nobe kuvunyelwe kwengciswa tikhalo ngesincumo selusendvo?
Yomibili imitsetfo yesintfu newendzabuko ivumela indlalifa kutsi incume ngendlela nendzawo lapho kutawungcwatjwa khona umufi. Kukhetsa indlalifa, ngekwemgomo, kumele kufake ekhatsi sincumo sekutsi ngabe ngumtsetfo wendzabuko nobe wesintfu lobewulandzelwa ngumufi, lokuluphenyo ngalokulandzelako loludzinga kucondzisa enchubeni yalowo muntfu yemasiko. Tinkantolo tiye talugwema loluphenyo ngekubhekisa eluhlobeni lwemshado lwemufi: uma bekashade ngesilungu nobe ngesiKristu, umfelokati unelilungelo lekukhetsa ngemngcwabo kantsi, uma bekashade ngemtsetfo wesintfu, yindvodzana lendzala yemufi lekhetsako. Inkhulumo lephikisako itsi uma-nje kuye kwaba nemalobolo, lesincumo sentiwa yindlalifa nobe lilunga lelidzala lemndeni kungakakhatsaleki kutsi ngabe luhlobo lwemshado nguluphi. Nanobe kungabonakala ngatsi kuhlelenjiswa ngekwemtsetfo akukadzingeki, kuphawula jikelele kuloludzaba kutawutfokotelwa.
Ngabe nguwaphi emagunya lokumele tinkantolo tendzabuko tibe nawo etindzabeni tekudla lifa lelilawulwa ngumtsetfo wesintfu, futsi ngubuphi budlelwano lokumele letinkantolo tibe nabo kanye nelihhovisi lamaBhalane weNkantolo kutemafa?
Ngabe ikhona leminye imigomo lesisekelo yemtsetfo wesintfu lokumele ifakwe kulomtsetfo?