South Africa has quite a high rate of divorce. According to Stats SA, four out of ten marriages end in divorce before their tenth anniversary. The truth is, nobody wants their story to end in a separation, but sometimes you have no other choice.
DivorceLaws.co.za, a website established by Family Law and Divorce Lawyer Bertus Preller at Maurice Philips Wisenberg in Cape Town and author of the book Everyone’s Guide To Divorce and Separation, published data about divorce in South Africa. According to the website, the divorce rate declined from 2017 to 2018 but despite this, the numbers remain high.
Data based on 25 284 divorce forms obtained by Stats SA showed a decline of 0.4% (from 25 390 in 2017 to 25 284 in 2018). Most divorce proceedings are started by women.
“The 2018 data reveal that more wives than husbands, 13 218 (52,3%) women in comparison to 8 791 (34,8%) men started divorce proceedings and 1 523 (6,0%) divorces were started by both husband and wife,” they said on the website.
Additionally, Business Tech reported that since the beginning of lockdown, divorce in the country has increased by 20%.
With such high divorce rates, one begins to wonder how much divorce actually costs. The total cost depends on the complexity of the settlement, with issues which may include division of assets or child maintenance.
According to Parent24, in the case that a couple collaborates to finalise all of these complexities and reach an agreement, the divorce can have a total cost coming to R7000 to R10 000. If the divorce is contested, however, it will be much more expensive.
When both individuals do not agree on the terms, they incur additional costs by going back and forth and keeping lawyers for longer, and having to go to court.
Attorneys charge big money for their services. Some who are well-experienced charge between R2000 and R3000 an hour. So, by increasing the time you spend with them, you increase your fees tremendously.
One might think that doing it yourself is the best option in an effort to save money. However, Lee Hancox, head of channel and segment marketing at Sanlam told Business Tech that it may cause more trouble.
“Sometimes there’s the temptation to rush into a ‘quickie’ DIY divorce that seems cheaper and faster – perhaps you want to get out of the emotionally stressful scenario as fast as possible,” she said. “This can be risky. Particularly if you’re not a legal expert, what you may be putting into your divorce agreement could be called into question when you get into a divorce court, or, worst-case scenario, could be to your detriment in the long run. ”
The result of this could cost you more in the end, so it may be better to stick with a professional.
If you’re wondering what else may increase your spending during or after divorce, here are some expenses that result from separation:
– Two households instead of one,
– Additional child care expenses,
– Separating contracts like medical aid, cell phone contracts, insurance, bond payments and others.
David Thomson, senior legal adviser at Sanlam Trust told Business Tech that professional help to guide you in the process makes a huge difference.
“You have to consider the impact of divorce on the whole financial picture. In a partnership, one person may have taken responsibility for the finances, so following a divorce, sudden financial independence could be daunting for the other partner,” he explained.
“Additionally, divorce might mean that one has to go back to work. Plus, it has potentially big consequences if there are children involved as arrangements must be made regarding payment of school fees; medical aid and the like.”
“Divorce is complicated, no matter who you are and how wealthy you may be.”
Image: Unsplash
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Almost two months after their planned wedding date, Princess Beatrice and entrepreneur Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have tied the knot in a small, private ceremony at Windsor.
Their intimate wedding was held on Friday, July 17 at the Royal Chapel of All Saints. They had their closest family members in attendance, including her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Duke and Duchess of York.
“Working within government guidelines, the service was in keeping with the unique circumstances while enabling them to celebrate their wedding with their closest family,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. “No hymns were sung, but a selection of music was played. The National Anthem was played but not sung.”
For her big day, the Princess wore a stunning vintage dress by Norman Hartnell and accessorised with the Queen Mary diamond fringe tiara, both belonging to Her Majesty the Queen. The tiara was worn by Queen Elizabeth on her wedding day in 1947.
She carried a bouquet of trailing jasmine, pale pink and cream sweet peas, royal porcelain ivory spray roses, pink o’hara garden roses, pink wax flower and baby pink astible. Of course, she had a sprig of myrtle in it as well to continue royal tradition.
The royal family took to social media to congratulate the newlyweds.
“Congratulations to HRH Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi! The couple were married in a small private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor on Friday 17th July,” they wrote in an Instagram post.
The pair were originally meant to marry on May 29 at Chapel Royal in St. James’s Palace but had to cancel plans due to the growing coronavirus pandemic.
Feature image: Instagram / The Royal Family
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After battling stage 4 cancer for six months, terminally ill patient Tash Young was told she had weeks to live. Not wanting to waste it, the 25-year-old from Southampton planned a wedding in four days and married boyfriend and long time love Simon Young at her hospital during lockdown.
Tash had a rare spindle cell sarcoma, which unfortunately was not responding to treatment. Simon had been waiting for the right time to propose but after receiving the heartbreaking news, they realised they did not have the luxury of time. Together with the team at Southampton General Hospital, they planned a wedding in just four days.
Their big day was beautifully captured by Sarah Bassett and Emily Ford for the BBC.
Unfortunately, Tash lost her battle with cancer a month after they tied the knot. Her family is raising funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust, and anyone who would like to support may donate here.
Feature image: Unsplash
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The unfortunate passing of Kelly Preston due to breast cancer has brought much sadness to the world. Loving thoughts and prayers have been sent to her husband, award-winning actor John Travolta, who also lost a previous love to the same illness.
The story of Travolta and Preston is one of Hollywood’s most legendary. The pair were married for almost 29 years, and through it all, they shared the best and worst with us.
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They first met at a screen test for a comedy movie called The Experts (1989), which they both starred in. Travolta was immediately taken with the beauty and grace of Preston, but for her it was less instant.
At the time, Preston was married to actor Kevin Gage. In an interview with Andy Cohen in 2018, the host asked Preston whether it was love at first sight for her and Travolta. “Kinda,” she replied.
“Well I was not that happily married, let’s put it that way,” Preston said. “I was really with the wrong person.
At their first meeting, the famed couple had to dance together. As we all know from his roles in Grease and Saturday Night Fever, Travolta has moves, and they must have helped him get the girl of his dreams, as Preston later admitted that the dance is what started it all.
On the day, a mutual friend told Travolta, “You’re going to meet this girl and you’re going to fall in love with her, and you’re going to want to get married.” How serendipitous!
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Preston divorced Gage, and eventually began dating Travolta. Their love blossomed and in 1990 on New Year’s Eve in Switzerland, Travolta proposed with a 6-carat diamond ring.
The next year they eloped to Paris and got married on September 5, 1991. Kelly admitted that the wedding planning at home became too much for her to handle. “The wedding got so big and so crazy. I thought once the florist’s assistant got an assistant, I was done,” she said in a 2018 interview.
The pair, who are both Scientologists, had a Scientology minister perform their nuptials.
Soon after, they made their way back to Florida, for another wedding to make it legal after they found out that their Paris nuptials would not be accepted by US law.
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On April 13, 1992, their first child, Jett, was born. Family life was very important to them, and in 2000 they welcomed their second child, Ella.
They tragically lost their firstborn when he was 16 (in 2009) after he suffered from Kawasaki Syndrome as a child and had a history of seizures. To this day, Jett’s birthday is still celebrated.
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A year later, the family welcomed another member, Benjamin. It was surprising to everyone, as Kelly was already 48 at the time and she had admitted that they tried for another child for years without success.
“When I found out I was pregnant, I was floored,” Kelly told People Magazine. “I’d snuck out of bed and then came back and woke Johnny up in bed. We both started crying. It was wonderful.”
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Despite the loss and tough times, the two stuck together. Preston told People Magazine that, just like at their first meeting, they often danced together, and they always looked for moments to have fun together.
“A relationship doesn’t just happen,” she said. “You have to work at it. You’ve got to keep it fun and that’s what we do.”
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In 2018, tragedy struck the family again, when Preston was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite being public about their losses in the past, the family decided they would not publicise her illness.
On July 12, 2020 Travolta made the heartbreaking announcement that his beloved wife had passed on.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer. She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many. My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side. Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered. I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal. All my love, JT,” he wrote.
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Their love lasted through years of Hollywood life, though trauma and sadness, and always came out stronger. Our condolences to her loved ones.
Image: Instagram / John Travolta