Your medical aid arrangements may change after divorce. Whether you can remain on your former spouse’s scheme depends on the law and the scheme’s registered rules. Who must pay the contributions and other medical expenses is a separate question, governed by any applicable maintenance agreement or court order.
A child’s views about seeing a parent must be considered based on their age, maturity, and development, but a child does not automatically decide whether court-ordered contact ends. The child’s best interests remain paramount, and existing arrangements may need to be formally reconsidered.
Yes, parenting plans can be changed after divorce when circumstances or a child’s needs change. How the plan is amended depends on whether it was registered with the Family Advocate or made by court order, with the child’s best interests remaining the priority.
High-conflict divorces place children at risk of emotional harm. A clear, legally sound parenting plan helps reduce conflict, create stability, and protect children’s well-being by setting out responsibilities, decision-making structures, routines, and communication guidelines between parents.
In South Africa, same-sex custody cases are guided by the “best interests of the child” principle, giving both parents equal standing, whether married or in a life partnership. Courts recognise same sex parents’ rights in adoption, IVF, and other parenting arrangements, ensuring children are legally protected.
Avoid common mistakes in South African child custody cases, such as poor communication, badmouthing your ex, ignoring court orders, oversharing with your children, letting emotions lead, and skipping legal advice.