South Africa Civil Registration

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South Africa

Civil Registration

How to Find the Records

FamilySearch Online Collections

Indexes and Images

• 1861-1899:

Civil registration (marriages), Transvaal, 1861-1899 - index and images of marriage records for Transvaal

• 1895-1972:

South Africa, Cape Province, Civil Deaths, 1895-1972 - images and partial index of death records for Cape Province

• 1869-1954: South Africa, Transvaal, Civil Death, 1869-1954 - index and images of deaths for Transvaal. Further explanations for using these records
• 1870-1930: South Africa, Transvaal, Civil Marriages, 1870-1930 - index and images of marriages for Transvaal
• 1955-1966 - South Africa, Civil Death Registration, 1955-1966, index.

Indexes

• 1840-1973 - South Africa, Civil Marriage Records, 1840-1973 - index.

Images of Marriage Records

• 1861-1903: Civil registration (marriages), Transvaal, 1861-1903 - images of marriage records for Transvaal
• 1956-1960: Civil registration (marriages - blacks), South Africa & Southwest Africa (various locales), 1956-1960 - images of marriage records for South Africa
• 1902-1923: Civil registration (marriages - coloureds), South Africa (various locales), 1902-1923 - images of marriage records for South Africa
• 1925-1960: Civil registration (marriages - Indians and Chinese), South Africa, 1925-1960 - images of marriage records for South Africa
• 1956-1973: Civil registration (marriages - whites, blacks and coloureds), South Africa (various locales), 1956-1973 - images of marriage records for South Africa
• 1956-1960: Civil registration (marriages - whites, coloureds and Indians), South Africa and South West Africa, 1956-1960 - images of marriage records for South Africa and South West Africa
• 1696-1899: Civil registration (marriages), Cape Province, 1696-1899 - images of marriage records for Cape Province

Images of Death Records

• 1869-1939: Civil registration (death notices), South Africa, South West Africa, Rhodesia, Swaziland, etc., 1869-1939 - indexes and images of death notices for South West Africa
• 1895-1984: Civil registration (deaths - whites, blacks, and coloureds), South Africa (various locales), 1895-1984 - images of death records for South Africa
• 1955-1966: Civil registration (deaths), South Africa and South West Africa, 1955-1966 - images of death records for South Africa
• 1901-1903: Burgher refugee camp death notices (South Africa), 1901-03 - images of mostly death notices (some births) from Burgher (i.e., Boer) 'refugee'/concentration camps at Vereeniging, Klerksdorp, and Irene, 1901-03

Offices to Contact

National Archives and Records Service of South Africa, Head Office The National Archivist Postal address: Private Bag X236, PRETORIA 0001 Street address: 24 Hamilton Street, Arcadia, PRETORIA (map) Telephone: (012) 441 3200 Fax: (012) 323 5287 Fax to e-mail: 0 Website: National Archives and Records Service of South Africa

PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES SERVICES (OFFICES WHICH DO NOT FORM PART OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS SERVICE OF SOUTH AFRICA) Eastern Cape Provincial Archives The Provincial Archivist Postal Address: Private Bag X7486, KING WILLIAM’S TOWN, 5600 Street Address: 5 Eales Street, KING WILLIAM’S TOWN Tel: (043) 604 4017/6 Fax: (043) 642 2014 E-Mail: qondi.malotana@srac.ecprov.gov.za

Mthatha Archives Repository The Head Postal address: please use street address Street Address: corner of Owen Street and Alexander Road, MTHATHAF Tel: (047) 532 5148

Port Elizabeth Archives Repository The Head Postal Address: Private Bag X3932, North End, PORT ELIZABETH, 6056 Street address: 1 De Villiers Street, PORT ELIZABETH Tel: (041) 484 6467 Fax: (041) 484 6451 johan.vanzyl@srac.ecprov.gov.za

Free State Provincial Archives The Provincial Archivist Postal address: Private Bag X20504, BLOEMFONTEIN 9300 Street address: 29 Badenhorst Street, BLOEMFONTEIN Tel: (051) 522 6762 Fax: (051) 522 6765 E-mail: fsarch@sacr.fs.gov.za

Gauteng Provincial Archives The Director Libraries and Archives Services Postal address: Private Bag X33, JOHANNESBURG 2000 Tel.: (011) 355 2659 Cell: 083 507 8032 Fax: (011) 355 2505 E-mail: Koekie.Meyer@gauteng.gov.za

KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Archives Head Office The Provincial Archivist Postal address: Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism, 171 Boshoff Street, PIETERMARITZBURG 3200 Street address: Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism, 171 Boshoff Street, PIETERMARITZBURG 3200 Tel: (033) 341 3611 Fax:0866 121 489 E-mail: ngcoyas@dact.kzntl.gov.za

Durban Archives Repository The Head Postal address: Private Bag X22, GREYVILLE 4023 Street address: Nashua House, 14 De Mazenod Street, GREYVILLE Tel: (031) 309 5682 Fax: (031) 309 5685 E-mail: dbnarchives@kzndac.gov.za

Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository The Head Postal address: Private Bag X9012, PIETERMARITZBURG 3200 Street address: 231 Pietermaritz Street, PIETERMARITZBURG Tel: (033) 342 4712 Fax: (033) 394 4353 E-mail: pmbarchives@kzndac.gov.za

Ulundi Archives Repository The Head Postal address: Private Bag X75, ULUNDI 3838 Street address: Block 4, Unit A, ULUNDI Tel: (035) 879 8500 Fax: (035) 879 8518 E-mail: uldarchives@dact.kzntl.gov.za

Limpopo Provincial Archives Service The Head Postal address: Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Archives Service, Private Bag X9549, POLOKWANE 0700 Street address: 15 Grobler Road, POLOKWANE Tel: (015) 284 4043 Cell: 072 468 5528 (Mr Jabu Nkatingi) Fax: 086 546 0880 E-mail: nkatingij@sac.limpopo.gov.za

Mpumalanga Provincial Archives Service The Head Mpumalanga Provincial Archives Service Postal Address: P O Box 1243, NELSPRUIT, 1200 Street address: 1st Floor, Building 5, 7 Government Boulevard, Riverside Park Ext 2, NELSPRUIT Tel: (013) 766 5081 Fax: (013) 766 8256 E-mail: nfmahalefa@mpg.gov.za

Northern Cape Provincial Archives Service The Provincial Archivist Postal address: Private Bag X5004, KIMBERLEY 8300 Street address: Department of Sport, Arts & Culture Building, 22 Abattoir Road, Ashburnham 8301, Kimberley
Tel: (053) 807 4700, (053) 807 4795 Fax: (053) 807 4600 E-mail: emanong@ncpg.gov.za

North West Provincial Archives and Records Services The Head Postal address: Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, Private Bag X 90, MMABATHO, 2735 Street Address: Corner University Drive and Dr Albert Luthuli, MMABATHO, 2745 Tel: 018 388 3963 Cell: 078 847 1967 (Ms Tlotlo Monyepao) Fax: 018 388 1909 E-mail: tmonyepao@nwpg.gov.za Director Library, Information and Archive Services: Tel: (018) 388 3986 Fax: (018) 388 4428 E-mail: tsempe@nwpg.gov.za

Western Cape Provincial Archives and Records Service The Head Postal address: Private Bag X9025, CAPE TOWN 8000 Street address: 72 Roeland Street, CAPE TOWN Tel: (021) 466 8100. Fax: (021) 465 2960 E-mail:

• Archives@pgwc.gov.za (for General Correspondence)
• Records@pgwc.gov.za (for Records Management enquiries)
• Readroom@pgwc.gov.za (Reading Room Enquiries)
• Outreach@pgwc.gov.za (Outreach Activities)

Department of Home Affairs. Republic of South Africa South Africa. Department of the Interior. Registrar of Births, Marriages, and Deaths Master of the Supreme Court Transvaal (South Africa). Master of the Supreme Court SEE UNICEF South Africa

Historical Background

The following table lists the approximate commencement dates for registering births, marriages, and deaths:

Until 1994, South Africa was divided into four provinces: the Cape Province, Natal, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State.

• The National Archives Repository has the records of the central government as well as the public records of the former Transvaal Province and its predecessor states
• The Free State Archives Repository in Bloemfontein has the public records of the former Orange Free State and the Orange River Colony
• The Cape Town Archives Repository holds public records of the former Cape Province and earlier colonial administrations
• The Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository and the Durban Archives Repository have custody of the records of the former Natal Province and its predecessor states
• In addition to the repositories each of the former provinces had what was then known as intermediate depots, or records centres, as they are alled today. The National Archives and Records Service of South Africa

Coverage and Compliance

Births

The legal informants for a birth are parents, guardian, or any other person legally responsible for the child. Requirements for birth registration:

• Identification of the child’s father
• Identification of the child’s mother
• Forenames and surname of the childUnicef South Africa

Marriages

Legal age for marriage is 18 years for both sexes. Exemptions: Girls under 18 years but older than 15 years need parental consent to marry; girls under age 15 need the consent of the Minister of Home Affairs. Unicef South Africa

Deaths

No specific requirement concerning who should register a death, can be a traditional leader in rural areas.

Requirements for death registration:

• Medical death certificate
• Identification card
• Date of death
• Age at death
• Birth certificate for a minor Unicef South Africa

Information Recorded in the Records

Birth Records

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is in charge of registering births. Contents: Unicef South Africa About the child:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Date of registration
• Place of occurrence
• Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.)
• Sex

About the mother:

• Date of birth or age
• Marital status
• Ethnicity
• Educational attainment
• Place/country of birth
• Children born alive to the mother during her entire lifetime
• Birth order parity
• Date of last previous live birth
• Date of marriage

About the father:

• Date of birth or age
• Marital status
• Ethnicity
• Educational attainment
• Place/country of birth
• Acknowledgment of paternity in regard to a child born out of wedlock

Marriage Records

Marriage records are also very valuable in South African genealogical research. Marriage records provide the following information:

• Date when the marriage occurred
• Full names, marital status (single or widowed) and places of birth for both the bride and groom
• Full names, and places of birth for the parents of the bride and groom

Matrimonial court records

Helpful for pedigree linkage because of additional information given on the registers. Also includes information on marriages not recorded in the parish register, especially when the parish register is missing. They may also give an indication of the actual marriage place which otherwise could not be found without extensive searching.

Marriage records of banns

Time period: 1794 to 1906. Contents:

• Permission to have banns called
• Register of permissions granted
• Names
• Ages
• Residence
• Written consent of parents
• Birthplace
• Religion
• Marital status
• Occupation of bridegroom

Location: Cape archives and magistrate’s offices where local matrimonial courts were held. Percentage in Family History Library: 100%. Population coverage: 75% of White population.

Death Records

Contents: Regarding the deceased:

• Name
• Sex
• Date of birth or age
• Marital status
• Place of usual residence
• Date of death
• Date of registration
• Place of occurrence
• Place of registration
• Cause of death
• Certifier
• Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.) Unicef South Africa

Older records may be in Dutch and may include:

• Name
• Birth place
• Names of parents
• Age
• Profession
• Marriage status
• Date of death
• Place of death
• Whether there is a will
• Whether left moveable or inmoveable property
• Is the estate above L25
• Name of children

Reliability: Very good.The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Southern Africa,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1987-1998.