In South Africa, there are three types of marriages recognized by law: civil marriages, customary marriages, and civil unions. A civil marriage is a legally recognized relationship between a man and a woman. It is the most common type of marriage in South Africa, with around 130,000 people getting married this way each year. A civil marriage is automatically in community of property, which means that the couples assets and debts are added together and split equally unless an antenuptial agreement is entered into indicating that the marriage will be out of community of property, with or without the accrual system. Certain formalities must be adhered to, such as the marriage being concluded by a marriage officer and in the presence of two witnesses, and the marriage must be registered at the Department of Home Affairs.

Civil marriages offer legal benefits that can only be enjoyed by couples who are bound by a legally recognized marriage. These benefits work to protect both parties throughout their marriage, and for cases of death or divorce. The legal benefits of a civil marriage include protecting one another with support, inheritance, and medical decisions. However, the disadvantage of a civil marriage is that it is not as easy to terminate as ending a relationship of a couple who are not married.