<P> The officer, the spouses and the witnesses then sign the marriage register, which is sent to the Department of Home Affairs to be recorded . </P> <P> A marriage officer may not demand any payment for performing a marriage, but a religious clergyman may accept a fee for blessing the marriage . </P> <P> A person under the age of majority, which was reduced from 21 to 18 by the Children's Act, 2005, cannot marry without the consent of his or her parents or legal guardian . If there are no parents or guardian or for some reason they cannot give consent, a magistrate (acting as a commissioner of child welfare) may grant consent . If the parent, guardian or magistrate refuses consent, a judge of the High Court may grant consent if it is in the interests of the minor . </P> <P> Further to the requirement for parental consent, no boy under 18 or girl under 16 can marry without the special consent of the Minister of Home Affairs (or an official authorised to act on behalf of the Minister). (This discrimination on the basis of sex predates the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and may be unconstitutional but has not yet been challenged .) </P>

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