It is not a legal requirement for a woman to change her last name to her husband's once they get married.
Although it is generally required to apply at the Department of Home Affairs to change a surname, no application is necessary in the following circumstances:
where a woman assumes the surname of her husband;
where a divorced woman or a widow, resumes any surname she had previously, such as her maiden name;
where a woman adds another surname to her current surname after marriage, such as a double-barrelled surname.
If a woman decides to assume a different surname in one of the abovementioned circumstances, she must still notify the Department of Home Affairs in writing of same to update the population register.
