He wanted to take his wife's last name. But first, they had to change South African law

As It Happens South Africa court ruling paves way for men to take their wives' surnames

When Jana Jordaan first told her then-fiancé Henry van der Merwe that she intended to keep her last name after they got married, he not only supported her, but offered to take her surname as well.

But the South African couple hit a snag when they tried to register their decision with a marriage officer at the Department of Home Affairs after tying the knot in 2021.

"She looked very confused, and then she said, 'My system doesn't allow for that," Jordaan told host Nil Köksal. "I just, I didn't have words."

It turned out that it was against the law in South Africa for a husband to take his wife's family name, or for both spouses to hyphenate their surnames.

The couple decided to fight that Aparth