hip ▁with ▁his ▁or ▁her ▁direct ▁ancest or ▁or ▁desc endant , ▁sib ling , ▁uncle ▁or ▁a unt , ▁nie ce ▁or ▁nep hew , ▁or ▁the ▁ancest or ▁or ▁desc endant ▁of ▁an ▁ex - sp ouse . ▁ ▁Civil ▁partners hips ▁must ▁be ▁solemn ised ▁by ▁an ▁author ised ▁marriage ▁officer . ▁Government ▁officials ▁( prim arily ▁magistr ates ▁and ▁Home ▁Affairs ▁civil ▁servants ) ▁who ▁are ▁appointed ▁as ▁marriage ▁officers ▁under ▁the ▁Mar riage ▁Act ▁are ▁also ▁automatically ▁appointed ▁to ▁solemn ise ▁civil ▁partners hips . ▁Relig ious ▁marriage ▁officers ▁may ▁not ▁solemn ise ▁civil ▁partners hips . ▁( They ▁may , ▁however , ▁solemn ise ▁mar ri ages ▁under ▁the ▁Civil ▁Union ▁Act .) ▁Government ▁marriage ▁officers ▁who ▁have ▁an ▁ob jection ▁of ▁conscience ▁to ▁solemn ising ▁same - sex ▁civil ▁partners hips ▁may ▁note ▁this ▁ob jection ▁in ▁writing ▁to ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Home ▁Affairs , ▁and ▁then ▁they ▁will ▁be ▁ex empt ed ▁from ▁doing ▁so . ▁ ▁The ▁legal ▁consequences ▁of ▁a ▁civil ▁partners hip ▁are ▁identical ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁a ▁marriage ▁under ▁the ▁Mar riage ▁Act , ▁except ▁for ▁such ▁changes ▁as ▁are ▁required ▁by ▁the ▁context . ▁Any ▁reference ▁to ▁marriage ▁in ▁any ▁law , ▁including ▁the ▁common ▁law , ▁is ▁de emed ▁to ▁include ▁civil ▁partners hip ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁Union ▁Act ; ▁similarly , ▁any ▁reference ▁to ▁husband , ▁wife ▁or ▁sp ouse ▁in ▁any ▁law ▁is ▁de emed ▁to ▁include ▁a ▁civil ▁partner . ▁The ▁law ▁of ▁divor