Ratification of inadequate surrogacy agreements and the best interest of the child : a critical analysis

Abstract

The use of surrogate motherhood agreements for reproductive purposes has increased recently. While an internationally binding instrument has yet to be produced, South Africa, among many other countries, has developed domestic legislation governing all surrogacy matters that take place within the country’s jurisdiction. This provision is contained in Chapter 19 of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. Parties who are unable to conceive and carry a child of their own to term are now able to seek the assistance of a surrogate mother who will be willing to conceive and carry a child on their behalf for altruistic reasons. The protocol prescribed for the use of a surrogate motherhood agreement has, however, become stricter. Section 1 of Chapter 19, accordingly, requires parties to enter into a written surrogate motherhood agreement and approach the High Court within their jurisdiction for the confirmation of the written agreement before the artificial fertilisation of the surrogate mother may take place. In a recent court case the parties involved, though having undergone the legal procedure twice before, decided not to meet the requirement provided by Chapter 19 and authorised the artificial fertilisation of the surrogate mother prior to the confirmation of the surrogate motherhood agreement by the court. In considering the best interest of the resultant child the presiding officer decided to grant the parties application and in doing so ratified the inadequate surrogate motherhood agreement. This discussion aims to establish whether the court’s judgement in Ex parte MS; In re: Confirmation of Surrogate Motherhood Agreement 2014 2 All SA 312 (GNP) was in accordance with the provisions of current legislation and case law. It furthermore aims to answer two primary questions. Firstly, whether adjudicators should make use of the best interest of the child when ratifying inadequate surrogate motherhood agreements, and secondly, in what manner the court should go about implementing the best interest of the child when validating inadequate surrogate motherhood agreements.

Die gebruik van surrogaatmoederskap-ooreenkomste vir reproduktiewe doeleindes het die afgelope tyd toegeneem. Alhoewel daar tot op hede slegs sprake van 'n internasionaal bindende instrument is, het Suid-Afrika, en vele ander lande, reeds plaaslike wetgewing ontwikkel wat alle surrogasie-aangeleenthede reguleer wat binne die jurisdiksie van die land plaasvind. Hierdie bepaling is vervat in Hoofstuk 19 van die Kinderwet 38 van 2005. Partye wat dus nie in staat is om swanger te word en hulle eie kind vir die volle termyn te dra nie, het tans die opsie om die hulp te versoek van 'n surrogaatmoeder wat bereid is om namens hulle swanger te word en 'n kind weens altruïstiese redes te baar. Die protokol vir die gebruik van surrogasie het egter strenger geword. Artikel 1 van Hoofstuk 19 vereis, dienooreenkomstig, dat partye 'n skriftelike surrogaatmoederskap-ooreenkoms moet aangaan en die Hoë Hof nader vir die bekragtiging van dié ooreenkoms voordat die kunsmatige bevrugting van die surrogaatmoeder mag plaasvind. In 'n onlangse hofsaak het die partye, wat die wetlike prosedure twee keer vantevore moes deurloop, die vereiste wat in Hoofstuk 19 vervat is, nie nagekom nie deurdat hulle die kunsmatige bevrugting van die surrogaat toegelaat het voordat die surrogaatmoederskap-ooreenkoms deur die hof bevestig is. As gevolg van die oorweging van die beste belang van die gevolglike kind het die voorsittende beampte besluit om die partye se aansoek toe te staan en sodoende 'n onvoldoende surrogaatmoederskap-ooreenkoms te bekragtig.

Hierdie bespreking is daarop gemik om te bepaal of die hof se beslissing in Ex parte MS; In re: Confirmation of Surrogate Motherhood Agreement 2014 2 All SA 312 (GNP) ooreenstem met die bepalings wat in huidige wetgewing en regspraak vervat is. Die bespreking poog om twee primêre vrae te beantwoord: eerstens of regters van die beste belang van die kind gebruik moet maak wanneer hulle onvoldoende surrogaatmoederskap-ooreenkomste evalueer, en tweedens op watter wyse die hof die beste belang van die kind moet toepas wanneer hul onvoldoende surrogaatmoederskap-ooreenkomste bekragtig.