My Husband The Bigamist

When her husband killed himself, Louise was in for another shock: his other ‘widow’ was claiming his estate.

- Jana Smit

SHE thought she and her husband were totally committed to their marriage – that’s what they’d promised each other 30 years ago. But as she prepared for his memorial service, the 64- year-old widow received a phone call that left her reeling.

“I had no idea that you and Gerald got divorced,” the broker from an insurance company said. Louise Engelbrecht was speechless upon hearing that another woman was claiming her husband’s insurance policies – as his legal wife.

On the day he died, 3 May last year, 56-year-old Gerald had confessed that he’d been having an extramarital affair but he hadn’t breathed a word about having married another woman. So Louise was completely blindsided when she discovered that what the broker was telling her was true: Gerald had indeed married the woman the previous year, in the tradition of Islam, a religion that he’d presumably embraced.

“I was like a madwoman,” Louise recalls.

Within the space of eight days she’d been hit with three major shocks: first her husband’s admission that he’d been unfaithful, then his death by suicide, and finally the news that another woman was claiming to be his widow.

Now, more than 10 months later, she’s still locked in a legal struggle – even though the high court in Johannesburg declared his marriage to Amina Khan* (38) invalid in October last year.

Despite an eviction notice Amina is still living in the house Gerald bought for her on Gauteng’s West Rand. As his legal heir, Louise paid up the bond for the property.

As she struggles with the legal ins and outs her emotions are in turmoil.