The constitutional recognition of customary law in 1993 introduced a new phase in its application. The application, indeed of all law, is however, subject to the Bill of Rights. To accomplish that the South African Law Reform Commission has launched a project to harmonise customary law with common law. This article is a review of the projects, legislation and bills emanating from this project. It includes the recognition of customary marriages, the law of succession, traditional courts and the administration of estates. In addition to that the Department of Land Affairs introduced a bill to convert traditional land tenure into full ownership registered in the deeds office. Parliament has also adopted the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 41 of 2003. On the one hand the projects are necessary to give effect to the principles of equality embodied in the Bill of Rights. On the other hand it is probable that the `harmonisation' does not reflect the living law. They are rather pre-conceived ideas of what the legislature perceives the law ought to be rather than providing for the needs of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]