How many weddings in South Africa
Weddings in South Africa
Due to the variety of religions and cultures present in South Africa, there are numerous different types of marriage practiced there. In South Africa, a male may have more than one spouse, while a woman may only have one. The Roman-Dutch law, which served as the foundation for the legal concept of marriage in the past, only recognized monogamous unions between people of the same sex. Since 1998, the law has recognized unions formed in accordance with African customary law, including polygynous unions. In 2006, South Africa became the fifth nation in the world to permit same-sex unions. Although not simultaneously, it is currently the only nation in the world to recognize both same-sex weddings and polygamy.
Types of weddings in South Africa
Civil union, first
Churches and any Department of Home Affairs office can perform this type of marriage ceremony. It is governed by the Marriage Act, and the Act’s provisions provide the basis for the rules that are also made.
At least two witnesses who will also attest to the issuance of the marriage certificate must be present for a civil marriage to take place. Any of the places listed below can experience this:
either a place of worship, such as a church, or another building.
If the doors are open, it could be a private residence or a public building.
The solemnization might take place in a hospital or in the location that is most convenient for either of the intending spouses if they are extremely ill or injured
Customary marriage
According to any of the indigenous African customary law systems in South Africa, a customary marriage is negotiated, celebrated, or consummated.
The marital regime in a customary marriage can be in or out of a community of property, just like in a civil marriage. For a customary marriage to be recognized by the law, three requirements must be fulfilled.
The age of majority for both parties is 18.
According to customary law, they must both agree to become married.
The customary law of their society must be followed in the celebration of their marriage.
Marriage contract
A legally binding agreement between two persons who plan to wed is called a marriage contract. Marriage agreements usually state which partner will retain ownership of property and other assets in the event of divorce.
How many weddings per year in South Africa
According to new statistics from Statistics South Africa, marriages are declining in frequency in the country.
The statistics authority reported that between 2011 and 2020, the overall number of marriages decreased gradually. Civil marriages decreased by 22.5% between 2011 and 2019 and by a further 31.1% in 2020, according to long-term data. While this can partially be attributed to Covid restrictions and regulations around gatherings, which resulted in a noticeable decline in weddings in 2020.
The number of marriages has increased due to the acceptance of same-sex unions, but this growth has not been sufficient to stop the downward trend, according to StatsSA.
In South Africa, the total number of civil unions registered rose between 2016 and 2019. However, from 1,771 in 2019 to 1,471 in 2020, there were registered fewer civil unions, a 16.9% decline. Gauteng (659) and the Western Cape (434) recorded the most civil unions.
