South Africans starting to lose interest in marriages

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While religious people see marriage as a sacred institution ordained by God, sociologists view marriage and families as societal institutions that help create the basic unit of social structure.

These are the views that are probably carried by many around world who still believe in marriages.

However, one cannot say the same about South Africans and how they view marriages according to Statistics South Africa’s (Stats SA) report that was recently released.

According to the Marriages and Divorce, 2020 report released by Stats SA, it says that the total number of people getting married has fallen steadily from 2011 to 2020. Besides the high decline in 2020 that may have resulted from the restrictions on gatherings in that year, the number of civil marriages have been consistently declining.

Civil marriages were also not spared according to this report having fell by 22,5% between 2011 and 2019 and declined by a further 31,1% in 2020.

Stats SA added that in 2020, 1 585 customary marriages were registered at the Department of Home Affairs, indicating a decrease of 43,2% from the 2 789 customary marriages registered in 2019. From 2011 to 2019, these marriages declined by 45,1%.

Even as same-sex marriages are recognized in South Africa, the number of marriages in this category could not boost the number marriages registered or reverse the declining number.

“In general, the number of civil unions registered in South Africa increased between 2016 and 2019. In 2020, however, the number of civil unions registered decreased by 16,9% from 1 771 in 2019 to 1 471 in 2020. Most civil unions were registered in Gauteng (659) and Western Cape (434), and the lowest were in Northern Cape (6) and Limpopo (5).”

“For civil marriages, the median age of bridegrooms increased from 36 years in 2016 to 37 years in 2020, whereas that of brides increased from 32 years to 33 years over the same period. The average age difference between brides and bridegrooms is 4 years.”

Stats SA added that they have also realized that even the people who decide to get married are those of the older age rather than those of the younger age in comparison to other stats in the past.

Interesting enough though, as the number of marriages continue to decline, Stats SA has also reported a decline in the number of divorces. But they are of the view that perhaps this could be because of a declining number of marriages as well.

Divorces decreased by 32,1% from 23 710 in 2019 to 16 097 cases granted in 2020. The median age at the time of divorce in 2020 was 45 years for males and 41 years for females, indicating that, generally, divorced males were older than divorced females, with a difference of about four years.

The peak age group of male divorcees was between 45 to 49 years at 18,2%, while the female divorcees at the age group 35 to 39 years were higher, with 20,8%.

Customary Marriage

Customary marriage is one that is “negotiated, celebrated or concluded according to any of the systems of indigenous African customary law which exist in South Africa”, and excludes marriages concluded in accordance with Hindu, Muslim or other religious rites.

Civil Marriage

It is a marriage that can only be entered into between a man and a woman.

Civil Union

The Civil Union Act (effective from December 2006) allows anyone – regardless of their sexual orientation – to marry either through a civil union, a civil marriage or a customary marriage. Civil unions may be conducted by: designated marriage officers for specific religious denominations or organisations.