Durban - High levels of poverty and a lack of access to information on available help are among the reasons that child marriages continue to be rife in rural KwaZulu-Natal communities.
This is according to the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), which has challenged government departments, community members and structures to live up to their responsibilities and curb the marriages.
Statistics SA recently revealed that the country recorded 207 child marriages in 2021, and there are fears that the figure could rise.
The CGE said the practice of child marriages and traditionally linked abductions remained high in Umzimkhulu in southern KZN and other rural parts of the province.
CGE’s Zanele Ncwane cited a combination of a lack of information on the forms of assistance available from the state, to poverty and abuse of tradition as some of the key drivers of the scourge.
She said there had been instances where girls attending school had entered into marriages without their consent, but had proceeded with such arrangements because their parents had forced them to.
“We see a link between poverty and lack of information access by many families who are not aware that there are forms of assistance in the form of child support grants, and the NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme) at tertiary level,” said Ncwane.
She warned that such factors meant that some families and communities were at risk of continued poverty.
“Child marriage is tantamount to poverty entrapment,” she said.
According to the commissioner, in many of the marriages lobola payments were not made in full, and often only a small portion of the total was paid, but the families of child brides accepted the amounts, which underlined the levels of poverty in many instances.
Ncwane appealed to each of the role players across society to play their part in dealing with the issue.
“What is important in this case is for departments to be active. The Education Department needs to monitor every drop-out in schools, especially where such practices are rife, which happens to be rural areas, and determine the reasons behind them. Equally, community members should raise the alarm when they see what appears to be a suspicious relationship,” Ncwane said.
She explained that in many instances the young girls would be married to older men, and this had been one of the reasons behind high levels of pregnancy among pupils, where Umzimkhulu also featured.
IFP Women’s Brigade chairperson Princess Phumzile Buthelezi said such practices should be frowned upon by everyone who valued the lives of young women who were often forced to enter into such arrangements.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to such a practice and should use every platform that is available to denounce it,” she said.
Department of Social Development spokesperson Mhlaba Memela said such marriages continued to cast a dark shadow over the lives of young girls in Umzimkhulu.
“This is a heartbreaking reality that persists despite the efforts of the Department of Social Development to denounce these inhuman acts. We need urgent and concerted action, not only to denounce such heinous behaviour, but also to hold parents accountable for their roles in perpetuating this cycle of abuse,” said Memela.
He added that although the department was tackling the issue, it could not fight it alone.
“Even the most concerted efforts of the department cannot fully eradicate the issue without the active involvement of parents. The paradox of parents accepting lobola payments, a traditional practice that often accompanies these forced unions, while their child’s well-being is compromised, is a grievous reality that demands immediate redress,” Memela said.
He expressed the government’s awareness of the consequences of forceful marriages, which he said extended far beyond the immediate suffering of these young girls.
“The future prospects of these victims are callously traded for short-term gains, as arrangements for such marriages tarnish the potential and aspirations of these innocent souls,” he said.