This archive report was first published on 2 July 2021.
Published on July 2, 2021, a green paper by the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa has proposed the legalisation of polyandry, a move aimed at making the institution of marriage more gender-inclusive.
South Africa already has a liberal constitution, allowing same-sex marriages and polygamy for men. However, gender rights activists have been pushing for the legalisation of polyandrous unions, where women can have more than one husband, in the interest of equality and choice.
The proposal has been met with strong opposition from conservatives and certain religious groups, who argue that polyandry is alien to African culture and will destroy traditional values.
TV personality Musa Mseleku, who has four wives, expressed his opposition to polyandry, saying, “This will destroy African culture. What about the children of those people? How will they know their identity? The woman cannot now take the role of the man. It’s unheard of. Will the man be expected to take her surname?”
The Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, leader of the African Christian Democratic Party, also expressed his opposition, saying that polygamy is an accepted practice, but polyandry is not. He argued that a marriage with multiple husbands cannot work because “men are jealous and possessive”.
Prof Collis Machoko, an academic who has conducted research studies on polyandry, attributed the objections to the South African Government’s proposal to control. He said, “African societies are not ready for true equality. We don’t know what to do with women we cannot control,”
The green paper also proposes to rectify current laws that allow the marriage of minors and does not account for couples who change their sex and want to remain married without going through a divorce. It also proposes giving legal recognition to Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, and Rastafarian marriages.
