Once again, wonders have no intention of ceasing. The funny thing about this is that the marriage was done in the presence of the woman’s 66 year-old husband. Not that the bride is a widow, her husband is very much alive and supports it. Saneie Masilela, a 9 year-old recently got married to a 62-year-old woman in South Africa. The ceremony was done last year, they made it official this year. Villagers in his town described it as sickening but the marriage was done in accordance with custom, on instruction of the groom’s dead ancestor and to avert a disaster on his family. The bride, Helen Shabangu – has 5 children who are aged between 28- and 38years old
The man’s husband said: “My kids and I are happy because we don’t have a problem with her marrying the boy – and I don’t care what other people say.”
The young groom: “I told my mother that I wanted to get married because I really did want to. I’m happy that I married Helen – but I will go to school and study hard. When I’m older I will marry a lady my own age. I chose Helen because I love her and, although we don’t live together all the time, we meet at the dumping site where my mother works regularly.”
The old bride: “I’m very happy that the boy chose me and my family support and understand that it is part of making ancestors happy. One day Sanele would grow normally and have family of his own and get married one day, all this ceremony is for making ancestors happy. We are playing.”
Groom’s 47-year-old mum: “Sanele was fine and he was happy about the ceremony last year and it what he wanted – he was not shy. He was just happy to get married, very excited and was not embarrassed about it. So much so he wanted to do it again. After the wedding last year people keep asking them question like will they live together, sleep together, have babies but I keep telling them that after the wedding everything went back to normal – nothing changed.
Sanele moved to Venda not long after the wedding because he wanted to learn a new language, but they are very close. Our families are very close. It was nice celebrate with a wedding once more, it was after all a calling from the ancestors. By doing this we made the ancestors happy. If we hadn’t done what my son had asked then something bad would have happened in the family.”