61 yr old woman marries 8 yr old boy

Published: 2013 February 19 10:40:39 (11476 Views)

Sanele Masilela (8) and Helen Shabangu (61) got married in front of about 100 guests at the weekend.

The boy's family and the bride’s husband (first) and her five children were also at the wedding in extension six, Mamelodi East, Tshwane, South Africa.

The boy’s aunt, Patience Masilela (46), explained why the wedding took place.

She said: "The boy was named after his late grandfather who never had a white wedding, so the ancestors told the boy to get married and he chose Helen to be his bride."

The family took his desire to get married very seriously.

They paid R7 000 lobola for the bride in March last year and spent R15 000 on the wedding because they believed it was what the ancestors wanted.

The bride told Daily Sun: " I'm married and have five kids of my own, but I know that this is what the ancestors wanted - and now they are happy. It is a ritual. We are just playing now, but it is a sign that he will get married one day.”

“I told my mother that I wanted to get married because I really did want to. I chose her because I love her and I’m happy that I married her – but I will go to school and study hard. When I’m older I will marry a lady my own age,” said the boy.

The bride’s long-time husband, Alfred Shabangu (65), said that he never had a problem with her marrying the boy because he too knew that it was what the ancestors wanted. “My kids and I are happy. We don’t have any problems with it,” he said.However, some community members said they were shocked.

One woman said: “How can a family go this far for the ancestors? It shows that people do take messages from the ancestors seriously.”) This was a not a legal marriage – it was only done for ritual purposes.The happy couple seal their marriage with a kiss.

- Daily Sun