Polyandry: ‘It’s not the official govt position,’ Motsoaledi says

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has bemoaned some of the heated spats that have been sparked by his department’s decision to gazette a new green paper for the Marriage Act, which includes a proposal to recognise polyandry.

Should it come into law, women in the country would be allowed to take more than one husband, the prospect of which rattled a few cages, particularly prompting fiery social media debates between so-called “traditionalists” and feminists.

Motsoaledi spoke in Parliament on Wednesday, 19 May 2021, where he tabled the Home Affairs Department’s budget vote.

The minister said the green paper on polyandry was just that – and not the final product of government’s work on marriage laws.

“Honourable chair, it was with a deep sense of disappointment that the envisaged national dialogues turned into a war of words and cynicism about one and only one of the issues that were raised in the ministerial dialogues, the issue of polyandry, which, like all others I mentioned above, was raised by some of the participants at the ministerial dialogues,” said Motsoaledi.

The minister also emphasised that it was merely a consultative process.

“It only articulates possible policy options or proposals that are based on inputs received from stakeholders during ministerial dialogues. These proposals will be subjected to public scrutiny”

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi

There needs to be more dialogue on polyandry – Aaron Motsoaledi

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has called on South Africans to let their voices be heard on the polyandry issue and comment on the green paper. Time is running out though, as the last date for submissions is 30 June.

Motsoaledi has called for the national dialogue on polyandry, and by extension marriage, to be conducted responsibly, for the sake of the nation.

“Please let us lower the excitement and deal with the very important issues mentioned by our people who experience serious hardships in their everyday existence in their endeavour to build viable families — which every nation on earth strives for — for there is no nation without families,” Motsoaledi said.