Africa-Press – South-Africa. More than 200 children were married in South Africa in 2021, according to Statistics SA
The national statistical service told the African Union special rapporteur during the envoy’s visit to South Africa, that 207 children were married off in 2021.
Of the 207 children who were married, 188 were brides and 19 were grooms, Stats SA director for education and child statistics, Dr Seble Worku, said.
The legal age of marriage in South Africa is 18.
She added that 37 were registered as civil marriages and 19 were customary.
Pensions and grants were still the highest source of income for children in rural areas.
She said that the number of children who lived with only their mothers continued to rise while the number of orphaned children declined to 11.5 % in 2021 from 14.3 % in 2002.
Special rapporteur and social and health envoy from the African Union Commission, Takam Kembo, is in the country to monitor and evaluate progress on how South Africa is performing in its campaign to end child marriages.
As part of the visit to South Africa, the African Union mission held a series of high-level engagements with the social development, basic education, home affairs, women, youth and persons with disabilities departments.
Kembo is expected to meet human rights institutions, civil society organisations and children.
In 2014, then African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma launched the campaign to end child marriages on the continent.
At the time, it was estimated that 14 million girls were married. To date, more than 30 member states have implemented programmes and interventions to end child marriages.
Kembo said: “The AU mission aims to understand how South Africa is working to protect its children. It focuses on examining the child protection system, its effectiveness, and how it addresses various forms of violence, such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, and online exploitation and abuse.”
The special rapporteur is expected to produce a detailed progress report with observations and recommendations for the country within six months.
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