Limpopo Province Will Close out Provincial Marriage Bill Public Hearings

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The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs calls on residents of Limpopo to participate in the final round of national public hearings on the Marriage Bill [B43–2023], scheduled to take place during the first week of February. The committee views the hearings as a critical opportunity for Limpopo residents to make meaningful contributions to legislation that will have a direct impact on their lives.

The committee’s call is anchored in the constitutional importance of public participation in the legislative process. Emphasising this point, committee Chairperson Mr Mosa Chabane said community involvement is essential in shaping laws that affect all South Africans. “It is not only important but necessary that communities participate actively in shaping the legislation rationalising marriage laws in South Africa. Public participation is not only a civic duty, but a cornerstone of participatory democracy,” said Mr Chabane.

Limpopo is the final province to host public hearings, following similar engagements held in the other eight provinces during the course of last year.

The Marriage Bill seeks to repeal the existing three separate marriage laws and replace them with a single, inclusive statute that recognises all forms of marriage – civil, customary, and religious – regardless of sexual orientation, belief or cultural practice.

Key provisions of the Bill include:

• Prohibiting child marriages by setting the minimum legal age for marriage at 18 years;
• Criminalising the facilitation or solemnisation of marriages involving minors;
• Enabling the designation of marriage officers from across all sectors, including traditional leaders; and
• Curbing fraudulent marriages, particularly marriages of convenience involving South African citizens and foreign nationals.

During recent public hearings in the Western Cape, community members expressed diverse views on the Bill. While many welcomed its provisions aimed at protecting children, some participants proposed raising the minimum marriageable age to 21. Concerns were also raised regarding the recognition of same-sex marriages, particularly in relation to religious beliefs, alongside calls for stricter regulation of marriages involving foreign nationals.

The committee has emphasised that significant effort has been made to ensure the hearings are inclusive and accessible. Through Parliament’s Public Education Office, extensive outreach initiatives have been undertaken to ensure communities are well-informed and able to make substantive and meaningful submissions.

“Public hearings are not a tick-box exercise. They are a vital platform to ensure that the voices of ordinary South Africans are heard and reflected in the laws passed by Parliament,” Mr Chabane added.

The committee encouraged all residents of Limpopo to attend the upcoming hearings and actively participate in shaping this transformative piece of legislation.

Details of the Limpopo hearings are as follows: 

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS, MR MOSA CHABANE.

For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:

Name: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.