COUPLES (18-21) NEED PARENTS’ WRITTEN CONSENT TO MARRY

NHLANGANO – Young people between the ages of 18 and 21 will need their parents’ consent prior to walking down the aisle.

Normally, teenagers from 18 and above, as well as young adults would simply wed their loved ones without getting any written consent from their parents or guardians.
However, this will soon be a thing of the past if the Marriage Bill of 2017 is anything to go by.

Section 9 (1) of the Marriage Bill of 2017 states that a person who has attained age 18 but below 21 is incapable of entering into a valid marriage unless that person has the written consent of the parents or legal guardian of that person.

However, there is a limitation to this as expressed in subsection two, which states that where the consent of parents or legal guardian is unreasonably withheld, that person may apply in writing to a court for permission to marry and the court shall grant such permission if it is satisfied that the consent of the parent or legal guardian was unreasonably withheld.

In essence, it means that a child who has reached the age of 18 but below 21 may challenge a parent who refuses to consent to their marriage under planned new marriage laws of the country.

The proposed law further states that thereafter, the person granted consent to marry under this section will have to undergo counselling in order to acquire knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the law and the institution of marriage.

Meanwhile, Acting Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Dumisani Ndlangamandla revealed that over 100 couples married under Swazi Law and Custom have applied for divorce since the beginning of the year.

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