Swazi women prefer lovers than marriage

MBABANE – While celebrating women’s month, Swazi women prefer having lovers than to marry because assuming marriage status reduces them to minors in the country.

Most women in the kingdom are said to prefer having lovers than husbands because the country’s laws reduces women to minors once they get married such that they cannot get into binding contracts without the consent of their spouses.

About two weeks ago a representative of a South African Gender Equality Organisation, on a BBC World Africa radio programme, said this was the case in most African countries and singled out Swaziland as an example.
During the broadcast, Swazi women were said to have no option but to remain single to protect their interests as well as property investments which would otherwise be under the guardianship of their partners should they get married.

Government Spokesperson Percy Simelane said the orga-nisation was taking advantage of cheap audiences ‘who swallow even lies with a smile’.
Another organisation called Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), in its website, posted a statement saying women in Swaziland face horrendous levels of discrimination.

“Poverty, high levels of gender based violence, traditional laws that classify women as minors and failure to implement laws that in theory guarantee rights and equality all contribute to an appalling level of discrimination,” reads the introduction of the statement titled ‘Improving Women’s Rights in Swaziland’.

Denied

“Women in Swaziland are treated as second class citizens, as objects and are denied the opportunity or resources to advocate for their rights,” the statement reads further.
The organisation further states that they were working with the Foundation for Social Economic Justice and the Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly on a four-year project to improve Women’s Rights in Swaziland.

Worth noting at this point is the fact that last week the High Court issued a ruling that a woman can sue without the assistance or consent of her husband.
The landmark judgment was issued in a case where a woman had taken her husband to court. She wanted her husband to show cause why some of his relatives should not leave their marital home.

High Court Judge Justice Mbutfo Mamba cited Section 20 and 28 the kingdom’s supreme law.  “The common law concept of marital power in so far as and to the extent that it bars married women from suing and being sued without the assistance of their husbands is hereby declared to be inconsistent with Section 20 and 28 of the Constitution.

“This invalidity is with effect from March 25, 2013, from which date all women subject to the marital power of their husbands shall have a right to sue and be sued in their own names,” reads part of the judgment in the case determined by a full bench.

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