South African men are finding it difficult to come to terms with the idea of women marrying more than one husband. Men with more than one wife are just as distraught as the rest.
A professor, Collis Machoko, has however opined that the objections from those objecting are more about control than any other thing based on his research.
According to him, in the past women have practised polyandry and there were men who willingly acquiesced to it for several reasons such as infertility, as an alternative to divorce and an altered tradition or culture and just love.
Concerns such as paternity fraud, fights between the two men and bride price were raised as possible deterrents. Religious societies also frowned upon the idea of the union. Gender Rights groups have urged the legislature to go ahead with passing the bill on grounds of equality.
The proposed law, a part of a Legal Document called the Green Paper will also permit legalization of Muslim, Jewish and Rastafarian mariages and Charlene May, a women’s right advocate was quoted as saying the following
“It’s important to remember that this Green Paper sets to uphold human rights and we cannot lose sight of that, We cannot reject law reform because it challenges certain patriarchal views in our society.”
In the words of Professor Machoko, African Societies are truly not ready for the subject of Equality.
