Big changes for marriage and divorce in South Africa

South Africa’s marriage and divorce trends are shifting, with many waiting far longer to say ‘I do,’ while divorces continue to rise.

Marriage was previously a milestone that South Africans reached in their early twenties, but is now being postponed as individuals focus on their careers, personal growth, and independence.

However, the traditional timeline for tying the knot is now shifting worldwide, with South Africa being no exception.

Stats SA’s latest Marriage and Divorce report showed that the median age for grooms engaging in civil marriages increased from 35 in 2014 to 38 in 2023.

Brides typically get married at a younger age, but the median age has grown from 31 in 2014 to 34 in 2023.

The average age at which brides get married also increased from 25–29 in 2014 to 30–34 in 2023.

The stats body’s data also shows that marriage is becoming less common in South Africa. In 2023, 105,123 marriages and unions were recorded.

The marriages and unions figure included 99,289 civil marriages, 3,537 customary marriages, and 2,297 civil unions.

Registered civil marriages have dropped significantly over the last decade, declining by 34.2% from 150,852 in 2014 to just 99,289 in 2023.

The number of registered customary marriages also dropped by 19.2% over the decade to 3,537 in 2023

Most grooms (87.1%) were older than their brides, and the median ages of registration for customary marriages were far higher than for other types of marriages.

In Civil Marriages, most grooms (75.2%) were also older than their brides; 16.1% married older women, and 8.6% married someone their age.

Most unions continue to be first-time marriages, with 80.3% of grooms and 85.2% of brides marrying for the first time in 2023.

Remarriage trends also show sex differences, with 4.3% of divorced men remarrying compared to 2.8% of divorced women. Widowers, 0.5%, are also more likely to remarry than widows, 0.4%

Divorce on the rise

Marriage rates are not the only thing seeing a shift, with divorce rates also changing in South Africa.

Stats SA’s data showed that 22,230 divorces were finalised in 2023, a notable 10.1% rise from the 20,196 cases recorded in 2022.

The data shows that a significant portion of divorces occur within the first decade of marriage. In 2023, 42.0% of divorces involved couples whose unions lasted less than ten years.

The median age of those seeking divorce was 46 years for men and 42 years for women. Although the rise in divorce rates is not new, 2023 was the most significant increase seen in years.

Divorce does not impact all age groups equally. In 2023, the most affected demographic was individuals between 40 and 44.

Notably, women under the age of 45 years old were more likely to seek divorce than men in the same age range.

However, this trend reverses among older age groups, with more men seeking divorce after 45.

Most divorces in 2023 also involved first-time marriages, with 86.7% of male divorcees in their first marriage and 87.2% of female divorces in their second marriage.

Moreover, a number of these divorces also affected children under 18 years old, with 55.1% of divorces in 2023 involving couples with young children.

“The rising divorce rate may suggest that South Africans are increasingly open to leaving unhappy marriages rather than staying due to social pressures,” said Stats SA.

“With fewer people tying the knot and others delaying their vows, South Africa’s approach to marriage is evolving, challenging the notion that youth is the prime time for lifelong partnerships.”