IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

A total of 158 642, civil marriages, 3 498 customary marriages and 993 civil unions were registered in 2013. A comparison with the 2012 data shows that registration of civil and customary marriages dropped by 1,5% and 23,2% respectively but that of civil unions increased by 0,6%. The median ages of first time civil marriage bridegrooms remained unchanged at 33 years and brides increases by a year from 29 years in 2012 to 30 years in 2013. For all customary marriages, there was an increase of one year from 27 years in 2012 to 28 years in 2013 for brides but median age for bridegrooms remained at 33 years. Regarding all civil unions, the median age for Spouse-1 remained at 36 years whereas that of Spouse-2 increased by a year from 33 years in 2012 to 34 years in 2013. In 2013, 23 885 completed divorce forms were processed indicating an increase of 8,6% from  the 21 998 processed in 2012. There were more female than male plaintiffs. The median age for male (43 years) and female (39 years) divorcees increased by a year in 2013 from 42 years for male and 38 years for female in 2012. About half (47,6%) of the 2013 divorces came from marriages that did not spend their tenth wedding anniversary. 12 999 children (aged less than 18 years) came from 54,4% of the divorces.