MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                         30 May 2018

Marriages and divorces 2016 report

The Marriages and Divorces report released by Statistics South Africa on 30 May shows an upward trend in civil marriages. Civil marriages increased by 0,6%, from 138 627 marriages registered in 2015 to 139 512 in 2016. In 2016, the highest number of marriages were registered in Gauteng 36 413 (26,1%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 21 440 (15,4%) and Western Cape with 20 565 (14, 7%) registrations. Median age of bridegrooms who entered into civil marriages increased from 34 years in 2012 to 36 years in 2016, and that for brides increased from 30 years to 32 years during the same period.

The report also shows an increase in customary marriages, which totalled 3 978 in 2016, constituting an increase of 14,7% from 3 467 marriages registered in 2015. Most marriages were registered in KwaZulu-Natal (1 680 or 42,2%), followed by Limpopo (1 110 or 27,9%) and Eastern Cape (405 or 10,2%). The median ages for bridegrooms and brides who entered into customary marriages remained fairly stable over the period 2012 to 2016. The median age of bridegrooms was between 33 and 34 years and that of brides was between 27 and 29 years.

Civil unions recorded an increase of 12,3% (1 331) in 2016 from 1 185 unions registered in 2015. Gauteng (494 or 37,1%) and Western Cape (358 or 26,9%) had the highest number of civil unions registered in 2016.

Divorces increased from 21 998 in 2012 to 25 326 in 2016, and constitute an increase of 0,3% from the 25 260 divorces granted in 2015. According to the report, Western Cape had the highest number of divorces granted with a total of 6 224 (24,6%), followed by Gauteng with  5 816 (23,0%), KwaZulu-Natal with 4 314 (17,0%) and Eastern Cape with 3 352 (13,2%). The report further shows that, irrespective of population group, a higher proportion (26,9%) of divorces came from marriages that lasted 5 to 9 years. In 2016, 13 922 (55,0%) divorce cases involved children aged less than 18 years.

The full report is available on the Statistics South Africa website: www.statssa.gov.za

Issued by Statistics South Africa

For technical enquiries:

Ms Gwen Lehloenya

Acting Deputy Director-General: Population and Social Statistics

Tel: 012 310 9324

Email: GwenL@statssa.gov.za

Ramadimetja Matji

Director: Health and Vital Statistics

Tel: 012 337 0109

Email: RamadimetjaM@statssa.gov.za

For media enquiries:

Lesedi Dibakwane

Director: Public and Media Relations

Tel: 012 310 8578

Cell: 082 805 7088

Email: LesediD@statssa.gov.za