61% of white South African adults are married or living together. For black South Africans this proportion is 30%. (AMPS2009A)
This week’s theme: Husbands and wives
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It must have something to do with the age profile.
Hi Jason.
The same data from AMPS shows that the percentage of white adults married or living together is higher across the age groups.
For example, the figures for ages 20-34 are 49% and 16% for white and black South Africans respectively. In the age group 35-44, the figures are 77% and 51% respectively.
Has the difference between Black and White couples being together bear relevance to migrant work, homeland versus place of employment? Most White couples are or have been born and bred near centre of economic activity and meet and pair up here so staying together is easier. The opposite applies to Black – This may be a small dynamic to consider, yes there are also cultural and other socio-economic factors.
I was in the former Transkei over the December break and spoke to a local, young black woman there. So, sample size = 1, but what she said was very interesting. She is about 24, has a son with a man who she is still seeing, but they can’t get married because he is unemployed and can’t raise the lobola required to make the marriage possible. It struck me that in the context of substantial unemployment especially in rural areas, where lobola has become monetized, or if not, where children don’t want to owe the family for borrowing the 6 cattle required, it must be extremely difficult to get married. Certainly much more difficult than for white people.
The labola requirements are too high then. Who sets them, anyway?