Warning to men who marry young girls
Three men aged between 26 and 70, who allegedly forced a 15-year-old girl to marry a 26-year-old man, appeared in the Mthatha Magistrate's Court yesterday.
The three were arrested on Saturday by the Serious Organised Crime unit of the Hawks at Ntlazi in Baziya Administrative Area, Mthatha.
Captain Anelisa Feni of the Hawks says it's alleged that the two suspects, who are maternal grandfathers of the minor, negotiated and deceived the 15-year-old girl into undergoing the tradition of Ukuthwala with the 26-year-old man.
She says the 26-year-old faces charges of abduction and attempted rape while the 51 and 70-year-old face charges of human trafficking.
All three suspects were granted bail of R500 and were ordered to appear in court again on 2 March.
Feni says these three arrests should serve as a warning to anyone who is practising Ukuthwala.
"It is considered a forced marriage. It is actually incorporated into the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act. We recently held a campaign to make people aware that it is a crime to participate, whether you are the negotiator or whether you are the one accepting the bride," says Feni.