23 Sep 2014

Acting Ngamiland district commissioner (DC), Mr Keabetswe Lesiela says common law marriages will not cease at any time or season of the year in the region.

Mr Lesiela said in an interview that it was unlawful to ban common law marriages.

He explained that the Batawana tribal leadership was guided by their traditional principles and could ban customary marriages but not common law marriages.

He said the ban on common law marriages affected people of diverse cultures who resided in the Ngamiland region but not a part of the Batawana culture. 

In 2013, the Batawana royals effected a marriage ban from September to March on both customary and common law marriages, which was said to allow people to concentrate on farming.

However, some people, especially business owners, who relied on wedding functions for income raised concerns that the marriage ban crippled their businesses.

A sound equipment and photography entrepreneur, Mr Moses Tshwang expressed happiness about the decision by the district authority to remove a ban on common law marriages.

Mr Tshwang said the ban affected them negatively last year since their businesses depended mainly on common law wedding functions.

As such, he expressed hope that their businesses would flourish again and be able to sustain their lives and families through their sound equipment and photography businesses hired at wedding functions.

Meanwhile, the Batawana Senior Chief’s representative, Kgosi Charles Letsholathebe said the ban on customary marriages in Maun effected on September 15 this year.

Kgosi Letsholathebe also said people of diverse cultures who lived in Maun ought to appreciate the Batawana culture.

He further explained that the purpose of cessation of marriages in that period of September to March was to allow people to focus on their fields.

He said if the District Commissioner allowed common law marriages, they at the kgotla would not allow them. ENDS