20 Oct 2026

The Minister of Higher Education, Mr Prince Maele, has called on the public to respect marriages conducted under the Re A Nyalana initiative, saying they carry the exact same legal rights and dignity as any other union.

Giving a keynote address at a mass wedding ceremony held in Ukhwi on October 16, where 10 couples were solemnised by the Office of the District Commissioner under the Re A Nyalana initiative, Mr Maele said it was unfortunate that some people undermined the programme claiming it is ‘cheap’ or a ‘marriage of handouts’.
“Those who belittle such marriages are not wise. How different are these marriages from any other?” he asked. 

He noted that the truth was that the rights enjoyed under a Re A Nyalana marriage were identical to those in any other marriage recognised by law.

The Minister noted that financial constraint was one of the primary reasons many couples delayed marriage, as traditional weddings were often expensive. 

Mr Maele further expressed concern over the prevalence of cohabitation, warning that couples who lived together without formalising their union were often not recognised, particularly by the families of male partners.

“Cohabitation is not good and it is dangerous, as couples who cohabit often end up losing property when a partner passes away,” he said. 
He shared that when couples were legally married, they were recognised in the eyes of the law, and no one could deprive them of the benefits that came with the marriage.

He therefore urged those who could not afford extravagant weddings to make use of the Re A Nyalana marriage assistance programme to secure their relationships and protect their rights.
However, Mr Maele cautioned the new couples against gender-based violence, describing it as a growing challenge in communities.
“Do not be counted among perpetrators of gender-based violence. Those who marry under Re A Nyalana are mostly committed and have a full understanding of their oath, so do not contaminate this programme,” he warned.

Furthermore, Mr Maele revealed that since its inception, Re A Nyalana  had facilitated 7 932 marriages, with no recorded divorces to date, a record he attributed to the commitment and understanding of the couples involved.

“The Re A Nyalana programme was introduced by the government to assist financially disadvantaged couples to formalise their unions with dignity, without the burden of costly wedding expenses,” he said.

To this end, he stated that Re A Nyalana gave disadvantaged couples the chance to marry with dignity. 

Meanwhile, he donated 12 blankets and toys to the newlyweds, while the area Member of Parliament, Mr Reason Lekutlane, donated wedding rings to all 10 couples.

For his part, Kgosi Olebile Oatlhotse of Ukhwi, thanked the community for enrolling and participating in the Re A Nyalana initiative in large numbers and expressed hope to see even more registrations for the programme next year.  Kgosi Oatlhotse also urged the community not to be discouraged by those who undermine the Re A Nyalana programme, saying it has proven to be very useful. ENDS