Little Sanele Masilela kissing his bride, Helen Shabangu, while the officiating minister looks on |
An eight-year old schoolboy has married a 61-year old woman because
the ghost of his dead ancestors told him to do so, DailyMail of London
reports.
Dressed in a bow tie and tiny silver suit, little Sanele
Masilela exchanged rings with Helen Shabangu, who is already married and
a mother-of-five, in front of 100 guests and even kissed the bride.
Masilela,
who is from Tshwane, South Africa, the youngest of five children, said
he had been told by his dead ancestors to wed and his family, fearing
divine retribution, organised the wedding for him..
They paid £500 for the bride and a further £1,000 for the wedding, which was organised in just two months“
It’s already shocked the community but the family has defended the
ceremony, saying it was just a ritual and not legally binding.
Sanele’s
46-year-old mum, Patience Masilela, said: “This is the first time this
has happened in the family.’Sanele is named after his grandfather, who
never had a white wedding before he died so asked Sanele to get married.
He chose Helen because he loves her.
By doing this we made the
ancestors happy. If we hadn’t done what my son had asked then something
bad would have happened in the family. I didn’t have a problem with it
because I know it’s what the ancestors wanted and it would make them
happy.”
The widow, who works at a recycling centre, added: “ I
would say that this is not wrong. Sanele was fine and he was happy about
the ceremony and it was what he wanted. He was happy to get married and
very excited.”
Sanele and his bride did not sign a marriage
certificate and do not have to live together. Both have gone back to
their normal lives.Sanele said he hoped he would have a proper wedding
to a woman of his own age when he was older.
He added: “I told my
mother that I wanted to get married because I really did want to. I’m
happy that I married Helen but I will go to school and study hard.When
I’m older I will marry a lady my own age.”
Despite being old
enough to be his grandmother, bride Helen, whose children are aged
between 37 and 27, was happy with the arrangement.
Helen, who also
works at a recycling centre, said: “I’m married and have five kids of
my own, but I know that this is what the ancestors wanted and now they
are happy. It is a ritual. We are just playing now, but it is a sign
that he will get married one day.” Her husband of 30 years, Alfred, 65,
said: “My kids and I are happy. We don’t have problems with it but some
of the community members were shocked.
Culled from PM News
No comments:
Post a Comment