Nine-year boy remarries 62-year-old ‘wife’


21-07-2014 06:00 PM

Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A nine-year-old South African boy has become one of the world's youngest grooms for the second time – tying the knot with his 62-year-old “wife” again.

The second marriage service was this time held at the home of the blushing bride in Ximhungwe in Mpumalanga, South Africa, before a crowd of around 100 guests, the Daily Mail reported.

Astonished residents looked on as the married mother-of-five had a piece of cake, a toast and a kiss with her young husband Sanele - and long-term husband Alfred Shabangu, 66.

Last year the schoolboy, from neighboring Tshwane, wedded his bride Helen after declaring he had been told by his late ancestors to marry.

Startlingly his family took the message from above seriously and forked out £500 for the bride and a further £1,000 for the big day.

But Sanele -the youngest of five children - wouldn't respite until the couple carried out South African traditions, insisting they have the second ceremony to make their marriage “official.”

Dumbfounded villagers labeled the ceremony 'sickening,' but the boy's family defended the as just a ritual and not legally binding.

Sanele's 47-year-old mum, Patience Masilela said: “Sanele was fine and he was happy about the ceremony last year and it what he wanted - he was not shy.”

“He was just happy to get married, very excited and was not embarrassed about it. So much so he wanted to do it again.”

“After the wedding last year people keep asking them question like will they live together, sleep together, have babies but I keep telling them that after the wedding everything went back to normal nothing changed,” Masilela said.

“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,” she added.

The widow, who works at a recycling center, added: “I didn't have a problem with it because I know it's what the ancestors wanted and it would make them happy.”

Young groom Sanele said he hoped he would have a proper wedding to a woman his own age when he was older.

“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.”

“I chose Helen because I love her and although we don't live together all the time we meet at the dumping site where my mother works regularly,” he added.

Old enough to be his grandmother, bride Helen, whose children are aged between 38 and 28, said she was still happy with the arrangement.

Sanele and his bride did not sign a marriage certificate and are not obligated have to live together.

Both have returned to their daily lives.

Helen's partner of 30 years and builder Alfred was present at both weddings along with the couple’s five children.

The 67-year-old added: “My kids and I are happy because we don't have a problem with her marrying the boy - and I don't care what other people say.”




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