Married couples from all over the Gert Sibande District assembled at the Cassim Park Hall last Friday to celebrate Marriage Week hosted by the Department of Social Development (DSD).
Marriage Week is celebrated every year during the first week of September.
However, the DSD moved it to the month of October as it is Social Development Month.
This year’s theme was “Your marriage matters” and more than 50 couples attended with guest speakers providing words of wisdom, encouragement and support.
DSD’s Ms N. Sindane emphasised the need to support and build families, especially in disadvantaged communities, for a better society.
Speakers from various government entities spoke on topics ranging from the different types of marriages, spousal maintenance, domestic violence and the art of forgiveness.
Social workers Bongi Masina and Sibusiso Masuku touched on the various programmes the DSD has in place to assist in building strong families with emphasis on the marriage preparation and marriage enrichment programme where couples are counselled before they take the huge step of getting married.
Mr S. Thomo from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit gave an unsettling talk on family violence and its impact within the family, saying a lot of rape cases reported to their unit are perpetrated by tweens, who reenact what they see and experience in their homes.
Department of Correctional Service’s Ms F. Molai talked about the art of forgiveness in relationships of all kinds, especially marriage, and Mr S. Mkhonza of Thuthuzela Care Centre gave the men present advice on how to care for a family and personal time with the spouse.
Past S.E. Lubisi closed the presentations with ways on how to overcome marital conflicts in a spiritual way.
The event ended with gift presentations with the ladies receiving red lipstick to acknowledge women fallen victim to and dying at the hands of their spouses.
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