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This is a bit weird, but it actually happened in South Africa when a 9-year-old boy Saneie Masilela married a 62-year-old woman Helen Shabangu, making him the youngest groom ever. The couple got married two times.
The wedding ceremony took place at Helen’s place in Ximhungwe in Mplumalanga that was witnessed by over a hundred guests. Bewildered folks watched as they exchanged vows. Just like a normal wedding, they kissed each other and shared a piece of cake.
The couple’s wedding was just a fake one. They’ve done that in order to please Saneie’s ancestors because he alleged that his dead ancestors spoke with him and told him to get married even at a young age. As soon as his family learned about the matter, they immediately arranged a wedding and talked to the bride. His family spent a total of 1,500 pounds for the said special occasion. Saneie insisted that they follow their South African traditions of getting married the second time around believing that by doing so, their marriage becomes official.
Fellow villagers were disgusted to that weird wedding idea and even ridiculed them, but the little boy’s family stood by him and supported him all the way to carry on what had been planned, explaining to the people that it’s just a ceremony and nothing more. It’s not intended to be observed in real life. It’s not even legal after all.
Saneie’s mother, Patience Masilela said that his son was so happy about the marriage that took place the previous year, and he enjoyed it. He was not hesitant to do it in the first place and was not even shy.
The controversial wedding created some schisms among the people around them about the arrangements as to how were they going to live, were they to live together, were they planning to have babies, and everything. The mother explained the entire thing to them telling them that after the wedding, things will get back to normal, that they would live a normal life as before.
The little groom was very happy because finally, he got to please his dead ancestors by accomplishing their request. They believe that had they not done what their ancestors wanted, their family could have been in a perilous situation. Saneie also wants to have a woman and a family of his own when he grows up.
The 9-year-old boy said that he liked Helen very much despite her age, that’s why he chose her to be his bride. But obviously, Helen is old enough to be his grandmother, and have children of her own. The couple did not sign any legal document at all like a marriage certificate because as we all know, it was just a fake wedding. Helen’s real husband, Alfred, was even supportive of her and had also attended the said wedding. Helen was also happy because she never had any opposition in her family about marrying the boy, and both she and Seneie’s family didn’t care about other people’s opinion about their marriage.
