Nandi-Ndaitwah draws line on men who want teen brides

MINISTER of Women Affairs and Child Welfare Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah yesterday issued a stern warning to men who want to marry girls under the legal age of 18, saying they would encounter stiff resistance from the law.

Nandi-Ndaitwah told the National Assembly that she was aware of cultural beliefs which condoned “traditional” marriages to young girls. However, she noted, men were breaking the law by preventing them from attending school.Referring to a recent High Court bid by 28-year-old Sean Naude to marry a girl half his age, Nandi-Ndaitwah delivered a ministerial statement on the issue, strongly condemning such relationships.”Parents should strongly discourage relationships of younger girls with older men who always tend to manipulate their innocence into sexual activities to satisfy their sexual ego,” she said, likening the situation to that of former Police Deputy Inspector General Fritz Nghiishililwa’s alleged involvement with a school girl whose age was disputed.She committed suicide – reportedly because of their relationship turning sour.The Minister labelled Naude a “sugar daddy” and said he should have known better than to get involved with a teenager.She added that she was appalled that Naude had had “the audacity to approach the courts of law to be given the hand in marriage of a minor”.Nandi-Ndaitwah said despite the opinions of psychologists, children could not cope practically with marriage responsibilities; it was “beyond their comprehension”.A psychologist found Irene Grobler capable of making decisions equal to that of a person of a more mature age – a finding Nandi-Ndaitwah said disturbed her.The Minister said she had met the pair and explained to them that their relationship was not an equal one.She said she could not classify the relationship as genuine and if it was allowed to lead to marriage it would “confuse the nation”.Nandi-Ndaitwah said she hoped an apology Naude had presented to her office was sincere and that he would support Grobler’s parents in ensuring that the teenager returned to school.The Minister also had strong words for parents who condoned such relationships.She said they were entrusted with the well-being of their children and to act in their best interests.”Since the parents of the 14-year-old girl seem not to understand their responsibility fully of protecting their daughter… the Government has to step in for the interest of the child.”We should not lose our moral fibres as a nation when children become difficult,” she said.Children, she said, should be allowed enough time to be children and to develop at their own pace.They should not be hurried into adulthood.However, she noted, men were breaking the law by preventing them from attending school.Referring to a recent High Court bid by 28-year-old Sean Naude to marry a girl half his age, Nandi-Ndaitwah delivered a ministerial statement on the issue, strongly condemning such relationships.”Parents should strongly discourage relationships of younger girls with older men who always tend to manipulate their innocence into sexual activities to satisfy their sexual ego,” she said, likening the situation to that of former Police Deputy Inspector General Fritz Nghiishililwa’s alleged involvement with a school girl whose age was disputed.She committed suicide – reportedly because of their relationship turning sour.The Minister labelled Naude a “sugar daddy” and said he should have known better than to get involved with a teenager.She added that she was appalled that Naude had had “the audacity to approach the courts of law to be given the hand in marriage of a minor”.Nandi-Ndaitwah said despite the opinions of psychologists, children could not cope practically with marriage responsibilities; it was “beyond their comprehension”.A psychologist found Irene Grobler capable of making decisions equal to that of a person of a more mature age – a finding Nandi-Ndaitwah said disturbed her.The Minister said she had met the pair and explained to them that their relationship was not an equal one.She said she could not classify the relationship as genuine and if it was allowed to lead to marriage it would “confuse the nation”.Nandi-Ndaitwah said she hoped an apology Naude had presented to her office was sincere and that he would support Grobler’s parents in ensuring that the teenager returned to school.The Minister also had strong words for parents who condoned such relationships.She said they were entrusted with the well-being of their children and to act in their best interests.”Since the parents of the 14-year-old girl seem not to understand their responsibility fully of protecting their daughter… the Government has to step in for the interest of the child.”We should not lose our moral fibres as a nation when children become difficult,” she said.Children, she said, should be allowed enough time to be children and to develop at their own pace.They should not be hurried into adulthood.