Polygyny is permitted in South Africa, but Polyandry isn't. The terms are not that familiar to most people, but they refer to practices that are not allowed in many countries — marriages with more than one partner. Polygyny means a man marrying several wives, and polyandry refers to a woman with multiple husbands. A man with several wives is much more common, and in some cultures in Africa and elsewhere, men are legally permitted to marry several women. That's also the case in South Africa. But at the moment there is a political discussion going on in the country about whether women should be granted the same rights as men on principle. If South Africa decided to change the laws, it would be legal for women to marry several husbands.
Reporter: Jana Gent / presenter: Natalie Muller