Hundreds of South African couples tie the knot in Easter mass wedding ceremony
- The International Pentecost Holiness Church blesses polygamous unions, common in some African communities, and the church says are authorised by the Bible
- Current wives wore colourful attire to the ceremony while first-time brides wore traditional white dresses
The International Pentecost Holiness Church blesses polygamous unions, which are common in some African communities, and the church says are authorised by the Bible.
Its mass nuptials take place three times a year - at Easter, in December, and also during the celebrations in September of the church’s founding in 1962.
Lebogile Mamatela, 38, a government employee who became the second wife to the father of her child on Sunday, told Reuters after the ceremony: “It’s a special day, I am very happy. I really, really appreciate this moment of being part of the Mahluku family. It’s a great feeling.”
Her new husband, Roto Mahluku, 40, joined the church in 1993 and married his first wife, Ditopa Mahluku, 16 years ago. They have three children.
Ditopa, 37, said her husband’s second marriage was “fulfilling what God has created for us, fulfilling the scripture that says women will be leaning towards one man”.
