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- When people get married, they hope to be together forever; however, the reality is that many marriages crumble and end in divorce.
- The most common reasons for this are infidelity, financial issues, substance abuse, addiction and incompatibility.
- Despite these challenges, the divorce rate in South Africa is dropping, and researchers suggest pre-marital counselling to ensure marital longevity.
South Africa saw a drop in the divorce rate in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest data released by Stats SA in 2022.
The statistics agency reported a decrease of 32.1% in the total number of divorces processed in 2020 compared to the previous year. In 2019, Stats SA received and processed 23,710 divorce forms, while in 2020, it received and processed 16,097.
In 2020, Stats SA reported that about 127 divorces were issued for same-sex couples. The drop in the divorce rate can be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced many couples to spend more time together at home.
The pandemic created an environment that enabled couples to work on their relationships, forcing them to confront their issues head-on. It is worth noting that the divorce rate has declined since 2018, except for 2019, which saw a slight increase in divorces.
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While the reasons for divorce are varied, infidelity, financial issues, substance abuse and addiction, and incompatibility are some of the most commonly cited reasons for divorce. According to a study published in the US National Library of Medicine, lack of commitment, infidelity, and conflict/arguing were the most commonly reported significant contributors to divorce.
Infidelity, domestic violence, and substance use were the most common "final straw" reasons.
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"More participants blamed their partners than blamed themselves for the divorce. Recommendations from participants for the improvement of pre-marital education included receiving relationship education before making a commitment to marry (when it would be easier to breakup), having support for implementing skills outside of the educational setting, and increasing content about the stages of typical marital development," says the study.
While divorce rates have dropped in South Africa, couples need to work on their relationships and seek support to ensure their unions' longevity.
