Marriages are becoming less common in South Africa. According to the Marriages and Divorce, 2020 report released by Statistics South Africa recently, the total number of people getting married has fallen steadily between 2011 to 2020. Besides the high decline in 2020 that may have resulted from the restrictions on gatherings during that year, the number of civil marriages have been consistently declining. Civil marriages fell by 22,5% between 2011 and 2019 and declined by a further 31,1% in 2020. Customary marriage is one that is “negotiated, celebrated or concluded according to any of the systems of indigenous African customary law which exist in South Africa”, and excludes marriages concluded in accordance with Hindu, Muslim, or other religious rites. In 2020, 1 585 customary marriages were registered at the Department of Home Affairs, indicating a decrease of 43,2% from the 2 789 customary marriages registered in 2019. From 2011 to 2019, these marriages declined by 45,1%. While recognition of same-sex marriages has boosted the number of marriages, this increase has not been enough to reverse the declining trend. In this week’s edition of the culture corner, Lerato Mbele talks about marriage and relationship patterns in modern day South Africa with dating and relationship coach Dudu Nhlabathi Madonsela along with author and marriage therapist Bakhe Dlamini.