61 yr old woman marries 8 yr old boy

We have all heard of sugar daddies and cougars,  where a person is in a relationship with another individual twice their age. We have even heard of stories where young women in their early twenties are with 70 year old men. Now is it fine for a 61 year old woman to be married to an 8 year old boy? A woman old enough to be his grandmother. My first reaction was; has this boy even been educated about life, experienced the course of youth to even acknowledge and understand what marriage really is.

The picture below on the left is Sanele Masilela and his bride Helen Shabangu. They don't look very happy on their wedding day.


So how did this commitment come to be? Sanele states that he was told by his dead grandfather to wed Helen. As to adhere to customs, an elaborate ceremony took place.

Helen states about Sanele's decision to married; "I know the story went out all over the world and it's great that other countries have been able to learn about our culture and our ancestors.What we did was not wrong. It's just our culture. When the ancestors ask something, we do what they say. I don't think other people understand that."

The picture below is the bride and groom sharing their first kiss.



Helen has been married before and currently has five children. Her husband, Alfred(65), is still alive and is happy about the marriage between Helen and Sanele.

Sanele has said that "the day was great and it was exactly what I had imagined it would be like. My friends thought it was really funny that I was getting married but I do now feel like a husband." Experienced words for a young boy. Sanele will still continue to attend school and plans to marry a girl of his own age one day in the distant future.

Many of us can read this story and be disgusted but with so many evil things happening in the world, this should not come as a shock. I am not in any way referring to their union as evil but I do feel that certain lines should not be crossed. But as long as the young boy is happy and healthy, I am not overly concerned.