South Africa’s Grand Mass Wedding Blends Faith, Culture, and Polygamy
A mass wedding ceremony in South Africa has spotlighted the intersection of faith, culture, and polygamy, as 55 couples tied the knot at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) in Zuurbekom, southwest of Johannesburg.
Among them was Lesiba Molala, a 67-year-old groom who married his third wife, Evelyn Sekgalakane, with the support of his second wife Shirley — a union rooted in the church’s unique spiritual teachings on Biblical polygamy.
Polygamy, while controversial, is legal in South Africa under customary law, and IPHC is among a few African independent churches that celebrate and sanctify plural marriages. Of the 55 unions celebrated on Easter Sunday, seven were polygamous, with many other couples open to the possibility of future spouses.
Shirley, who helped select Evelyn as a new “sister wife,” shared that the spiritual approach and mutual respect within the household made the union harmonious: “We got along to a point where we’d wear matching clothes.”
The ceremony was a spectacular display of pageantry, featuring a convoy of Rolls Royces, a marching band, strict dress codes, and blessings from church leader Leonard Modise, referred to by followers as “the comforter.”
Church official Mpho Makwana emphasized the IPHC’s doctrinal clarity and health measures, including mandatory HIV testing before marriage, aimed at safeguarding couples.
The church’s policies also forbid dating and marriage outside the congregation. Proposals undergo a months-long vetting and spiritual preparation process, reinforcing the religious and communal depth of these unions.
While polygamy is not widely practiced or accepted by all South Africans, ceremonies like these highlight the diverse cultural and spiritual landscapes in the country — and show how traditional and Christian values can intertwine in profound, albeit debated, ways.
