Contemporary South African Immigrants' Perspective on the Role of Traditional and LGBTQIA Leaders in Modern South African Marriage Institutions

This paper explores the varied views of South African immigrants who originate from Zimbabwe on the role of traditional and LGBTQIA leaders in marriages. Despite their perspectives, neither South African traditional leaders nor LGBTQIA leaders are authorised to officiate weddings. This inconsistency creates numerous challenges in terms of solemnising and maintaining marriages, particularly for undocumented South African immigrants who live in the country without visas or permits. The paper presents an Afrocentric analysis of various perspectives gathered on the idea that marriage is the foundation of human existence. It uses mixed methods to gather data and thematic analysis to analyse it. The paper highlights different views on the role of traditional and LGBTQIA leaders in marriages, as believed by the South African immigrant community. The research found that South African immigrants of Zimbabwean origin believe that the constitution should authorise traditional and LGBTQIA leaders to solemnize marriages in their communities.