The document analyzes marital status patterns among the Tswana ethnic group in South Africa using data from the 2011 Census. It finds that younger age groups (20-24 and 25-29) have the highest proportions never married, while older groups (75-79 and 80+) have the highest proportions ever married. More Tswana males are never married compared to females, and more females are ever married. Those with no education have higher rates of ever being married. Logistic regression shows those who are younger, female, with secondary/primary education, unemployed, and living in traditional or Northern Cape/Limpopo areas have higher odds of being never married.

1. The marital status among the Tswana speaking people in South Africa
Lebogang Caroline Ngakane
Population Statistics Division, Statistics South Africa
References
Introduction
Marital status plays a significant role in determining household structure in many societies. In typical
African societies including the Tswana ethnic group, households are created through marriage rites and
many others are dissolved through marriage instability and deaths. Tswana speaking people are among
the many African ethnic groups that regard marriage as an important occasion in life-course of
individuals and creates a system that characterizes demographic and economic structures.
Traditionally, marriage is a process marked by a number of rituals and exchanges between the two
families. No single ritual or exchange was final in settling the existence of a marriage. Bride-
wealth/price commonly known as “bogadi” constituted about eight head of cattle was paid to the bride’s
family. The exchange was the most elaborate materially and ritually but it often occurred several years
after the couple had been cohabitating, after children had been born and occasionally after the death of
the wife (Mangwegap, 2013). Tswana culture, social organizations, ceremonies, language and religious
beliefs are similar to that of the other two Sotho groups (Pedi and Sotho), although some Tswana
chiefdoms were more highly stratified than those of other Sotho groups. Marriage patterns in Botswana,
a country dominated by Tswana people have witnessed considerable changes over the past three
decades, with trends showing significant increases in proportion never married and average age at
marriage (Gaisie, 1995; Mukamaambo, 1995; Mookodi, 2003).
Results
Figure 1: Percentage distribution of Tswana speaking persons in five-year age groups by marital
status: Census 2011
Figure 2: Percentage distribution of Tswana speaking persons by sex and marital status: Census 2011
Results
Table 1: Percentage distribution of Tswana speaking persons marital status by
demographic factors: Census 2011
Discussion & Conclusion
Figure 3: Percentage distribution of Tswana speaking people by province and marital status:
Census 2011
Objectives
The main objective of this study is to profile nuptial patterns among Tswana ethnic group in South
Africa.
The specific aims:
1. To estimate nuptial patterns and levels among Tswana speaking people.
2. To examine socio-demographic characteristics influencing marital behaviour among the Tswana
people
Contact
LebogangNg@statssa.gov.za
Data & Methods
The relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and the dependent variable marital status is
analyzed in this paper. This paper used cross-sectional data from the Census 2011 10% Sample. The
language question was used to identify Tswana speaking people. In analysis, both univariate and
bivariate methods were employed to profile characteristics of Tswana people in terms of sex, age,
education, employment status, province and geography type. Using bivariate analysis, relationship
between each independent variable (background characteristic) and dependent variable (marital status)
was examined. Chi-square was used to test association between marital status and the selected socio-
demographic characteristic, with level of significance of p˂ 0.001. Marital status was recoded into two
categories;
- Never married and;
-Ever married (combined the married, living together like married partners, divorced, separated and
widowed).
Also analysed using defined logistics regression model. Multivariate analysis in order to understand the
relationships between variables and their relevance to the actual problem being studied. Model 1 =
bivariate model; model 2 = multivariate model, excluding employment; model 3 = multivariate model,
including all variables for ages 15-64 years. Joanne and Harry (2002) defined logistics regression
model as following: 𝐼𝑛𝜌1−𝜌=𝛼+𝛽1𝑥1+𝛽2𝑥2+⋯+𝛽𝑖𝑥𝑖
Where 𝜌 is the probability of the event, 𝛼 is the Y intercept, 𝛽𝑠 are slope parameters and 𝑋𝑠 are a set of
predictors
 Older persons (75-79
and 80 has the highest
number of people who
are ever married as
compared to the other
age groups.
 Younger persons (20-
24 and 25-29) has the
highest number of
people who are never
married as compared
to the other age
groups.
 Tswana males
have the highest
proportion
(51.9%) to be
never married as
compared to the
females (48.1%).
 While, the
females (52.5%)
have the highest
proportion to be
ever married as
compared to the
males (47.5%).
 More women
tend to be have
married than the
males.
 The ever married group had the highest number of Tswana people reported to have never
been in school followed by the primary level while those in secondary level had the highest
number of people to be ever married followed by the tertiary level.
 This implies that those who are reported to have ever been married are those with no
education.
 The logistic regression shows that those aged 25-29 are more likely to be never married as
compared to those aged 30-34 years old.
 From the sex information it can be noted that females are more likely to be never married as
compared to the males while the level of education indicates a higher odds of the never
married Tswana people among secondary and primary level as compared to no schooling
level.
 When compared to those the employed, the likelihood of being never married is highest
among those who are unemployed.
 Tswana persons in traditional areas have higher odds of the never married people as
compared to those in urban and farms areas as noted from the three models.
 Both Northern Cape and Limpopo have higher odds of the Tswana people who are reported
to be never married
 All variables are significant at P<0.001. The information above proves that the younger people
are more likely to be never married as compared to older people among the Tswana speaking
people.
 More females are never married as compared to the males.
 Most Tswana people who are reported to have ever been married are those with no education.
 Most Tswana people who are never married leave in traditional areas.
 A majority of the never married tend to be unemployed.
 Most of the never married are found in Northern Cape and Limpopo.
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