Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 15:36

South African couples are bridging the racial divide, as interracial relationships and marriages become a more common appearance.

Exact numbers aren’t known, but it has been estimated that four out of every 100 marriages are between the major race groups – black, coloured, Asian and white. Given our country’s troubled history, the fact that there is a rise in the number of mixed marriages is emblematic of the slow, steady integration of the races in this post apartheid era. A study shows that black/white marriages are the rarest and usually get the most attention. On the issue of interracial marriage in South Africa, 27 percent of blacks and 75 percent of whites say they would be bothered if their children married across colour lines. The Fast Lane Investigates just how open minded our 15 year old democracy is, on the issue of interracial dating.

Family alienation is one of many hurdles interracial couples may have to overcome. Societal discrimination, cultural differences and language barriers also pose challenges. The number of interracial couples and families in this country continues to rise, largely because of the integration of schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods.

Families argue that interracial couples are selfish for getting married because their children will have identity problems. However, research shows that interracial children are no less well-adjusted than other children of colour, even though they face regular adolescent crises, as well as racism. In fact, class is becoming more of a divide than race in the new South Africa.

What are your thoughts?