<Tr> <Td> South Africa </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> For a marriage under the Marriage Act, 1961, parental consent is required for the marriage of a party under the age of majority, which was formerly 21 but is now 18 . The special consent of the Minister of Home Affairs is also required for the marriage of a girl under the age of 15 or a boy under the age of 18 . </Li> <Li> Under the Civil Union Act, 2006, which allows for same - sex or opposite - sex marriages, both parties must be 18 or older . </Li> <Li> Under the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998, a customary marriage entered into after the passage of the act will only be recognised if both parties were 18 or older . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> For a marriage under the Marriage Act, 1961, parental consent is required for the marriage of a party under the age of majority, which was formerly 21 but is now 18 . The special consent of the Minister of Home Affairs is also required for the marriage of a girl under the age of 15 or a boy under the age of 18 . </Li> <Li> Under the Civil Union Act, 2006, which allows for same - sex or opposite - sex marriages, both parties must be 18 or older . </Li> <Li> Under the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998, a customary marriage entered into after the passage of the act will only be recognised if both parties were 18 or older . </Li> </Ul> <Li> For a marriage under the Marriage Act, 1961, parental consent is required for the marriage of a party under the age of majority, which was formerly 21 but is now 18 . The special consent of the Minister of Home Affairs is also required for the marriage of a girl under the age of 15 or a boy under the age of 18 . </Li> <Li> Under the Civil Union Act, 2006, which allows for same - sex or opposite - sex marriages, both parties must be 18 or older . </Li>

When did the legal age for marriage change