The Commission for Gender Equality said it was seriously concerned at the increase of underage marriages in the country.
The Commission said a recent report by Statistics South Africa on underage marriages in South Africa pointed to a bleak future for many young girls, particularly in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and parts of Gauteng.
Commission spokesperson, Javu Baloyi, said the phenomenon known as Ukuthwala was not limited to these provinces.
He said they were aware that the number of underage marriages tends to increase during the festive season due to the availability of extra cash from bonuses.
"The CGE is also concerned at the incidence of underage arranged marriages within certain religious communities. Underage girls below the permissible age of 18 are either engaged to be married by their parents or are actually married in contravention of the law," he said.
"As a result of such practices which normally take place in rural communities and some churches, girls below the age of 18 are either abducted, committed or forced into marriage in violation of their Constitutional rights and the South African legislation, with a disastrous impact on their education, health, and emotional well-being," Baloyi said.
He said the CGE had, in the past, worked with the SABC and the police in Mpumalanga in rescuing a 13-year-old girl from being married off to a Sangoma. "The Commission has also assisted the family of a 12-year-old in Gauteng from being married off," he said.
"In KwaZulu-Natal, the Commission together with the National Prosecution Authority (NPA), the South African Police Services (SAPS) and the Department of Social Development have worked together to help plenty of young girls from being married off. Unfortunately, we could not save one young girl who committed suicide after being forced into marriage. She had wanted to further her education."
"In the Eastern Cape, we have worked with traditional leaders, particularly in the Lusikisiki area, to help stop the scourge that was going on unabated. Lots of young girls were saved through this intervention," Baloyi said. "Underage marriages are illegal and it is incumbent upon all of us as the citizenry to ensure that we end them."
Baloyi said the Commission for Gender Equality was making a clarion call to members of the public who have knowledge of and information of underage marriages and acts of gender-based violence and abuse to call the Toll-Free Number 0800 007 709.
