Lobola

Lobola in Zulu, Swazi, Xhosa and northern and southern Ndebele (Mahadi in Sesotho, Roora in Shona, and Magadi in Northern Sotho, Lovola in Xitsonga), sometimes referred to as either "bride wealth" or as "bride price", is property in cash or kind, which a prospective husband or head of his family undertakes to give to the head of a prospective wife’s family in consideration of a customary marriage.

In South Africa, where the custom of lobolo is widely practiced, the union was previously concluded in terms of customary law, but is now governed under the Recognition of Customary Marriages, 1998 (Act 120 of 1998) (RCMA) and has the following prerequisites to qualify a marriage under customary law:

Lobola is very important in a zulu culture.

The process of Lobolo negotiations can be long and complex, and involves many members from both the bride's and the groom's extended families; normally, this would just be the uncles of the marrying parties, as well as the fathers, where custom allows. Sometimes women are also allowed to be present, but in the side-lines of the negotiations, not actively taking part in the negotiations. Often, to dispel any tensions between the families, a bottle of brandy is placed on the table, however, this is not limited to brandy, and it can be traditional sorghum beer. This is usually not drunk; it is simply a gesture to welcome the guest family and make everyone feel more relaxed, and it is known as mvulamlomo, which is Xhosa for 'mouth opener' (Sotho - "Pulamolomo") i.e. price for opening your mouth (to speak) to express the purpose of your visit. It is up to the potential wife’s delegation to decide as to whether to make use of the alcohol or keep it closed.

It is generally accepted that 11 cows, at a minimum, are required in a lobolo within the Xhosa and Zulu cultures, however, differing customs within various regions may contribute in determining this amount, as well as the value of each cow. In 2009, the average cow was priced at approximately ZAR5,000, but overtime with inflation, this has changed. Today, negotiations involve setting a price for a single cow and then multiplying the agreed price by the number of cows the new bride is deemed to be worth. The amount due is effected by many different factors including, but not limited to, the education level of the prospective bride as well as whether the prospective bride already has children. Semanya (2014) claims that even high-profile figures such as Nelson Mandela practiced the custom, by paying a lobolo of 60 cows for his wife, Graça Machel.

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