With South African marriage rates experiencing a steady, long-term decline, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Master of Commerce in Economics graduate and PhD candidate, Samkelisiwe Mazibuko’s research is apt in that it investigates whether the institution benefits wellbeing in the local social and economic context.
The socio-economic study titled: ‘The Relationship Between Marital Status and Wellbeing Over the Life Course in South Africa’, show that there are gender disparities in the impact of marital status on wellbeing.
“My research makes an important contribution to understanding wellbeing in South Africa, where marriage rates are uniquely low and declining, and where family structures are rapidly evolving,” said Mazibuko.
She explained that through showing that the relationship between marriage and wellbeing is not uniform across gender, age, and race, the study’s findings challenge oversimplified assumptions and highlight a critical human-interest dimension.
“People experience wellbeing differently depending on their social and economic realities,” said Mazibuko.
While the results are not consistent across all age groups, the findings also reveal that cohabiting – colloquially known as “Vat en Sit” – benefits men more than women, suggesting that partnership provides men with emotional support. On the flip side, divorce undermines women’s wellbeing more than men’s, emphasising the importance of access to financial resources for women.
Said Mazibuko: “From a societal impact perspective, this study highlights how inequality shapes individual experiences of wellbeing and suggests that policies aimed at improving wellbeing cannot rely on one-size-fits-all approaches. Instead, we must account for selection effects and unobserved factors that shape who marries and who benefits from marriage. That nuance is where the real societal value lies.”
As a PhD candidate and a tutor co-ordinator also taking on roles as a teaching assistant and ad-hoc lecturer within the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) School of Commerce, Mazibuko is working on publishing her master’s research and participating in more conferences to engage with other scholars.
“This qualification has strengthened my research and analytical skills, which are essential for my current PhD studies. It also gave me experience in teaching and presenting, and connected me with African women economists across the continent, which was an invaluable and inspiring experience,” she added.
