Well, let’s start at the beginning. Just this week a lobola squad went viral after one of the members revealed dark life-changing secret. The story has instigated two important issues. The first is the idea of making DNA tests mandatory and the second is the cancellation of the lobola tradition.

So, what is the point of lobola payment after all? Well, culturally a man pays lobola to the parents of his wife as a token of his appreciation for such a beautiful wife. However, others argue that only virgin wives are to get lobola paid to make the deal fair and less risky. Others have suggested that either way it is too risky given the rise in issues similar to the lobola squad scandal so therefore lobola should be cancelled completely.

Some have taken it a step further and equated the payment of lobola to money laundering as they do not see the value of paying money for a person. However, regardless of what the argument against lobola might be, there is the element of tradition. If the custom is eradicated, what is left of our culture pertaining to marriages? Will we then lose ourselves completely to the west’s ‘white wedding’ traditions?

What are your thoughts?

Let us know in the comment section below.

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In the defence of those who are absolutely refusing to get these tests, it can be argued that whatever the results the relationship might be strained. For starters, others suggested that asking for a DNA test would indicate that there is a lack of  trust. No trust, no strong relationship.

On the other hand, there is an increase in scandals in which a man takes care of a child only to find out that he isn’t the real father. As a result men only deem DNA tests as a protective measure which will help them start the relationship on a solid and clean foundation.

Below are some of the comments that fuelled this conversation:

The scandal that sparked this controversial conversation was the Hastings and Plaxedes roora squad scandal we covered in an earlier article you can find here. It was one of the members of the roora squad that revealed an issue that could possibly completely break the relationship and resultantly is causing men to want DNA tests done. But honestly, could you blame them? If the statistics repeatedly show that there is a lack of honest conversation in seemingly solid relationships its only natural to expect that this defensive measure is sought.

Below are the comments on this issue that were directly commenting on the Hastings scandal:

On the other hand it is sad that genuinely innocent women might be caught up in this storm and end up feeling mistrusted by their partners. However, my argument is  that there is no need for worry on either side if the relationship is founded on honest conversations from the get go.

Another stumbling block in the issue of DNA to those who might actually need to have them done is that they are pricey. That’s evidently why comments such as the below were made:

Okay, let’s not complicate things and just be loyal, is it too much to ask?

Let us know what you think in the comment section below.

The post Zimbabwean men are demanding DNA tests…As they should! appeared first on Provoker Magazine.