The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Saturday, May 23, 1992 — A concerned magistrate asks a man standing before her intending to take marriage vows: “Have you been drinking?’’ The man replies with an arrogant toss of the head: “Sort of.”

This was the scenario at the Western Commonage Courts where relatives and friends of Samson Sibongizile Sithole (26) and Miss Eva Gora (18) from New Magwegwe suburb in Bulawayo had converged to witness the two getting married in the civil court. The marriage never took place.

When it was their turn to exchange vows before Miss Editor Ngwenya, the bridegroom, dressed in a dark suit and the radiant bride who was wearing a white wedding gown with a long tail, took their positions in the court which was filled with friends and relatives. Then the drama started.

Miss Ngwenya asked the couple to stand up and take their vows. Sithole, who had a tired look on his face, staggered to his feet, causing the magistrate and some of the people to raise their eyebrows.

Miss Ngwenya asked him if he was a drinker and he replied that he was not. She proceeded with the ceremony and when she was about to declare them man and wife, Sithole started uttering some gibberish, much to the embarrassment of his bride and the relatives and friends.

Sithole ordered the photographer to take a good shot of him kissing the bride, totally ignoring the magistrate who was still trying to get on with the ceremony. He did not even hear the magistrate say: “You may kiss the bride” and had to be nudged by the best man to do so.

Miss Ngwenya asked if he was drunk to which he replied “sort of.” Sithole was sent to the cells up to Tuesday when he will be charged with contempt of court. The wedding was not solemnised as Miss Gora, blinded with tears, dashed out of court.