The annual Robben Island Valentine’s Day weddings have been cancelled this year following a suspension of applications for marriage licences.

Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, recently announced the suspension of applications for several documents due to the increasing numbers of Department of Home Affairs’ (DHA) staff testing positive for COVID-19.

This year would have marked 21 years of celebrating love on Robben Island. To date, 327 couples have tied the knot there in a partnership between Robben Island Museum and the DHA. Both parties will continue to engage on the possibility of hosting weddings at a later stage, should conditions allow with the easing of COVID-19 regulations.

The weddings were initiated by the late Martha Mgxashe, former Regional Director of the DHA, with the first marriage ceremony held on December 31, 2000 as part of the Millennium celebrations. In 2001, the ceremony was moved to Valentine’s Day to promote the significance of Robben Island.