Penuel stirs controversy with views on lobola and virginity
Podcaster Penuel Mlotshwa has ignited a heated debate by asserting that lobola, the traditional African bride price, should be reserved for virgins who intend to become housewives.
In a recent YouTube video, Mlotshwa argued that women who are not virgins should focus on their careers rather than expect lobola, referencing African cultural heritage to support his stance.
“As small as lobola and damages are in the grand scheme of things, they are significant in terms of the symbolism of what they mean in society. To me, they are a very fair indicator of why black communities are so broken. That tells me almost everything I need to know about the health of black society,” he stated.
Mlotshwa emphasized that, traditionally, sex before marriage was taboo in African and Christian customs. He believes that a woman’s worth is linked to her purity, saying,
“The worth of a woman is her body count, how many men she has slept with because it says something about how men value her in society.”
He criticized modern lobola practices, particularly the trend of men taking out loans to pay the bride price.
According to Mlotshwa, this undermines the original intent of lobola, which was an exchange of goods or services, not a financial transaction.
Furthermore, Mlotshwa condemned the practice of paying “damages” to a woman’s family in the case of an unplanned pregnancy. He argued that parents should be accountable for ensuring their daughter’s virginity before marriage.
“A girl child is meant to be raised by a father and, specifically, a mother who teaches her about purity so that when a boy comes and asks for her hand, she knows what is going on. Today, girls are telling their moms that they are having sex. They inform their moms about abortions and miscarriages, and then this idiot of a boy has to pay damages while this girl acts like a virgin.”
Mlotshwa also criticized the rise of feminism and gender equality, claiming that women who reject traditional roles while still expecting lobola are being hypocritical.
“Sadly, because black men have lost their minds, their land, their dignity, their worth, their culture and their sense of being, they get dictated to through trash,” he added.
