Taking out a loan for lobola means the debt becomes marital property — and could be split in a divorce

If a man takes a loan to pay lobola and marries in community of property, his spouse could end up legally responsible for half the debt. PayFlex, a buy-now-pay-later service, advertised a financing plan allowing men to pay lobola in instalments — a move that sparked backlash and confusion online. The product is structured as a personal loan, repayable over time. But when that debt enters a marriage governed by community of property, it becomes shared. Without an antenuptial contract, South African law treats all assets and liabilities as jointly owned. That means if the relationship ends, the unpaid portion of the lobola loan would be split equally between the couple. A TikTok content creator, @mothowamafello, highlighted the risk: women who do not opt out of COP could inherit debt for a transaction they did not initiate. The warning came after a marketing poster for the PayFlex lobola plan went viral, prompting users to question the terms, the ethics, and the legal consequences. One user joked about PayFlex 'fetching the bride back' for missed payments. But the real consequence is not satire — it is a balance sheet. And for couples without a prenup, that balance includes a loan taken to fulfill a tradition.