Nation of young widows

Crime and road accidents are robbing young married women of their spouses.

Widowed Network South Africa has seen a "huge" increase in the number of women aged below 30 who have been widowed recently.

"Most of them have very young children or are pregnant. Most of the losses are the result of accidents and crime such as hijackings and violent robberies," the support group's founder, Tash Reddy, said.

Reddy was a pregnant 29-year-old mother of an 18-month-old son when her husband was killed in a car crash seven years ago.

"In a space of a week I lost everything I knew to be my life. I had no idea where to turn or who to turn to," she said.

Reddy said the most recent census showed six million people were married in 2011, with 1.5-million widowed in the same year.

Widows face abuse as a result of cultural restrictions put on them, she said.

"One of the major problems are the cultural restrictions, which include the colour of clothes we have to wear. Indian widows have to wear white and black widows wear black.

"People don't realise the danger this puts us in because we are identifiable to men who think we are vulnerable and crying out for sex," Reddy explained.

Widows are also easy targets for crime syndicates.

"There is a perception that once you become a widow you come into millions. There are syndicates that target and kidnap your children for ransom money."

Since its establishment, the network has helped more than 10000 women. It will host a "Choose Life" conference in Durban next month for bereaved spouses.