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The concept for this research is to identify whether step-parents are experiencing any difficulties regarding the integration of step children into the restructured family. It is common knowledge that many marriages are failing and that children are involved with the parents in picking up the pieces. This study is not about who is wrong or right but about the challenges that step parent/s face when parents choose another partner.

Trends in divorces (1999-2008) The published data on divorces, indicate that the number of granted cases has been fluctuating between 37 098 and 28 924 per annum in the past decade (1999-2008). The distribution of couples divorcing by population group shows that there were more divorces among the African population group compared to the other groups. Despite the general fluctuations, the proportions of divorces from the mixed and the African groups have been increasing whilst that of the White group has been declining in the past ten years. In 1999 the African, Indian/Asian, White and mixed groups made up 18, 4%; 5, 3%; 39, 9% and 1, 0% of the number of divorces respectively. However, in 2008 the contribution of the African, Indian/Asian and mixed groups increased to 35, 0%; 6, 2% and 3, 1% respectively whilst that of the White group declined to 32, 8% (http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0307/P03072008 pdf. Accessed on the 13th August 2010).

STATISTICS FOR CONSIDERATION

• Number of times married
  The 2008 divorce cases were mainly from first marriages. The pattern of remarriages among husbands was quite similar to that of the wives. Slightly fewer (76, 4%) husbands were from first marriages compared to 77, 1% of wives. Approximately 9, 0% was second time divorcees for both husbands and wives. About 2, 0% of husbands and wives were getting divorced for at least the third time (http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0307/P03072008 pdf. Accessed on the 13th August 2010).
• Age at the Time of divorce
  The median age at divorce in 2008 was 41 for men and 38 for women. Figure 10 show that African men had the highest median age (43) at divorce. Women from the mixed and India/Asian group had the lowest median age (36 years). (http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0307/P03072008 pdf. Accessed on the 13th August 2010).
• Duration of marriage of those divorcing
  The median duration of marriage in 2008 was 9 years. Detailed information on the duration of marriages by age groups for husbands and wives are given. The largest number of divorces (7 859 or 27, 2%) lasted five to nine years. This group is followed by marriages that lasted less than five years (6 143 or 21, 2%). Thus, almost half (48, 4%) of the 28 924 divorces in 2008 were from marriages that lasted less than 10 years. As the duration of marriages increased the number of divorces decreased. Irrespective of the population group of the divorcees, the distribution of divorces continues to be skewed towards earlier years of marriage (http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0307/P03072008 pdf. Accessed on the 13th August 2010).
• 3.7 Divorces involving couples with children
  In 2008, there were 26 947 children (younger than 18 years old) involved in divorce. It is observed, that 16 370 (56, 6%) of the 28 924 divorces had children younger than 18 years indicating that, on the average, there was between one and two children per divorce (http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0307/P03072008 pdf. Accessed on the 13th August 2010).
• Marital status at the time of marriage
  Available data indicates that most of the marriages in 2008 were first time marriages. Overall, 152 951 (82, 0%) men and 159 060 (85, 3%) women had never been married. Among those who were remarrying, there were 5 772 (3, 1%) male divorcees and 3 758 (2, 0%) widowers. For the brides, there were 4 151 (2, 2%) divorcees and 3 167 (1, 7%) widows. The marital status of 24 041 (12, 9%) bridegrooms and 20 144 brides (10, 8%) was not recorded
  (http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0307/P03072008.pdf . Accessed on the 13th August 2010).

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