DENEYSVILLE – In the heart of the northern Free State, nestled between the towns of Deneysville and Heilbron, a triple-storey mansion overlooking the Vaal Dam has become the centre of a nationwide controversy. Gerrit Coetzee, a 58-year-old advocate, farmer, and businessman, has sparked a firestorm of debate after publishing a brazen advertisement seeking a second wife to join his 25-year marriage.
The advert, which reads like a throwback to a different era, offers a "substantial financial package" that includes a R100,000 bride price for the parents and a R5 million estate provision for the bride. However, the requirements are as specific as they are controversial: the candidate must be between the ages of 16 and 25, a non-smoker, a person of faith, and most notably, a virgin.
The Quest for an Heir
Gerrit and his wife, 43-year-old Andrea, sit side-by-side on a leather couch in their opulent home, seemingly unbothered by the social media storm brewing outside. Despite their long and happy marriage, the couple remains childless—a fact that Gerrit says is the primary motivation for his search.
"For every seven years you don’t have children, a generation dies out," Gerrit explains with the clinical precision of a lawyer. "I’m sitting in a situation of ‘who is going to inherit my things?’ If I don’t have children, my assets will go to the state according to our inheritance law."
Gerrit, who owns a successful enterprise manufacturing tyre protection chains for mining vehicles, says he is looking for an heir to his business empire. He dismisses other options like in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or surrogacy as "time-consuming, expensive, and complicated," opting instead for the ancient practice of polygyny.
The "Head Wife" and the Panel
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the story is the total support of Gerrit’s first wife, Andrea. Far from being shocked, she is an active participant in the search, assuming the role of the "head wife" who will vet potential candidates.
"He really wants children and I’m accommodating about that," Andrea says with a giggle. "I see this as a voyage. If it’s done alongside my beloved, then so it shall be."
To ensure the process remains professional and "class differences" are managed, the couple has established a formal panel. This group, which includes legal professionals, doctors, and a minister, will sift through applications to create a shortlist. Gerrit explains that the panel is designed to prevent him from becoming "emotionally involved" before a suitable candidate is found.
Social Media Fury and "Serial Killer" Claims
The advert has not been well-received by everyone. Since it began circulating on social media, the couple has been inundated with "unflattering" reactions. Some users have accused Gerrit of being a "serial killer" or a "basement kidnapper," while others have fixated on the age requirement, particularly the mention of 16-year-olds.
"People don’t read with understanding and they fixate on the 16-year thing," Gerrit counters. "This isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight. You must meet the person and get to know them. You must meet their family too. A lot of time might pass before I enter into marriage."
Andrea finds some of the more extreme reactions "laughable." "People are saying we’re going to chain women up and keep them in a basement," she says, brushing off the criticism. "Some guys on social media said the parents will never see their daughters again."
A "Biblical" Prescription
Gerrit justifies his requirements through a mixture of ancestral tradition and biblical principles. He insists that the R100,000 "bride price" is a challenge to parents to prove their daughters have maintained their "purity."
"It’s a Biblical prescription that the woman must be a virgin when she enters marriage," he says. He believes that polygamy provides an opportunity for a man to leave a legacy, a practice he claims "all our ancestors" followed.
Once a second wife is found, Gerrit plans for an "ordinary household" where both wives live under one roof. Each will have their own bedroom, and sleeping arrangements will be on a rotating basis. "The wives will be on equal footing," he insists, though Andrea will retain her title as the head of the household.
The Future of the Coetzee Harem
Despite the backlash, Gerrit claims he has already received several positive responses, though some have been less than ideal. "One of the women was 74 years old and I told her, quite kindly, that unfortunately she didn’t meet the criteria," he chuckles.
As for Andrea, she remains jovial about the prospect of a third person in their marriage. She even adds a lighter requirement for the new bride: "It would be a plus if she can make braai broodjies (barbecue sandwiches)."
However, she warns that Gerrit might not realise the challenge he is setting for himself. "Because we women are going to sit back and relax while he takes care of us," she says with a smile.
For now, the mansion near the Vaal Dam remains a house of two, but if Gerrit and the "head wife" have their way, a new, younger addition will soon be carrying the Coetzee legacy into the next generation. Whether the Free State community—and the South African legal system—will accept this unconventional union remains to be seen.
