The first meal they shared as husband and wife was a parcel of fish and chips and this week, 50 years later, that is exactly what this Mitchells Plain couple did to celebrate their milestone wedding anniversary.
Priscilla, 72, and Peterus Bosman, 74,from Lentegeur say their marriage may have gotten off to a rocky start, but it was really rock-solid and they are still going strong.
Priscilla says she met Peterus through her now deceased eldest sister in Elsies River and it was love at first sight.
“I was 22 years old and he was 24 years old when we got married in 1968,” she says.
“My mother wasn’t so happy about me getting married but I thought I am old enough and I didn’t want to go around and have los kinders and that’s when I made up my mind.”
The loved-up couple decided to elope and got married at the local court.
“We ran away from Elsies River and got married at Kuils River court. We didn’t even have a reception,” says Priscilla.
“We had fish and chips on the pavement and we have never looked back since.
“My mother found out about our marriage after one of my witnesses told her.”
TEST OF TIME: True romance for Mitchells Plain couple
The couple have two children and say the secret to their long and loving marriage is standing by each other through thick and thin.
“Nowadays people just leave each other.
“That was not my mindset at all. Through trials and tribulations, we stood together,” she says.
“One has to overlook faults and just work on making things better in relationships.
“That is our secret.”
Peterus, the “quiet one”in the relationship, says the moment he clapped eyes on Priscilla, he knew he’d found his partner for life.
“I am lucky to have found the woman I always wanted.
“The best thing about my wife is that she is a housewife,” the retired laminator says.
“It’s one of the things I’ve always wanted in my future wife and I have it. Ek is nie spyt nie.”
Priscilla worked as a nurse before she got married and jokes that it helped that Peterus wasn’t picky.
“I have a wonderful husband who has always worked hard for our family. I also love the fact that he is not rude or uitsoekerig,” she adds.