Season 3 - Episode 4

In Episode 4 of Under the Microscope with Dr Riaad Moosa, the popular South African comedian explores the institution of marriage through a lens that blends humour with hard truths. The episode interrogates the deep-rooted cultural, traditional, and patriarchal expectations that still shape many relationships and gender roles in South Africa today.

As the video production partner for this powerful content series, Iron Heart Content Creation Studio works closely with the Centre for Analytics & Behavioural Change (CABC) to transform data and social listening insights into engaging, thought-provoking content. Our role is to bring facts to life using humour, satire, and visual storytelling to make complex issues feel human, relatable and accessible.

In this episode, Dr Riaad Moosa unpacks themes like lobola (the traditional bride price), shifting gender dynamics, societal pressures, as more and more African women are now paying for their own lobola. The episode also includes the controversial and illegal practice of ukuthwala (child marriage) in South Africa, and how this is not tradition or culture but the sexual exploitation and abuse of children. These topics are approached with sensitivity, but also a disarming wit that invites the audience to reflect, rather than react defensively — allowing for deeper engagement and dialogue.

The data used in this episode comes from a season-long study conducted by the CABC, which analysed how South Africans talk about marriage online across platforms like Twitter and Facebook. The insights revealed both progressive shifts and harmful stereotypes that continue to fuel gender inequality, misogyny, and the normalisation of abuse.

By combining culturally resonant video content with evidence-based research, our goal at Iron Heart is to communicate behavioural insights, social media data analytics and trending narratives in a way that not only entertains but also challenges viewers to think differently, ask questions and have debates about tradition, power, and how we relate to one another in a changing world.

Episode 4 reminds us that marriage, like many institutions, can evolve. And when we unpack it honestly — with curiosity and compassion — we can open the door to more equitable, respectful, and empowering relationships for everyone.