Why have South African Life-partner visas been offered to partners of South African citizens?

As the times have changed, so has the South African Immigration law – as many couples today decide to live with each other before marriage, or even not marry at all, the South African Immigration law has given these relationships their own category, as these relationships are becoming more popular around the globe. A couple (same-sex or heterosexual) who wish to reside in South Africa, the one partner foreign and the other partner a South Africa citizen or permanent residency holder can then go ahead and apply for a life-partner visa in order for the foreign partner to reside in South Africa with their counterpart