REALITIES OF FATHERHOOD IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY
State of South Africa’s Fathers 2024 report reveals key insights into
fatherhood and caregiving
4 February 2025
The State of South Africa’s Fathers 2024 (SOSAF 2024) report has been released, offering a crucial data-driven look at the realities of fatherhood in South Africa today. This third edition of the report presents fresh insights into the roles fathers are playing in caregiving, the social and economic challenges they face, and the evolving dynamics of fatherhood in South African homes. In 2023, only 35.6% of South African children lived with their biological fathers in the same household, and 40.3% lived with men who were not their biological fathers.
The SOSAF 2024 report was compiled by Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, Stellenbosch University (SU), the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI). It was produced by Sonke Gender Justice and Sesame Workshop South Africa and published by the brand new Tataokhona Project at Stellenbosch University. Leaders from these organisations stress the importance of this research in shaping policies and fostering conversations about the role of all fathers in South Africa.
Changes in fatherhood identities
What is clear is that the traditional role of the father as the “family provider” has been fundamentally disrupted, yet this hasn’t resulted in concurrent changes in gendered social norms. In the State of the World’s Fathers survey 2023, from which the SOSAF report draws, a higher percentage of women (85.1%) than men (79.8%) in South Africa reported that they provided financial support to their biological children. Yet, many fathers are not taking up a greater share of caregiving roles as a balanced response to this economic reality. In households where fathers are uninvolved or entirely absent, mothers often carry the dual burden of caregiving and financial provision, which in many cases, still strains the household resources and impacts children’s access to opportunities.
UCT co-editor of SOSAF 2024, Dr Mandisa Malinga says, “What stands out the most for me is the role that economic stability plays in determining men’s parenting and involvement in their children’s lives. Though most of the men whose voices are represented in the report express a desire to be a present father, their socio-economic status serves as a barrier. The prevalence of poverty and unemployment in the country has an impact, as does the gendered expectation of positioning women as the ones who must do the actual parenting work. This highlights the importance of shining a light on how fostering close, caregiving relationships with their children can enrich men’s lives and expand their identities as fathers, and as men.”
The recognition of social fathers in South Africa
A key finding of the report is that fewer children live with their biological fathers than with other men, and that these numbers are the lowest and highest ever recorded – never have so few children lived with their biological dads, nor have so many lived with other men like uncles, grandfathers, older brothers or mothers’ new partners. But this does not mean that these other men are stepping up as social fathers contributing to day-to-day childcare. This reality emphasises the growing need for social fathers – men who actively step in as caregivers, mentors, and role models. The report highlights that children benefit from positive care provided by any man who assists in children’s development and health.
Dr Wessel van den Berg, Senior Advocacy Officer at Equimundo and co-editor of SOSAF 2024 says, “The most vital finding of SOSAF 2024 is the significant role of social fathers in the lives of children. The report highlights that more children in South Africa live with men who are not their biological fathers (40.3%) than those who live with their biological fathers (35.6%), and this looks like a trend that may continue into the future. This finding is crucial because it challenges the traditional notion of fatherhood being solely tied to biological connections and emphasises the importance of recognising and supporting the diverse forms of fatherhood that exist in South Africa. Understanding and acknowledging the role of social fathers can help in creating more inclusive policies and interventions that support all forms of fatherhood, ultimately benefiting the well-being of children and families.”
The impact of caring fatherhood on children
Fathers’ poor involvement in care has profound implications for South African children. Studies indicate that children who grow up without father involvement in child care and support to mothers are more likely to experience economic hardship, poorer educational outcomes, and mental health challenges. The lack of a consistent father figure often leaves children without critical emotional support and guidance, increasing their vulnerability to risky behaviours and social isolation. This underscores the need for interventions that promote positive fatherhood and ensure that children have access to supportive male role models, whether biological or social fathers.
Professor Kopano Ratele who represents the Tataokhona Project at Stellenbosch University which published the SOSAF reports and is one of the co-editors says, “SOSAF 2024 reminds us that South Africa is extreme when it comes to the number of children who do not live with their biological fathers or any biological parents. This fact of what we can call under-parented and unparented children has far-reaching psychological, social and economic consequences, hidden and long-term, as well as obvious and immediate. I do not see how anyone who is paying attention to the state of South Africa, which means caring about the state of its children, families, women and men, cannot care about this state of fatherhood. The question becomes: what to do about this fact of inadequately parented children? We need to put the focus on shifting what men think about themselves by telling a different story about manhood – a full, courageous, layered story of strong, caring, engaged and connected men.”
Expanding the concept of fatherhood beyond biology
Dr Tawanda Makusha, co-editor and Senior Research Associate at AHRI suggests a shift in focus from whether a child lives with their biological father to ascertaining who is actively involved in a child’s life. Many South African children grow up in extended households where social fathers such as grandfathers, uncles or stepfathers may well be present and engaged with them. He says, “Recognising and supporting social fathers, who, other than family members may even be teachers or community mentors, can help ensure children have stable, positive male role models, even in the absence of biological fathers. Supportive, consistent and accountable social fathers present a model of masculinity that values emotional intelligence, caregiving, and responsible mentorship. The effort to help men transition into more engaged father figures, biological or social, requires interventions such as education programmes that teach boys and young men about caregiving, child development and emotional responsibility. It also includes community initiatives that support men in redefining their roles in ways that align with modern realities.”
Engaging fathers in ways that meet their unique needs
According to Dr Onyinye Nwaneri, the Managing Director of Sesame Workshop South Africa it is critical that interventions aimed at addressing the country’s low levels of fathers’ involvement in parenting and caregiving recognise that men have distinct needs. She says, “This includes addressing high rates of violence, depression, and substance abuse that may be linked to harmful norms around masculinity. There needs to be a focus on building equitable gender norms in childhood to promote healthier decision-making later in life by ensuring boys’ and young men’s access to mentors who endorse equitable gender norms and model healthy behaviour. To be effective, we must speak directly to men and boys when designing male engagement programmes and evaluating their effects. Public education campaigns, workplace policies that support work-life balance, and community programmes that promote the value of caregiving by both parents can help to encourage a cultural shift towards shared caregiving responsibilities between men and women.”
Transforming childhood in South Africa
The state of fathers in South Africa has a profound impact on our children. Experiencing men as caring, trustworthy role models who are forces for good in children’s lives can shape the outlook of generations.
Jean-Marie Nkurunziza, the MenCare Regional Programme Specialist at Sonke Gender Justice says, “Involved fatherhood is a game-changer for South African families. Men need to know that fathers and social fathers who are actively engaged in childcare and family life have profoundly positive impacts on children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. It’s also good for men. The report’s findings are that involved fathers are more likely to have better relationships with their partners, improved mental health and greater economic stability. More pertinently, their children are likely to perform better academically, have better social skills and experience reduced risks of violence and abuse. By making involved fatherhood a societal norm, we can unlock the full potential of South African families and create a brighter future for our children.”
SOSAF 2024 serves to inspire new conversations about fatherhood that are critical for South African society. However, it also plays a pivotal role in influencing the country’s policies to support improved parenting, child care and development. Van den Berg concludes, “Thanks to the involvement of Equimundo and Sonke Gender Justice in a landmark 2023 court case, South Africa could well lead the continent in providing shared parental leave for mothers and fathers. We need to move forward with similar key policy changes that support equitable parental involvement, and also make it easier for fathers to step up as caregivers in the lives of their children.”
