EDITORIAL | For the sake of our future, we need to change the narrative on deadbeat dads

Friday marked the 47th year since hundreds of mainly youth were killed in Soweto protesting against the use of Afrikaans as a language of instruction. 

In fact, the protest was against the whole system of Bantu education characterised by separate schools and inadequate facilities for black children. After 1994, government renamed the day as Youth Day to honour those who were killed. 

But almost half a century after the killings, our youth find themselves in the throes of despair as they face unemployment, concern over literacy levels and high levels of pregnancy among teens.

In May, Statistics South Africa said the youth remained vulnerable in the labour market, with the first quarter of 2023 showing that the total number of unemployed youth (15-34 years) increased by 241,000 to 4.9-million, while there was an increase of 28,000 in the number of employed youth to 5.6-million during the same period. 

Another concern is the number of youth who are disengaged with the labour market. 

Stats SA said of the 10.2-million people aged 15-24 years in the first quarter of 2021, 32.4% (about 3.3-million) were not in employment, education or training.  

Deputy President Paul Mashatile noted the same challenge in his Youth Day address when he said government was concerned the economy was not expanding at a rate that permits the economic development of a large number of people, especially the youth. 

The Gauteng government, in marking the holiday, launched the Jobs Fair campaign, a strategic recruitment drive to address unemployment and promote access to job opportunities within the province. 

Local and international research has shown not having a present father figure increases the risk of children being victims of violence and, when they grow up, becoming perpetrators of violence, including GBV.

It said thousands of jobs will be offered, from drivers, receptionists, cleaners, artisans, construction managers, communication officers, health practitioners, agricultural advisers, engineers, CFOs and many more. 

Also on Friday, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for economic development, tourism and environmental affairs, Siboniso Duma, announced several programmes aimed at alleviating rampant youth unemployment in the province.

Duma said during this financial year, the education department created 58,000 jobs which benefited the youth and the department of economic development tourism and environmental affairs (EDTEA) had identified 5,600 young people, who would receive monthly stipends to curb youth unemployment and economically empower the youth of the province.

These efforts are unlikely to put a dent in the ranks of the unemployed who stand at 7.9-million, but it is a step in the right direction and the youth need to grab these with both hands.

But a day earlier, KZN health MEC Nomagugu Simelane provided some sobering statistics that between April and December last year, the province registered 26,515 pregnancies of girls between 10 and 19. This included 1,254 girls between 10 and 14.

She was unequivocal in her criticism of parents who failed to take responsibility for “raising our children problems” and urged communities to “regard teenage pregnancy as an abnormality that is disgraceful”.

On Sunday, basic education minister Angie Motshekga, responding to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study — which placed South African grade 4 pupils last out of 57 countries in the global benchmark process — said early learning was a fundamental stage in a child’s educational journey.

She said while the department played a significant role in supporting early literacy skills and teaching children how to read, the entire ecosystem must be involved. That parents and caregivers have a critical role to play as they are a child’s first and most important teachers during their early years.

While the department needs to take ownership for its failings since 2016, the role of parents, community and society is conspicuously absent.

A glaring example is a recent fire where, after the Youth Day celebrations, an administration block at the Boitseanape Technical High School was burnt to ashes on Saturday afternoon. 

While the offenders have yet to be identified, one has to question the motive and morals of those who caused millions of rand in damage to a place of learning for our youth.

These issues swirl in our consciousness on the day the world marked Father’s Day, especially those who are involved in the lives of their children.

Fathers play a critical role by providing moral and ethical guidance to their children, especially ensuring children follow the correct path in life. This depends on the role fathers play in their children’s moral, intellectual and emotional development.

Heartlines CEO Dr Garth Japhet has pointed out local and international research has shown not having a present father figure increases the risk of children being victims of violence and, when they grow up, becoming perpetrators of violence, including GBV.

Statistics show that more than four in ten of households were headed by women in South Africa.

Heartlines has developed a series of six short films which are being broadcast on SABC2 called Fathers Matter to change the narrative of the deadbeat dad. They are also launching a WhatsApp coach for fathers who are looking for support in their fatherhood journeys.

Our socioeconomic history has a lot to answer for our parents not being present, but we need to change that narrative.

We need to congratulate those fathers who play an important role in making positive contributions to their children’s lives and collectively work towards filling the gaps for those who don’t. Our country’s future depends on it.