Father’s Day luncheon in Kagiso – where have all our fathers gone?
Where have our fathers gone? What factors cause fathers to become absentee dads?
Two-thirds of South African children grow up in homes without fathers, and as a result, our country has the distinction of having one of the highest global rates of single motherhood, according to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
Research conducted in the past seven years by the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) and the HSRC has found that 60 per cent of South African children have absent fathers, and more than 40 per cent of South African mothers are single parents, compared with 25 per cent in the United States and a developed world average of just 15 per cent.
You are more likely to be raised in a single-parent household if you are both black and poor, the study found.
Judging by recent media reports, child neglect is not limited to males. Women must also change their behaviour, particularly young mothers who party while their parents and grandparents look after their children.
Where have our fathers gone? What factors cause fathers to become absentee dads?
In an attempt to answer these questions, Maropeng Foundation and Kgoro Organisation are hosting a Father’s Day Luncheon at the Kagiso Memorial and Recreation Centre on Father’s Day, 17 June.
The object of the function is to publicise the plight of fatherless children, provide absentee dads with an opportunity to tell their stories, and to celebrate fathers.
The event will feature two guest speakers associated with the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the Office of the Family Advocate. This will be followed by a discussion and question and answer session.
Both the Kgoro Organisation (KO) and the Maropeng Foundation (MF) are non-profit organisations, registered with the DSD. KO provides care and support to the elderly in Kagiso and has over 300 beneficiaries,while MF provides counselling and referral services to victims of domestic violence in Roodepoort, Krugersdorp and surrounding West Rand District Municipality areas.
The function is unsponsored. To cover event costs, the entry cost is R100 for adults and youth and R50 for children. The cost covers a three-course lunch and refreshments. Children’s entertainment will include face-painting, children’s games and jumping castles.
For more information, contact Themba Mafafo on 081 555 7223.
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