Run aims to highlight fathers and their roles

Residents and community group members joined the worthy cause of the race.

January 15, 2022

Alice Mpholo 2 minutes read

Runners at the starting line for the 10km run/walk included members from the Community Group Firefighter Association. Photo: Alice Mpholo

Men and boys of all ages took their spot with eagerness on Saturday, January 8 for the first Fatherhood run/walk at the Ruimsig Stadium. The event was open to all members of the public, not just men, but the aim was to highlight the societal decay caused by absent fathers.

The run/walk, organised by the Sylvester Mashilo Foundation in partnership with the City of Johannesburg, comprised distances of 1km, 5km and 10km.

Dolly Koena with her daughter Paballo and Hanlee Fourie from the Honeydew CPF. Paballo, who is a year and six months old, was the youngest participant in the walk. Photo: Alice Mpholo

Mayor of Johannesburg, Dr Mpho Phalatse who cut the ribbon on the day of the event said, “Having worked as an MMC for Social Development in the City, I am aware of the plight of fatherless boys; but I am also aware of how they can end up in the wrong spaces in search of a father. A good example is in areas like Westbury where a lot of young boys end up in gangsterism and drugs; a lot of them because they are looking for a father and they want to identify with an older man.” She said there is a need for fathers to rise in the community beyond their own biological children.

Mayor of Johannesburg, Dr Mpho Phalatse cuts the ribbon at the opening of the event. Photo: Alice Mpholo

“Today’s run was really about raising awareness around the fatherless child in Johannesburg. As we build our city, we want to build the young boys as well. We need to nurture and make sure that they are in sound mind, good health and ready to take our city forward,” the mayor said after her 1km walk.

Ronald Harris, MMC for community development in the City of Joburg shared that the concept and capacity of fatherhood made him get involved in the cause. “It’s about the capacity of fathers to bring about change in families and in communities, but also the social cohesion this provides in terms of a healthy lifestyle. Exercise provides the capacity for us as a community to grow – not only physically but mentally and spiritually as well. When the foundation approached us for support we were absolutely delighted to do that. At the end of the day, we want to have a holistic society but it starts with families and it starts with fathers.”

“We must also remember that gender-based violence is a tremendous deterrent and a weight around our society’s neck. If we can get fathers to understand their role within the family, we can kill that beast of GBV.”