Stories – Fathers Matter

How biological fathers and stepfathers can successfully co-parent

Where there are “bonus parents” in a family, it's important for the dads, stepdads and other male caregivers to find ways to work together to make their co-parenting relationship beneficial for the child.

How dads define manhood for their daughters

Women's experiences of fatherhood shape how we see ourselves, and our place in the world. And as women, young or old, we owe it to ourselves to begin the work of coming to terms with our own father story and how it’s impacted who we are today.

My father's love language

As we think about our father stories, it can help to remember that fathers are people, just like us. And sometimes, connection grows from understanding how they give and receive love.

I am a father: Reflections on fatherhood, legacy and presence

I owe my being to the love and bond with my children, the joys and challenges of raising them, the precious moments and shared experiences that define the essence of fatherhood.

See the winning competition entries

See some of the winning entries from our Youth Month Competition. The competition was an opportunity for children to share their views about fatherhood. There were some powerful, inspiring and moving submissions.

'I grew up without a father and I turned out fine'

We are very sure about fatherlessness, and that's a problem. Themba Dlamini shares how one radio conversation exposed a national blind spot about faterhood in South Africa.

The measure of a man is not in his fists

In many communities, the dominant image of manhood remains physical – protect, provide, endure, fight. These instincts are not inherently wrong. But they are incomplete.

The price children pay for migrant labour

Long before we had the social discussion about father absence, South Africa had already built systems that made it normal. Men left home not because they didn’t care, but because they had to.

Where does our violence begin?

Randall's story is about breaking cycles, particularly the one he inherited from his father. Where addiction once defined him, he has chosen differently. Where his father’s absence shaped him, he now strives to be present for his child and his mother.

When the streets raise our boys

Despite having a father who was alive, Nkululeko did not have that consistent presence shaping his understanding of himself. And when that kind of guidance is missing, it doesn’t leave a gap for long. Something else fills it. In his case, the streets stepped in...

What’s Papa got to do with my rage?

Father absence removes one of the first buffers against violence – a daily presence where anger is noticed, slowed down, named, and shaped before it hardens.

Education doesn’t fail at school first

At the 2026 Department of Basic Education Sector Lekgotla, Fathers Matter had a chance to highlight children's perspectives on fatherhood – and how their father experiences can influence their education.