 |
During the past decades, and more so since 1994, South
African family life has undergone vast changes. The isolation that South
Africa experienced for decades has finally broken. Many more people are now
economically empowered as previously disadvantages persons are allowed to
trade freely, and complete for important positions in the public sector and
industry. But there are also important social changes. There is an alarming
increase in the breakdown of marriage. Women have elevated themselves
socially, asserting their rights and demanding more recognition. Children’s
rights have come to the fore. Serious crime against children is no longer
swept under the carpet. The whole South African society has been shocked to
its foundations by the sky-rocketing crimes on children, including rape of
infants and young children, family murders and domestic abuse.
Traditionally all population groups maintained a relatively
stable family relationship of a patriarchal type. A notable exception, of
course, was the disruption of African family life by the migratory labour
system during the colonial and apartheid era. However, as more and more
people became urbanized, a tendency that increased after 1994, the nuclear
family system started disintegrating. In its place one finds:
-
Many thousands of single parent families as a result of
divorce and children born out of wedlock. Many of the mothers
are young and often lack a proper support system;
-
Concubinage childless relationships. These
relationships, although not formalised by a marriage ceremony, are
sometimes long-term and stable;
-
Polygamous African marriages consisting of different
“houses” with children, sometimes scattered over a vast geographical
area, but with one father/husband;
-
Same-sex “marriage” relationships, sometimes with
children, sometimes without. These children may include children born
from a previous relationship from one of the partners, or a child
adopted by one or both
-
Dysfunctional families, where the relationship is one of
abuse (parents on children but also sometimes children on elderly
parents) as well as where the parents have lost total control of their
children (sometimes referred to as street children);
-
Parents and children who suffer from aids, and children
orphaned by aids. (In a recent television programme two six year old
toddlers were shown taking care of themselves, albeit with a little
assistance from their neighbours. The news footage showed them making
their own bed as they prepared for the night);
-
Families living in informal settlements in makeshift
shelters, hardly fit for human habitation. In a harsh climate, with
temperatures ranging from between freezing point to 35°C and more, their
living conditions are really intolerable. They sometimes live in
over-crowded conditions with no proper sanitation, running water or
electricity;
-
Grandparents taking over the parenting role, out of
necessity because the parents cannot or are unwilling to cope with their
parenting obligations. They often repeat the mistakes they have made
with their own children in creating an almost social pathology.
|
 |
