Why positive male role models are key to shaping boys and preventing GBV in South Africa

Father figures and positive male role models are key to addressing gender-based violence in South Africa.
Image: Anete Lusina/Pexels
As South Africa grapples with an escalating crisis of gender-based violence (GBV), civil society organisations argue that the perception of boys who grow up without fathers as perpetrators of GBV is complex, emphasising that male role models—not just biological fathers—are key to shaping a child's behaviour and attitudes.
According to the State of South African Fathers 2024 report, 64.5% of South African children do not live with their biological fathers. More than half of this group, however, live with other adult men including stepfathers, partners of their mothers, extended family members, relatives such as older brothers, grandfathers, and uncles.
This Sunday, 15 June, South Africa will celebrate Father's Day and as society reflects on the significance of paternal influence, it becomes apparent that honouring male figures who provide supportive, nurturing guidance could be instrumental in changing the narrative around GBV.
Jean-Marie Nkurunziza, MenCare regional programme specialist at Sonke Gender Justice, said the perception that boy children who grow up without fathers tend to be perpetrators of GBV is complex and multifaceted.
The organisation said most of the research on fatherhood and caregiving suggests that the relationship between a father's absence and boy children becoming GBV perpetrators is not straightforward.
'It is influenced by various factors, including family dynamics, social environment, and economic conditions within various families,' said Nkurunziza.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Nkurunziza warned that if this issue is not addressed, it will lead to more dysfunction and increased inequalities," he said.
He said violence may be transmitted from one generation to another, leading to a vicious cycle and pattern of violence in society.
Nkurunziza further explained that GBV can have significant social and economic costs, including increased healthcare costs, low productivity, mental health issues and reduced economic opportunities.
Sonke Gender Justice emphasised the importance of addressing the root causes of GBV, including patriarchal norms, power imbalances, and deep-rooted inequalities, which is crucial to preventing GBV.
Nkurunziza said promoting gender equality and challenging harmful masculinity can help prevent GBV. 'Providing GBV survivor-centred care, including access to healthcare, counselling, and justice, is essential in ensuring the well-being and safety of survivors by working with partners across the country.'
Javu Baloyi, spokesperson for the Commission for Gender Equality, stated that this perception is not necessarily true.
'It depends...we need to ensure that boys have mentors. In some cases, lack of a role model in a father figure is somewhat linked to anger, being respondents, and worse, culminating in gender-based violence. The issue of absent fathers has to be addressed,' he said.
Action Society stated that there is evidence to suggest that the absence of positive male role models, particularly fathers, can contribute to behavioural challenges in boys, including a higher risk of violence.
However, the non-profit organisation cautioned against oversimplifying or generalising the issue. 'Not all boys raised without fathers become perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV). Many grow up to be respectful, responsible men.'
The real concern lies not solely in the absence of a father, but in the lack of consistent, healthy male guidance and emotional support during a child's formative years," said Action Society.
It said failure to intervene allows the cycle of violence to continue unchecked.
'Boys who are not taught to manage anger, process trauma, or respect others may become adults who inflict harm."
According to Action Society, this can perpetuate high rates of GBV, absentee fathers, and generational trauma in families and communities.
"South Africa is already in a GBV crisis and cannot afford to ignore root causes or structural failures in raising boys to be emotionally secure and morally grounded men,' said the organisation.
Action Society believes prevention is just as critical as prosecution. Investing in the development of boy children is a national priority. Fatherlessness is a symptom of broader systemic issues such as poverty, incarceration, substance abuse, and social breakdown that must be tackled holistically.
'Blaming fatherless boys alone does not solve the problem. Healing our society starts with strengthening families, communities, and the moral compass of future generations,' said the organisation.
The TEARS Foundation believes in self-determination, accountability, and responsibility.
The foundation cited the Human Sciences Research Council, which found that more than 60% of children in South Africa do not live with their biological fathers, and around 20% only have contact with their fathers twice a week.
'Some people believe that boys who grow up without fathers are more likely to become abusers, but if that were true, we would have to believe that 60% of the male population is abusive. That simply isn't supported by evidence,' said the foundation.
The foundation said there is not enough research to confirm a direct cause-and-effect relationship between father absence and abusive behaviour.
'The truth is, the causes of abuse are complex. But complexity is not an excuse. Understanding these root causes does not take away personal responsibility or accountability for abusive actions,' it said.
The issue of absent fathers is also complex, it said, adding that research shows that many absent fathers themselves grew up without present father figures.
'Breaking this cycle requires us to shift social beliefs. We must recognise that fathers do matter and that positive, present father figures who model respectful, morally grounded behaviour can help change the culture of violence we have come to accept,' it said.
The TEARS Foundation stated that we live in a society that is 'hurting' and that if we do not address the erosion of shared values and the loss of moral direction, this pain will continue to grow.
'We believe the solution lies in rebuilding a society rooted in hope, healing, and human dignity. Change is possible when we choose to care, connect, and take responsibility for the world we're shaping for future generations.'
Wessel van den Berg, Senior Advocacy Officer at Equimundo Centre for Masculinities and Social Justice, explained that a social father is a man who steps into a fathering role, engaging with the child and providing caregiving with the full knowledge and consent of the child's mother or guardian.
'Children tend to identify with men who they spend quite a lot of time with, and with time and consistency, these men could become father figures to them. So, a social father is really defined in terms of the nature and quality of care that a man gives to a child,' he said.
Jaco van Schalkwyk, founder and CEO of The Character Company (TCC), a non-profit mentoring organisation focused on connecting 'fatherless' boys with vetted and trained social fathers, said social fathers are special people who, in the absence of a biological connection, must have a strong personal intention and commitment to make a good difference in the lives of boys.
'They need to be men who are driven by their values and can stand out as role models because of this demonstrable integrity,' he said.
karen.singh@inl.co.za

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The South African

6 hours ago

• The South African

'Bark stripping' for traditional medicine: SANParks fights back

Environmental authorities are stepping up measures to halt the damaging practice of illegal bark stripping – an activity that has been threatening centuries-old indigenous trees within the Table Mountain National Park. The unsustainable practice of bark stripping involves removing bark from around the entire trunk (also called ring barking ), which ends up killing the tree. The bark is used in traditional healing practices, and can fetch up to R200 per piece. 'Bark stripping' not only destroys ancient, seed-bearing trees but also disrupts the forest's natural ability to regenerate. To help prevent further destruction, South African National Parks (SANParks) has begun applying grey water-based PVA paint to the trunks of at-risk trees. This non-toxic coating discourages bark collectors by making the bark undesirable for traditional use. At the same time, over 50 indigenous saplings – including species such as Cape Beech, Cape Holly, and Wild Almond – are being planted along the Woodcutters Trail at Newlands Forest. In July 2024, SANParks, in partnership with the Cape Research Centre and Biodiversity Special Project, launched a seedling programme funded by the French Government and Agence Francaise de Developpement. Seeds were carefully collected and grown to seedling and sapling stage. 'The rehabilitation initiative is necessary due to the effects of illegal and unsustainable bark stripping that has occurred in the forest,' SANParks said in a statement. 'The strategy includes intelligence gathering, law enforcement actions, and proactive solutions such as painting of mature trees, seed collection and planting of trees in affected areas.' SANParks are also working with traditional healers to create awareness and find a sustainable solution. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

The South African

14 hours ago

• The South African

12-hour power outage to impact this part of Cape Town on Thursday

The City of Cape Town electricity and generation teams will implement a 12-hour power outage to maintain essential electricity infrastructure in Lwandle, Strand. The maintenance work will be carried out from 6:00 to 18:00 on Thursday, 26 June, if all goes to plan, resulting in electricity supply interruptions. The City of Cape Town said it is important to note that interruptions to the electricity supply will only impact the highlighted area on the maps and only on the relevant date. To view the area outage map, you can visit: Similarly, Eskom will also implement a seven-hour power outage to maintain essential electricity infrastructure in Atlantis on Thursday, 26 June from 8:30 to 16:00. To view the area outage map, you can visit: Moreover, the City of Cape Town has warned that electricity supply could be restored at any time and urged customers to treat all electrical installations as live for the full duration of the planned maintenance work. 'Residents are encouraged to switch off appliances as a precaution and to avoid damage caused by power surges when the power comes back on. 'The City of Cape Town apologises for any inconvenience caused and thanks residents for their cooperation and understanding,' the metro municipality said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.

IOL News

17 hours ago

• IOL News

The kindness of Harriet Bolton and clothing factory workers

Mrs Harriet Bolton worked tirelessly for the rights of workers in ensuring that they were appropriately paid and were able to receive worker benefits that developed into tertiary education bursaries. Image: Supplied MY WIFE'S matric results secured her a welcome bursary from the Garment Worker's Industrial Union (GWIU) that paid for her studies at the University of Durban-Westville. We are eternally grateful for that bursary that would completely alter the trajectory of my wife's future. In this journey of our life, a set of fortunate events, together with the hard work of clothing factory workers conspired to give us a better life that is a priceless gift to our children and their future. In that time of my mother-in-law working at the textile factory many women were able break that cycle of poverty that trapped our indentured ancestry for more than 100 years. In 100 years from 1860 to 1960, life's journey for the majority of South African Indians was a wretched existence. In a journal article, The 'Culture of Poverty' and the South African poor by Geoffrey H Waters in 1978, it was estimated that 64% of Indians living in South Africa, lived below the poverty datum line. Hopes to break that endless cycle of poverty was often dashed, as conditions to accelerate advancement was not conducive. Limited employment opportunities, apartheid era job reservation, successive world wars, colonial and apartheid era depredations together with depressed economies, all contrived to keep advancement at bay. The apartheid state expropriated prime urban land that ripped the heart away from people who lived in the Magazine & Railway Barracks, Mayville, Cato Manor, Block AK Greyville, etc. These people were forcibly removed to places like Chatsworth and Phoenix, 20 to 30 kilometres from their places of work. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ To account for the high cost of living, ladies in the new townships were now forced to work to make life bearable. The number of Indian women working in factories, especially in the garment industry, grew dramatically during the 1960s. While in 1951 only 1518 Indian women were employed in industry, by 1970 this grew to 13 530. Their wages were vital to survival in the new townships, where the demands of rent, electricity and the vast amount of modern consumer goods put pressure on the family's income. Crowds of women waited at bus stops leaving early in the morning and arriving late in the evening, still coming home to cook a family meal. They worked tirelessly in providing life's little luxuries like that Friday treat of queen cake that we couldn't wait to wolf down. The bursary that my wife secured was mainly due to the tenacity of a leading light for rights of textile factory workers found in the name of Harriet Bolton. She was married to Jimmy 'JC' Bolton who formed the Garment Worker's Industrial Union in 1934. By the time Mrs Bolton became General Secretary for the GWIU, Indian women started to enter the industry in significant numbers from 1960, while the number of Indian men employed in clothing factories, until then in the majority, started to decline. In 1965, membership of the GWIU was made up of 6 648 male workers and 6 715 female workers. By 1967 this had grown to 7582 female workers, while the number of males dropped to 6 420. Indian workers made up just over 79% of workers in the industry. Over the next three years, Harriet and the executive of GWIU attempted to install more democracy into union structures and improve contact with workers. The GWIU under the stewardship of Mrs Bolton worked tirelessly for the rights of workers in ensuring that they were appropriately paid and were able to receive worker benefits that developed into tertiary education bursaries that my wife became a recipient of. In the year of the Durban Strikes of 1973, Harriet Bolton was persecuted for her role on mobilising the masses in the fight for worker rights. Many others too have played a significant role in fighting for the rights of textile factory workers. Garment workers union activists Margaret Rajbally, Pregs Govender, Emma Mashinini and many others have contributed immensely to the plight of workers in an industry whose voices were not often heard. The lowering of trade barriers at the advent of democracy marked the start of the steep decline, if not the death, of industries such as the clothing, textile and footwear sectors that our parents had so tirelessly worked in. The chilly wind of globalization showed its fierce teeth that now see us buying clothing almost exclusively from foreign countries.