Restore dignity with land

THE damaged family structure in African societies is a result of the lack of land.

The 1913 Native Land Act not only caused enormous suffering and poverty to African people but it also eroded family values among the African people.

It directly gave birth to the migrant labour system, which saw a geographic disruption in African families.

The first secretary-general and founder member of the South African Native National Congress, which became the ANC, wrote:

“As a result of the passing of the Native Land Act groups of natives are seen in the different provinces seeking for new land. They have crossed over from the Free State into Natal into the Transvaal and from the Transvaal into British Bechuanaland.” (Native Life in South Africa, page 99).

The migrant labour system resulted in fatherless homes as fathers were in the city working in low-paying jobs and only returning home once a year.

The architects of apartheid made sure taverns were easily accessible to these migrant workers, which resulted in these men spending all their money in them, as a way of de-stressing because of the frustrating and appalling conditions they worked in and not sending any money home.

Fast forward 100 years, since the implementation of the Land Act in 2013 the South African Institute of Race Relations revealed that only 33% of children in South Africa live with both parents. A large percentage of these children are raised by single mothers and are most likely to be poor and black.

Today’s economic climate demands that both men and women work to supplement the income, so many black women leave their home towns in search of better prospects in the city.

These young women find themselves raising their kids in the city, alone, which contradicts the African saying: “It takes a village to raise a child.” In many cases these young women are single mothers who receive no help from their baby’s father.

These women are forced to take multiple low-paying jobs just to stay afloat and miss out on the most crucial time to form a bond with their baby.

With the pressure of motherhood and work there has been a significant rise in post-natal depression where mothers feel alone, anxious and tired, so they struggle to bond with and nurture their offspring.

Studies have shown that babies of mothers with post-natal depression may be significantly and negatively affected through its effect on the quality of the parentchild relationship.

The design of African culture and way of life was scientific even though undocumented and meant to be accommodating.

A new mother used to stay with her mother; the aunt and grandmother would help her take care of the new baby and share the responsibility of raising the child. With the lack of land, an asset that has always been central to the lives and well-being of African people, families are scattered and family members find themselves having to face life alone.

In 1943 psychologist Abraham Marlow in his hierarchy of human needs described love and a sense of belonging as basic human needs. He said food and shelter were the next most important to a sense of belonging.

African culture also took pride in the values of ubuntu and humility – we have lagged in progress because African people have always chosen to move together as a people with one vision.

The legacy of the 1913 Land

Act and apartheid is a damaged African family structure.

Family is the basic unit of any society. Societies are the extension of families. To correct social ills in society, one would have to start correcting social ills in families.

A damaged family structure leaves millions of children who grow up to be men and women with no sense of belonging. Now they are parents but since they lacked role models when they were growing up, they do not understand their role in a family.

Anywhere in the world povertystricken areas are mostly likely to have fatherless homes. South Africa is no exception and chances are most of these are black.

Research has shown that children who grow up with absent parents are most likely to have low self-esteem – which makes it harder for a black child to perform in school as well as their white counterparts and later compete in the job market equally.

Poverty has given rise to a lot of socio-economic challenges that affect us all, aggravated by crime.

We cannot fight poverty without addressing the land issue because the two cannot be separated. With the land we want to build homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, farms and factories.

For that we need a vibrant and dynamic society. A dynamic society is not without challenges but it’s where people have the will to face those. Dynamic challenges are an extension of a dynamic family.

Give the land back to the people and we will restore the dignity of the heads of families in African homes, restore the family values of African people and eradicate poverty.

Nelson Mandela said “overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of the fundamental human right to dignity and a decent life”. YOLANDA MHLUNGU

Ballito