Engaging Young Fathers in South Africa: The Role of Conjugal and Consanguineous Ties

The myth that young South African fathers play little role in raising their children is quickly being dispelled. Using rich longitudinal data on children (n=1,209) from the Cape Town area, we show that while only 26% of young fathers live with their children, over 60% of non-residential fathers maintain regular contact and provide financial support. Fathers’ engagement, however, is mediated by their relationship with the child’s mother (conjugal ties) and the child’s grandparents (consanguineous bonds). Men’s relationship with the child’s mother at the time of pregnancy largely determines co-residence, but has little impact on his contact with non-residential children. Strong bonds between mothers and maternal grandmothers diminish rates of fathers’ co-residence, while close ties between fathers and paternal grandmothers increases contact with non-residential children. Lastly, neither conjugal nor consanguineous bonds affect financial contributions, which are primarily dependent on men’s current economic situation. These findings illustrate the importance of conjugal and consanguineous ties and also challenge stereotypes about fathers’ relationships with non-residential children.