Ramaphosa’s Women’s Day speech ‘a slap in the face’, say fathers’ rights activists

Fathers’ rights organisations and activists are angered by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech on Women’s Day, calling it a slap in the face for men fighting to see their children.

On Monday, Ramaphosa said in his address that the coronavirus pandemic had been harsh on women and children.

“When the growth in the economy stalls and developments are halted and the economy loses jobs, it’s the women who bear the brunt disproportionally,” he said.

However, Fathers 4 Justice founder Gary da Silva said he felt the president “was blaming us [all] for the violence and the abuse and neglect that 10% of the men of the population were guilty of”.

The president spoke about 70% of fathers being absent, while statistics by Fathers 4 Justice suggest that between 50% and 74% were being alienated by the so-called “child abuse divorce industry”.

Hunger strike father Solomon Mondlane said Ramaphosa’s claims needed to be challenged.

“For the past four years, you [Ramaphosa] have been receiving my e-mails as a desperate and frustrated father. You acknowledged many of them but you failed to act as a head of state.

“Your institutions, such as Legal Aid South Africa, department of social development, office of the family advocate, office of the public protector, South African Human Rights Commission, CMR and the children’s courts are a course for absent fathers, not fathers or men,” Mondlane said.

He wrote to the president this week and said he again got the automated response.

Castro Musinyali, chair of We are Fathers We are Parents forum, said the address muted the truth.

“With all information available to him, he betrayed us. But, as usual, he speaks to be relevant to the audience,” he said.

“He is affirming that stereotype we worry about, that the 70% stats, if not dissected, misrepresents all fathers as deadbeat – yet some are being alienated.”

Musinyali said fathers continued to be reduced to ATMs, whose responsibilities were to provide finance to raise children but not be physically present.

“Women are not held responsible for preventing fathers from raising their children as punishment, too,” he said.

“If the government cares about the welfare of children and their future, they must establish a commission of inquiry to probe violations of the best interests of the child, causes and consequences,” he said.