Teenage Tata: Voices of Young Fathers in South Africa

Presenting a fresh and in-depth portrait of impoverished young South African men who became fathers while teenagers, this examination allows their articulate and impassioned voices to be heard amidst the outcry against the absence of fathers. Offering insights into young fathers’ personal, emotional, financial, and cultural struggles as they come to terms with fatherhood, this study highlights their strong sense of responsibility, depicting poignant accounts of emotional engagement with their children and the women in their lives and analyzing the motivating power of their own absent fathers on their parenting intentions. Touching on their desire for sex and relationship education from male family members and their clear recognition of the help they need, this qualitative study draws from numerous interviews in the informal settlements and townships around Cape Town and Durban, offering methodological innovations and showcasing how social networks offer great potential for both research and intervention.