Growing up in Soweto under the apartheid government, one thing that we noticed was the disintegration of the black family unit.

This was especially apparent when compared to white and Indian families in particular.

There was and, one might say, still is more stability and progress in ethnic groups that cherish and practise family life than those who don't.

The apartheid government promoted this state of affairs by creating migrant labour laws that separated black families by making husbands leave their wives and children in rural areas to live in single men's hostels in urban areas to eke out a living.

Our wishes and hopes then were that a majority-led government would include the building of black family units in general, and the African family unit in particular, as its priorities.

How wrong we were.

We have no less a person than our erstwhile president fathering babies everywhere, including with ladies young enough to be his grandchildren.

Culture is used as a defence for this behaviour.

It is said that a stable family unit is the building block of a functional society.

I urge the powers that be to start promoting a society that prides itself on good family values in order to acquire a progressive country.

James Ndhlovu

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