South Africa: the "gogos", those who are new mothers [1/5]

Audio 02:26

The grandmothers, the “gogos” can exchange with each other, during a workshop led by the organization “GogogoGo” in the township of Alexandra, in Johannesburg in South Africa.

© RFI/Claire Bargelès with the collaboration of the International Women's Media Foundation

By: Claire Bargelès Follow

3 mins

The “gogos” are one of the pillars of South African society.

These grandmothers sometimes carry their families at arm's length thanks to their small job or their retirement.

The first part of our series focuses on the role of mothers that these "gogos" very often have to play again with their grandchildren.

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This story is supported by a grant from

the International Women's Media

Foundation 

If about twenty grandmothers gathered this morning in the township of Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, it was to talk about a difficult subject to broach: "

How to raise the question of sexual relations with your grandchildren ?

 “ Jane Simmonds, at the origin of the project, tries to play down the discussion: “ 

Well, how many of you are afraid to talk about sex?

It's uncomfortable, isn't it!

 »

Nearly three million South African children are raised solely by their grandparents.

At 60, Joyce has been taking care of her 14-year-old grandson on her own since birth thanks to some social assistance, following the death of her daughter.

She is happy to be able to talk to other grandmothers.

Yes it helps me, because the others, they are exactly like me, they are also raising their grandchildren.

It is us, the "gogos", who will allow our families to remain united.

Even my son once told me that if I wasn't there, he doesn't know where they would be.

It's a bit like hens herding and protecting their chicks. 

»

9% of the population is over 60 years old

In South African society, the role played by “gogos” – a term for grandmothers in several local languages ​​– is rarely recognized, despite the country having a growing proportion of elderly people compared to the rest of the continent. , with 9% of the population being over 60 years old.

For these women, the fact of having to complete the role of mothers is sometimes a heavy burden.

At 70, Dudu has to take care of her cancer-stricken husband, and help her daughters raise her grandchildren aged 19, 17 and 14, while their fathers are away.

The second, she is already pregnant.

It's really very hard.

This big responsibility weighs on my shoulders, and I also have asthma, and high blood pressure.

So it's a lot of stress for me, but I try to make everything go as well as possible.

 »

The captain of the Springboks Siya Kolisi, Julius Malema, the leader of the radical left, or the DJ Black Coffee, all were raised by their grandmothers.

Jane Simmonds of the organization "Gogogogo" explains why this situation is so common.

In the 1990s, AIDS killed many South Africans in their thirties, so orphans were raised by their grandmothers after their parents died.

But now, it's mainly because the parents are absent.

Either they work a lot all day,

or the children stay in the countryside with their grandmothers, while the parents live in the city.

These grandmothers are a source of stability for the grandchildren, a source of cohesion for the family, and they play a role of solidarity within the communities.

 »

The association also offers these grandmothers workshops to better use technological tools, and to be more connected with their grandchildren.

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  • South Africa