New research suggests that many South African parents struggle to initiate conversations with their young children about apartheid, with most saying they only discuss the topic when their children ask questions.
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More than three decades after the end of apartheid, South African families are still grappling with how to talk to children about the regime’s intergenerational trauma.
A collaborative study by researchers from the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the University of the Free State and the University of Missouri in the US found that many parents do not initiate conversations about apartheid and its psychological impact.
Instead, they often wait for their children to ask questions or raise the subject after encountering it at school, in the media or through personal experiences of racism.
Published in the Journal of Family Communication, the study explored how parents from the four racial groups classified under apartheid – Black, White, Coloured and Indian – discuss the country’s painful history with their children.
Researchers interviewed 22 parents for the study.
The researchers said apartheid’s legacy continues to shape South African society, with its trauma potentially having lasting mental, physical and relational effects across generations, including stress, anxiety, uncertainty and family dysfunction.
The study identified four broad approaches used by parents: responding, empowering, shielding and recognising progress.
Parents who adopted a responsive approach generally waited for their children to ask questions or raise something they had learned or experienced. These conversations were often unplanned and shaped by the child’s age and understanding.
An empowering approach involved teaching children about apartheid and its injustices to encourage empathy, an appreciation of diversity and a commitment to a more equal society. Parents shared family experiences and historical facts in the hope that their children would learn from the past.
Some parents instead adopted a shielding approach, limiting what they told their children to protect them from the emotional pain associated with apartheid. In some cases, parents delayed discussions until they believed their children were mature enough to understand the subject.
Most parents also emphasised recognising progress, acknowledging apartheid’s continuing effects while encouraging children to appreciate how far South Africa has come since democracy.
Researchers said family conversations play an important role in shaping how younger generations understand identity, race, fairness and belonging.
They said storytelling could help families have honest, age-appropriate discussions that acknowledge painful experiences while encouraging hope and empathy.
Such conversations could also help equip young people to learn from the past and contribute to a more inclusive future.
IOL
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