RC 260819Power FMKea Ncube
Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Relationships and family structures dominated the morning, with callers and guests arguing that modern partnerships are being reshaped by character, accountability and changing gender roles rather than the old nuclear model.
- 03:18
Marriage registrations fell to 102,337 in 2024, down 2.6% year on year and 28.5% from 2015, while 45.4% of children live with mothers only and 37.5% of households are nuclear.
- 03:20
The guests argued that many people now delay marriage and children rather than reject them, and that South African families have long included extended, blended and multi-generational caregiving structures.
- 05:19
Both guests said upbringing shapes adult relationships: children absorb parents’ conflict styles, ideas of “normal”, and whether they stay for the kids, so unlearning and therapy are needed.
- 05:37
Modern dating was framed as a test of character, not money: women were described as bringing their own financial and emotional strength, while men are under pressure to offer more than provision alone.
- 05:57
Callers pushed back on the idea that past generations never walked away, saying many marriages were abandoned informally through work migration, and that the real issue is choosing the right people to build with.