Luận văn: Trải nghiệm sinh viên mẹ đơn thân người Da đen tại UJ

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BLACK SINGLE STUDENT- MOTHERS AT UJ: MANAGING THE DEMANDS OF STUDYING AND PARENTING by Banele Masilela Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master’s in Social Impact Assessment in the Department of Sociology of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg supervised by Professor Kezia Batisai Co-supervisor: Professor Kammila Naidoo Date of Submission: September 2019 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To God be the glory! Thank you, Father for granting me the strength and guidance to successfully complete this dissertation. There are countless people to whom I would like to offer my sincere gratitude. I acknowledge my deepest thanks to my parents, Herbert Albert Masilela and Matseleng Julia Masilela, my siblings Nomvelo Prudence Masilela and Basetsana Nontando Moshoeshoe, my niece Sbahle Kanyezi Masilela and my brother Karabo Moshoeshoe. Thank you all for believing in me.

Your patience, love and support were integral to the completion of this dissertation. I also express my gratitude to Professor Kezia Batisai and Professor Kammila Naidoo for providing me with the necessary supervision and guidance, this has made the overwhelming task achievable. To Dr Nomkhosi Xulu-Gama, thank you so much for mentoring me and being there to support and guide me. I appreciated that you went out of your way all the time to assist me Ngiyabonga! I would like to thank Professor Tapiwa Chagonda for constantly lending an ear and offering sentiments of encouragement.

Lastly, to my study participants, thank you for sharing your time and experiences with me. I will be forever grateful. Without your willingness to open up your lives to me, none of this would have been possible. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” -Jeremiah 29:11.

Banele Masilela ii ABSTRACT Parenthood is a phase that brings major changes in the lives of men and women. While these changes should naturally be experienced by both parents, there is a growing population of single parents who are mothers. Young women are filtering into the university sphere and in the process are also becoming single student- mothers. Experiences and challenges of single student-mothers while they enter the university as mothers or become mothers while enrolled in a particular qualification remains obscure.

Single student-mothers studying towards their qualification face certain challenges while doing so. Therefore, assistance, guidance and support are expected to be provided by the family and the university as this can influence completion of their qualification and challenges will be experienced differently if there is support. There is inadequate literature that places emphasis on the experiences of student-mothers in South Africa therefore, the rationale of this study was to explore the experiences of single student-mothers within the context of South Africa and their experience of motherhood. International literature displays that single student- mothers are a population that exists within higher education institutions who at times require support, assistance and to be seen and incorporated in university policies.

Obtaining a qualification can provide a means of financial stability and independence for many student-mothers. The surge of father absence is mainly due to the disappointment of fathers in becoming primary caregivers to their children. The study seeks to understand the experiences and challenges that undergraduate single student-mothers tackle. Data for this qualitative study was collected utilising in-depth interviews in understanding the above-mentioned group.

A total of eight black single student-mothers amid the ages of 20 and 33 participated in this study. All participants were unmarried when data collection took place. Key findings for this study revealed that participants’ main source of support was from family; mainly the parents of the student-mother. Receiving maintenance was a challenge for most single student-mothers as biological fathers only played the role of ‘Instagram dad’ and were labelled as a ‘deadbeat dad’ as they do not actively play a role in their children’s lives.

The South African social grant is an aid used mostly by women in order to support their children. Those participants who receive the social grant use it for various things other than the basic needs of providing food and education for the recipients of the grant. iii Table of Contents AFFIDAVIT. iii CHAPTER ONE.

1 THE PERSISTENT ISSUE OF ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENT-MOTHERS IN SOUTH AFRICA .2 Problem statement and research question .4 Definition of key terms. 8 SINGLE STUDENT- MOTHERS’ EXPERIENCES: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE .2 Conceptualisation of the student-mother .1 Traditional versus non-traditional student.3 Balancing academic work and motherhood .1 Class positioning: an effect on parenting.2 The strain of motherhood and managing other roles.3 Single student-mothers and forming romantic relationships .4 Absent fathers and absent mothers .4 Sources of support.1 The family supporting the single student-mother.2 State support: financial assistance for student-mothers .3 Institutional support for single student-mothers .5 The decision to study further. 31 RESEARCHING SINGLE STUDENT- MOTHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG .3 Rationale of site selection .4 Selection of participants.2 Data collection tools. 42 EXPERIENCES OF SINGLE STUDENT- MOTHERS IN MANAGING ACADEMIC WORK AND MOTHERHOOD .3 The new age (grand)parents.4 Leaving home to go and study .1 Living away from home .3 Child forgets mother .5 Dad today, tomorrow gone .1 Disputes of acquiring maintenance .6 Financial boost to single student-mothers .1 Monetary assistance from family .2 The role of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) money .7 Securing my future for a better life .1 Compelled to procure a qualification .8 Challenges encountered within the university.1 Partial assistance from the university .3 Balancing the dual role.

69 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .2 Black African single student-mothers, balancing being a student and a mother .3 Perceptions regarding how the university is (or not) contributing to helping them as single student-mothers .4 Assistance from social groups and the institution .5 Applying theory to key findings .6 Recommendations for the University of Johannesburg .7 Suggestions for future research. 78 Annexure 1: Interview Guide. 89 vi Annexure 2: Ethical Clearance. 90 Annexure 3: Informed consent form.

92 vii CHAPTER ONE THE PERSISTENT ISSUE OF ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENT- MOTHERS IN SOUTH AFRICA 1.1 Introduction As high-school students move towards pursuing higher education after the completion of their secondary education, some of them enter the university as single mothers. Miriri, Ramathuba and Mangena-Netshikweta (2014) highlight that, Africa has the highest levels of adolescent pregnancies which can account for the population of single student-mothers within the university. Van der Reit, Corfe and Kubeka (2017) relate unplanned pregnancy leading to academic disruptions, and withdrawal from academic studies. Mngoma (2010) states that pregnancy amongst students is still a challenge that local schools are contending with.

Although campaigns and prevention measures have been put forward and teachings in the school play a role, teenage pregnancy1 rates continue to rise (Ramulumo and Pitsoe, 2013). Ntsoane, Mamogobo, Mothiba and Lekhuleni (2015) state that, teenage pregnancy weakness possibilities that a student will remain in school as a result of pregnancy. The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, stated that the 2015 Annual School Survey showed that 15,000 students fell pregnant during the academic year (Kubheka, 2015). Thus, it is not unusual to find first-time, first-year students entering the university already being mothers, as obtaining a qualification according to Pillow (2006) is no longer seen as a right for these young mothers but something that they ‘owe’ to society and their family.

Single student-mothers face numerous challenges. The path to higher education for women is still more likely to be interrupted by family life compared to that of a man (Lynch, 2008). They are often very young and are viewed as still growing up. Simultaneously, they also have to manage the dual role of being both a good parent and a good student.

Balancing these two roles can be difficult as the single student-mother has to consider what needs to be provided for 1 Teenage pregnancy- Young women between 13-19 years that are pregnant. 1 her children to reach their full potential and what she also needs to do to complete her tertiary education. The transition to parenthood or having that additional responsibility is a phase that marks a change in an individual’s life. This change could be embraced positively or negatively by parents of the student-mother, family and friends.

This change can mark the start of a journey that will be walked alone without a partner to help and co- parent along the way. This seems to be the case for most young women who fall pregnant and have unplanned pregnancies during higher education or tertiary studies. Teenage pregnancy is very prevalent in South Africa. Grant and Hallman (2006) state that 40% of women in South Africa become mothers by the age of 20.

This age group could possibly consist of these individuals who are in high school, or it could refer to university students. The affected women are not entirely economically active and usually need financial support from their families. This leads to a certain group of women who find themselves in a unique position of being a single mother and having multiple roles such as an employee, a mother and being a full-time student. While they try to manage their roles, they are faced with certain obstacles along the way.

Single mothers have certain obligations while taking care of a child which comes with tremendous responsibilities that can be accompanied by late nights, early mornings, changes in lifestyle and expenditure. There are several issues confronting single parents, especially young mothers, as they gain access to tertiary education and persist while at university. Each role can contribute to different factors, such as stress, anxiety and depression which might impact the overall experience. Van Rhijn and Lero (2014:545) affirm that “student parents are required to deal with multiple role demands as parents, students and workers.

Therefore, universities need to better understand this sub-population, to assist them to navigate the multiple roles as this can allow successful completion of their studies”. Single (student) mothers are a resilient population, a population that have had to withstand trying circumstances and have been able to recuperate from their circumstances and give new meaning to their lives. This study consequently gives particular attention to single student- mothers within the context of the University of Johannesburg (UJ), located in Gauteng, in order to understand their experiences.2 Problem statement and research question Springer, Parker and Leviten-Reid (2009:439) regarded parenthood as largely aimed at mothers and their cultural identities as women and care-givers. In the 21st century, black women globally are currently entering and furthering their knowledge and skills within academic institutions.

As the women enter higher education and self-development, this can lead to them having a competitive edge, enabling them to improve their lives and impact positively the wider community. Obtaining a higher education qualification can be a key strategy that leads to single student-mothers becoming educated and empowered in order for them to have a balanced and sustainable future to take care of themselves and their children. Through the attainment of qualifications, women are encouraged to assert their agency which can challenge male-dominated structures and institutions of power (Lee, 2013:181). Students who fall pregnant while doing their university studies are usually still determined to obtain a qualification despite the interruption due to pregnancy, childbirth or parenting, states Keninda (2013).