Family matters: an overview of family values and preferences

The South African government introduced a series of legislative and policy reforms aimed at promoting stronger, more cohesive families after 1994. Yet much remains to be understood about the varied effects this political change has had on family life and attitudes. In this article, Benjamin Roberts, Steven Gordon and Jarè Struwig present initial findings from one of the first national family surveys to be conducted in the country. Data for the study come from the 10th round of the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), which was conducted in late 2012 by the HSRC. The survey round included a dedicated questionnaire on family structure, family-related roles and values, as well as policy preferences. With financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, the survey was administered to a nationally representative sample of 2 547 respondents, aged 16 years and older, living in private households.