South Africa has an exceptionally high number of absent fathers. Approximately
half of the children in the county are living without daily contact with their fathers,
which is assumed to have dire social and economic consequences for them, their
families and communities. Despite growing societal interest in the phenomenon
of absent fathers, social and family policies are silent about the role of men or fathers in a highly feminised, familial and community centred welfare and care
regime. This article explores factors that contribute to father absence from their
own standpoint. It draws on focus group discussions with absent fathers in four
urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa. Factors, such as materialist
constructions of fatherhood and masculinity, as well as socio-economic, cultural and
relational factors, provide some insight into the phenomenon. Although the findings
were exploratory, they nevertheless raise important questions about reforming care
policies in both the private and public spheres to meet the dual challenges of care
and gender equality in a Southern context.