SA TO BECOME FIRST AFRICAN COUNTRY TO INTRODUCE SHARED PARENTAL LEAVE

Sat 11 October 2023:

South Africa will become the first African nation to introduce shared parental leave following a high court ruling that both parents must have the right to time off after the birth of their child or if they adopt a child. According to a report by The Guardian on Friday (Nov 10), the judgement allows parents to choose how to divide four months of parental leave between them.

Politicians now have two years to refine and develop the law, the report said.

Till now, mothers were given a leave of four months while fathers/partners were allowed a leave of a maximum of 10 days. Campaigners hailed judgement by calling it a “significant milestone.”

“It raises the bar on leave for parents in a wonderful way. I’m thrilled our law is becoming more in line with our constitution,” Wessel van den Berg from gender equality organisation Equimundo said.

Berg, who is the MenCare officer at the organisation, said that the judgement highlighted a need for further reforms to align this policy (shared parental leave) with the reality of life in South Africa.

Nkululeko Mbuli, a communications strategist at Embrace (a social movement for mothers), told the publication that while this leave was a move in the right direction, it still shortchanged mothers.

Mbuli said that the judgement placed the responsibility for leaving with individuals rather than building a caring system. She pointed out that unemployed those working in insecure employment were left out.

Parental leaves across Africa range from 8-14 weeks. However, some countries only allow two to three days of leave.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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