Family ties: blood is thicker than water

Abstract

In South Africa, there are concerns that traditional lines of support between generations (intergenerational solidarity) are weakening. Those born after the advent of democracy are often seen as less likely to support their older counterparts. But are such fears justified? Steven Gordon, Benjamin Roberts and Jare Struwig examine patterns of intergenerational solidarity within South African families. Intergenerational solidarity is one of the three key themes that has been established by the United Nations for the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family. This article investigates this trend in the South African context, using a detailed set of questions fielded to 2 547 participants during the 10th round of the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS) conducted in late 2012. These questions formed part of a larger questionnaire aimed at determining family-related values, preferences and dynamics. The survey was nationally representative of the nation's adult population (16 years and older) living in private households in the country's nine provinces.