We all know the statistics. Almost half of SA children live in homes that for various reasons are fatherless. In fact, it's so well known that one South African detergent manufacturer decided to highlight that fact on - yup, you guessed it - Father's Day, of all days.
I'm not disputing that fact, and I'm not arguing that it is not incredibly problematic. We know that kids from single-parent households are more likely to fall victim of a plethora of social ills.
But here's the problem - you aren't going to inspire the current generation of new dads by taking a day that is supposed to celebrate them, and turn it into something negative.
Look, that may be what you, as an individual, want to say. You might want to thank your mother or grandmother or whoever else took on the father role in your life - and you would be completely correct to do so. My concern is when a major brand decides to use a day where great dads should be highlighted, and uses it to dismiss them.
What we should be saying is that although there definitely is a crisis in fatherhood in South Africa, there are still good dads out there...and you CAN be one too.
When you are trying to change the way fatherhood happens in this country, as many fathers I know are doing, and then see an ad, on Father's Day, effectively telling you that you don't exist - that is MASSIVELY disheartening.
It's discouraging and negative and exactly what fathers in SA don't need.
What they need are messages like these, that people from across the country posted about their dads on the AfroDaddy Facebook Page (click here to go to the actual post)