IsiXhosa-speaking Single Mothers’ Experiences of Intlawulo (paying the damages)

Abstract

Almost half of all South African mothers between the ages of 25 and 34 are never-married single mothers, with most of these single mothers belonging to the African population. Single mothers face various challenges. Cultural customs, such as intlawulo, or “paying the damages”, may add to the complexities of single motherhood. Past research has not dealt with single mothers’ direct experiences of this custom within the Xhosa culture. Consequently, this study’s research question is: What are IsiXhosa-speaking single mothers’ experiences of intlawulo? Twelve IsiXhosa-speaking single mothers from the Cape Town metropole, South Africa were recruited through non-probability snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and the data were analysed thematically. The participants’ experiences of intlawulo varied greatly and were often contingent upon whether their partners had acknowledged paternity and/or paid intlawulo to their family. Positive experiences included improvements in self-esteem, positive emotions, and improvements in relationships and communication amongst the families. Participants whose partners had neither paid intlawulo nor acknowledged paternity generally reported negative experiences of the custom. These findings hold practical and social relevance within the South African context, as premarital pregnancies, and the practice of intlawulo, affect individuals and entire families.