Andrea Chothia
Marius Brown ran 1 870km from Cape Town to Durban to raise awareness about absent fathers in South Africa.
According to Human Sciences Research Council chief research specialist Monde Makiwane, 32.73% of South African children have absent fathers, while 32.34% of them live with both parents and 2.27% have single fathers.
Brown, 45, a former fisher from Lambert’s Bay, was supported by Sonke Gender Justice’s MenCare SA programme, which focuses on child rights and positive parenting units.
MenCare SA manager Andre Lewaks said: “The breakdown of family systems in this country is far too common and it has serious dangers.”
Lewaks explained that children who grow up without fathers are less likely to finish school, and are more likely to grow up in poverty and be involved in crime, adding that it is also important for fathers to take paternity leave.
“Parenting requires stamina and Marius has the ability to apply his stamina for running towards being an active parent,” added MenCare SA’s global co-coordinator, Wessel van der Berg.
Brown and his wife divorced in 2003, and his children had to move back and forth between their parents. In 2008, Brown realised he “had to reposition himself as a father”.
He said he first did the city-to-city run in 2014 to win back his children’s trust. “It had brought us to a point where we could get to know one another again.”
During his recent run, Brown said he stopped in 43 towns along the way to interact with police and communities, discussing the issue around absent fathers.
He arrived in Durban on Saturday and the next day still managed to compete in the Comrades Marathon, finishing with a time of 10 hours 37 minutes.
Brown arrived back in Cape Town yesterday.