NEW ORGANISATION LAUNCHED TO ADDRESS PATERNITY DISPUTES

MBABANE - A novel organisation has been launched in Eswatini, aimed at addressing the complex and often devastating issues surrounding paternity disputes.

The Anti-Fabricated Paternity Organisation has been established by Phumlani Vilane (27). Vilane said the formation of the organisation was born of the strife and personal experience which he experienced while growing up.

This, he said, coupled with the daily tragedies within his vicinity and the sad human interest stories narrated by the media of how children without having a choice in life, are extinguished by aggrieved parents.

Vilane said he intends to provide support and resources to individuals grappling with the emotional and financial fallout of such situations, in an effort to mitigate gender-based violence (GBV), suicides and domestic challenges.

Assist

He said the aim of his entity is to assist children avoid the trauma and being the recipients of violence while they are clueless about the ‘sins’ of their parents. Vilane said the organisation was formed in December 2024 and it was registered with the Registrar of Companies.

He said it is worth noting that this was a response to a growing number of cases, where men have discovered they were unknowingly raising children who were not biologically theirs, while women found themselves at crossroads at instances.

It is worth noting that the genesis of the organisation is also interlinked to the litany of excuses shared at the various magistrates courts in the kingdom where concerns have been raised regarding the financial burden placed on men during maintenance proceedings, where many claimed they were unable to afford the necessary paternity tests to establish biological parentage.

Vilane said the organisation has plans to offer a range of services, including access to affordable paternity testing, counselling support for affected individuals and families and advice regarding maintenance and child custody.

He expressed hope that by providing these resources, the organisation will contribute to a more equitable and just resolution of paternity disputes, ultimately reducing the incidence of GBV and promoting healthier family dynamics.

Supportive

“We believe that by addressing these issues proactively, we can create a safer and more supportive environment for all members of the community. It is essential that both men and women have access to the resources they need to navigate these challenging situations,” Vilane said.

He noted the financial barriers faced by many survivors, as DNA testing can be prohibitively expensive. DNA paternity tests provide accurate determination of a child’s biological father. These tests can be conducted both during pregnancy and after childbirth. Most tests involve a simple cheek swab to collect genetic material.

The cost of a DNA paternity test at Biolab Mbabane is E2 850, while in South Africa; Easy DNA offers tests starting from E2 695. This price difference highlights the potential financial burden faced by individuals in Eswatini seeking to establish paternity. However, despite this positive quest and contribution to the challenge faced by society, Vilane said the organisation has been experiencing funding challenges.  He said subsequent to registration, he has been seeking funding from various entities in order to deliver on his pursuit; however, for now, he said these efforts had fallen through.

Depicting the need for DNA testing, recently Director of Kwakha Indvodza, Sonic Dlamini, said DNA testing held merits for families, aiding in ancestral tracing and confirming paternal lineage.

He emphasised that such tests could alleviate the future trauma of financial and emotional loss for men unknowingly raising another’s child, and prevent children from experiencing the distress of surname changes and severed paternal bonds.

However, he cautioned that negative test outcomes could escalate family disputes and domestic violence, stressing the importance of expert handling of results, considering family dynamics and child welfare.  

Dlamini highlighted the financial barrier to accessing DNA testing, urging the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to consider making it more affordable.

He expressed concern that questionable paternity often lead to homicides and suicides, advocating for peaceful resolutions and prioritising children’s safety. He also called for DNA service providers to offer manageable payment terms for the less privileged.

On the other hand, the Director of One Billion Rising, Colani Hlatjwako, echoed Dlamini’s concerns, saying her organisation had encountered numerous GBV survivors traumatised by paternity disputes.

She said the emotional harm inflicted on children discovering they were not biologically related to their families, and the retaliatory abuse some fathers perpetrate.

Hlatjwako emphasised the importance of maternal honesty and transparency regarding children’s origins and advocated for government intervention to make DNA testing accessible and affordable, ideally at birth.

Acknowledged

However, she acknowledged the practical difficulties of obtaining DNA samples from fathers who abscond.

Meanwhile, the initiative by the Anti-Fabricated Paternity Organisation is against the backdrop of GBV cases having increased to 4 700 cases as per the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) Annual Report ended January 31, 2025.

This is an increment of 341 cases when compared to the same period where they were 4 359 in 2023. This illustrates an increase of eight per cent from the previous year. Also, to deal with the issues of parenting of children, the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), Thulisile Dladla, launched a programme to strengthen family bonds. It is worth noting that the DPM’s Office is mandated by the Constitution of 2005 to ensure citizens’ right to social protection, oversees social welfare, children’s affairs, gender and family matters, disability services and disaster management.  The office occupied by Dladla has a mission to establish a comprehensive social protection system that ensures vulnerable emaSwati lead dignified lives with security and resilience against socio-economic challenges.

Maintenance

Noteworthy is that the Children’s Prtotection and Welfare Act 2012 states that a parent or any other person who is legally liable to maintain a child or contribute towards the maintenance of the child is obligated to provide basic necessities such as food, clothing, health, life, education and reasonable shelter for the child. When launching the programme, the DPM said they are aware that some fathers will have different kinds of excuses.  “For example, one would say he wasn’t aware that he had a child as most of them don’t impregnate these girls intentionally they just do it and not consider the consequences,” said Dladla.

“Some people get these children out of wedlock and become scared to take the child home with the fear of the wife, so it is going to be a private case if he opens up and tells us the real reasons,” asserted Dladla.

For the excuses of uncertain paternity the fathers will be told to take responsibility and pay for a DNA test if they want.

“There are also other NGOs that can help them do the DNA and provide them with the funding,” said Dladla.

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