South Africa, Sept. 1 -- 87% of South Africans agree with the statement 'family over everything', but 71% believe the value of family has declined over recent decades. Women (63% definitely agree) are even more likely than men (58%) to say 'family over everything', reinforcing their role as key custodians of family life. Add to that 82% embracing chosen family over bloodlines, 75% calling for equal household responsibility between men and women, and 75% observing that young people lean on their parents more than ever, and what emerges is not a contradiction, but a picture of a society working hard to protect what it values most.

Who counts as family is changing

82% of respondents agree that 'you don't need to be blood to be family'. Wom...