For actor Patrick Seleka, fatherhood is about more than providing for his children. It is also about creating a home where they feel loved, protected and confident enough to ask for help when life becomes difficult.
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The Skeem Saam star, who plays Katlego ‘Kat’ Petersen in the popular SABC drama, recently reflected on his approach to parenting during a podcast conversation with Richy B. As reported by Daily Sun, his comments centred on the responsibility parents have to teach children about love, boundaries and having a safe place to return to.
Skeem Saam itself is known for exploring family life, relationships and the challenges young people face as they grow into adulthood.
Teaching children about safety
Seleka said he wants his daughters to understand that home should always be somewhere they can turn to, particularly if they encounter threatening or abusive behaviour.
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His message speaks to an important parenting principle: children need to know which trusted adults they can approach when something feels wrong. Open communication can help children recognise unhealthy behaviour and seek support rather than feeling isolated.
For parents, this can mean having age-appropriate conversations about personal boundaries, respect, consent and what to do if someone makes them feel unsafe.
As reported by Kaya959, Seleka has also previously conveyed heartfelt and genuine hopes for his daughter’s future.
Learning and growing
Seleka also reflected on how easily people can become distracted by life, work and personal struggles, potentially losing sight of their responsibilities to those closest to them.
His comments suggest that fatherhood is an ongoing journey of self-reflection. Rather than presenting parenting as something a person simply masters, he highlighted the importance of recognising mistakes, learning from difficult periods and continuing to grow.
For Seleka, being a father means being present and making sure his children know they are loved, supported and never without a place to turn.
Also see: Fatherhood unfiltered: The highs and lows of being a dad in SA
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