In Western society the traditional roles of man as breadwinner and woman as caregiver have become blurred. However, they still apply quite strictly in many cultures and remain relatively entrenched in South Africa.
Discrimination against women in the workplace is forbidden and the pay parity gap is closing quickly. Therefore ongoing disparities between men and women in overall financial position and financial literacy must largely be the result of this lingering differentiation of roles, especially among older generations.
For example, if a woman takes a few years out of her career to care for her newborn children,