Apartheid policies had devastating effects on family life in South Africa and the creation of homelands and forced resettlement together with migratory labour policies strained and disrupted family relations. Recognising this, and the importance of families, the Programme to Support Pro Poor Development (PSPPD) financially supported a project that focussed on better understanding patterns of family cohesion and values in South Africa using data from the 2012 round of the South African Social Attitude Survey (SASAS). The intention of the project was to design evidence-based policies that serve to strengthen and promote the well-being of South African families.