Online Reporter
Langelihle Dube, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
TODAY, countries the world over, including those in Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, celebrate Father’s Day, a day observed annually on the third Sunday of June.
Typically, Father’s Day is a celebration honoring fathers, father figures and paternal bonds, as well as their influence in society and the family.
It is a fun, family-oriented day, often marked by breakfast in bed, barbecues or outdoor gatherings and thoughtful gifts and heartfelt messages from children to their dads.
But for comedian “Q Dube” (born Nqobizitha Mitchel Dube), this day serves as a painful reminder, a spotlight on the heartbreak of not being able to see his son, who turns one later this year.
This raw emotion surfaced during a recent episode of the popular South African comedy talk show, People Need Comedy, hosted by Mpho Popps, Tsitsi Chiumya and Farieda Metsileng, with Thabiso Mhlongo and Shanray Abrahams working their magic behind the scenes.
Q Dube appeared as a guest on one of the most memorable episodes.
It began in the usual light-hearted fashion, full of banter and clever digs. As the discussion deepened, the Zimbabwe-born entertainer, now based in South Africa and known for his work in stand-up comedy, television, radio, acting, voice-over work and MC duties, opened up about what prompted his move across the Limpopo.
“I felt like I had hit the ceiling in Zim,” he said.
But things took an unexpected emotional turn when the conversation moved toward fatherhood and the personal challenges Q Dube faces. Now a rising star in South Africa’s comedy scene appearing on several adverts, Q revealed a very personal and heart-breaking issue — restricted access to his child, a son he sired with a South African woman.
He shared how, despite multiple attempts to reach out, he has only seen his child once since his birth.
He has been using his social media platforms to raise awareness of his situation, hoping to shed light on the struggles many fathers silently endure.
“The relationship (between him and his baby mama) was already shaky. I think for me, it was more of a cultural difference and there was a little mix up. You know, in our culture when you impregnate someone, you have to talk the issue out and usually, it’s the girl’s family that initiates the conversation. So, we tried to initiate the conversation because she’s coloured, and maybe that’s not what they do, but we wanted to come and take responsibility,” Q shared during the interview.
When host Mpho Popps asked Q what caused the breakdown of the relationship, he laid it out.
“So, relationships aren’t perfect, there’s a reason we broke up. I printed out all of our chats from the day we started talking until the last message I sent, which had no reply and I gave it to my lawyer. I asked him to tell me if there’s anything there in terms of him justifying the situation.”
His lawyer told him: “If you deleted some chats, I don’t know. But here, yes, you guys weren’t perfect, but I don’t understand how we are here.”
Asked about the issue of paternity and DNA testing, Q said he attempted to arrange for the test but his ex-partner never showed up.
“They didn’t pitch up. I drove back to Kimberley to go do a DNA, and they didn’t pitch.”
Despite the tension, Q is careful not to accuse or generalise the maternal family unfairly.
“I can’t put that ‘racism’ on them. Because I never experienced that. If that’s what’s happening, then I don’t know it.
When I met her brothers, they were cool. I hadn’t met her mom yet. So I think in the fight, I need to also be fair and not put that on them.”
Still, he admits the issue continues to weigh heavily on him. He spoke emotionally about how this experience has tested him mentally and emotionally.
He credits Thabiso, one of the show’s producers, for holding him up when he felt like falling.
“One person who held my hand was Thabiso,” he said, adding that the comedy community became a refuge, embracing him at his lowest and helping him avoid “crashing out”.
His story resonated deeply with the hosts and production team. Both Shanray Abrahams and Tsitsi Chiumya shared similar personal experiences, revealing that this is not an isolated issue. It is a wider reality, one that includes cross-cultural misunderstandings, toxic co-parenting dynamics and systemic barriers that often go unspoken in male spaces.
Host, Mpho Popps closed the segment with a call to action that struck a chord, especially for men walking a similar path.
“As gents, we need to be there for each other. We need to learn to be there for each other. Because I feel like girls have a system, bro. I’ve seen when a woman becomes emotional… Even before the tear hits the cheek, there is already a hand on her back. There’s already a tissue out.”
This episode was more than entertainment. It was a reminder: that fatherhood, particularly when compounded by immigration, race, cultural difference and strained relationships, can be deeply isolating. But it doesn’t have to be.
All Q wants is to see his child, not to fight, not to accuse, just to be present.
Let this Father’s Day not only celebrate those who are active in their children’s lives, but also acknowledge and advocate for those still fighting to be seen, heard and allowed in.
