projects

Direct Intervention and Mediation — Albert Dayile

aims
The prevailing culture of violence, conflicts, and lack of tolerance and understanding in the Western Cape continue to be a major issue. Developing sound community interventions in conflict flash points requires creative conflict handling strategies. Part of conflict prevention strategy is to provide leadership and mediation training so communities are able to understand and handle conflicts at grassroots level. An important element of our method involves seeing a process through to its conclusion.

activities
The demand for family and community mediation has been increasing — marital and family problems, disagreements between neighbours and issues around land and housing. Many cases concern benefit claims from provident funds, pensions, road motor accident and unemployment insurances, and are starting to have positive results. Our intervention is frequently needed because of misunderstandings around language and `the way to do things'.

We interviewed schools about anti-crime initiatives for research carried out for the Western Cape Education Department. We are in a complex mediation process around development at the informal settlement of Vrygrond.

context
We work in the townships and informal settlements typified by inadequate sanitary facilities, scarce water supply points, few health or recreational facilities, and no employment opportunities.

Pressure on scarce housing is created by the influx of unskilled work seekers from other areas for non-existent jobs. These become sources of conflict as communities get poorer and crime and violence continue to thrive. Peaceful means of resolving conflicts are unknown to many, as they have become used to a cycle of violence for survival. Women and child abuse is on the increase.

The period before the national elections was marked by political intolerance which led to unnecessary deaths, instability and insecurity.

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