Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2-minute read
01 August 2023 | 16:45 CAT

Image: Khulisa.org.za

South African NGOs who have played an instrumental role in rebuilding peace and social cohesion following the July 2021 civil unrest report that dialogue circles are important in preventing future unrest and violence.

Khulisa has been working with grassroots NGOs to capacitate facilitators in peace-making and mediation skills that consider each community’s unique social needs.

“However, the skills and recognition of grassroots NGOs are not recognized. While there are many NGOs doing so much amazing work, but because they have not had sufficient training and are not properly funded, the NGOs are not taken seriously,” says the managing director of Khulisa Social Solutions, Lesley Ann van Selm.

According to van Selm, from interventions with 150 ex-offenders over the past year, we found that they have all been victims of abuse and violence. This reveals that many men do not have a safe space to report their experiences or discuss their trauma with others. This often leads to a build-up of anger and inadequate coping mechanisms, sometimes leading to violent behaviour. During our dialogue circles, we aim to create these safe spaces for experience sharing and discussing sensitive topics like individual trauma.

“Restorative justice and peacebuilding should not only be a response mechanism that is implemented after bouts of civil unrest. If we only take a ‘responsive’ approach, we will always be addressing the symptoms of the social inequalities and injustices that exist in our society,” says Lesley Ann van Selm, managing director of Khulisa Social Solutions. “What we need as a country is to implement a preventative approach that is inclusive and looks at the root causal factors of civil unrest and violence,” she added.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie.