On Saturday, 28 February 2026, Africa Unite hosted a three-day Community Conflict Mediation training session with 34 participants from Ndifuna Ukwazi’s inner-city leadership and members of occupied housing movements in Cape Town. Ndifuna Ukwazi works to challenge the legacy of spatial apartheid in Cape Town by advocating for equitable access to land and dignified housing. The workshop took place at Ahmed Kathrada House, a building currently occupied by members of the housing justice movement Reclaim the City. The workshop brought together young people and senior community members representing different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, including Afrikaans-speaking and isiXhosa-speaking communities. 

Disagreements can arise within these shared living environments, making community conflict mediation skills essential for maintaining cohesion and accountability. The purpose of the workshop was to help participants understand their community environment and the foundational concepts and tools of conflict mediation. A second session will focus on the role of the mediator and practical exercises, including developing a community profile and an implementation plan for initiating mediation processes within the occupied houses.

Activities and Learning Sessions

During the discussions, participants agreed that conflict cannot simply be labelled as good or bad. Rather, it is a constant feature of social life that must be managed constructively. The session explored several tools that mediators can use when addressing disputes, including:

• Understanding sources of conflict through active listening 
• Recognising power relations within communities
• Utilizing reflection tools such as the Action Reflection Learning Wheel

Participants examined different forms of power dynamics, including:

• Power over: authority or control exercised over others
• Power with: collaborative and collective power
• Power to: the ability to act and create change
• Power within: personal confidence and self-awareness

Listening to the Three Sides of a Story

A central concept was that every conflict contains three sides to the story. The exercises focused on different forms of listening to maintain neutrality and empathy when mediating disagreements:

• Listening with the head: understanding facts and context
• Listening with the heart: recognising emotions and experiences
• Listening with the legs: taking thoughtful and constructive action

Community Issues Raised During the Workshop

Participants shared real examples of tensions affecting daily life in the occupied houses. Some residents reported situations where personal belongings such as washing basins were taken without permission. Others highlighted power struggles within the movement, where founding members or senior leaders sometimes exert strong influence over decision-making and living arrangements. Miscommunication was identified as a recurring challenge, particularly when members do not attend meetings and instead rely on second-hand information from others. Also, participants raised concerns about disrespectful communication, including the use of vulgar language during disagreements, which makes constructive dialogue more difficult. 

Participant Reflections and Outcomes  

The workshop produced several outcomes that will form the foundation for future training sessions. 

First, participants recognised that conflict is a normal and ongoing part of community life and that it must be addressed through structured and constructive processes. 

Second, the session provided a valuable platform for participants to voice frustrations and long-standing concerns related to tensions within the occupied houses. Many described the workshop as an important opportunity to develop greater patience and reflect on challenges that had previously been difficult to discuss openly.

Overall, participants emphasised the importance of taking ownership of conflict resolution. The discussions concluded with a shared commitment to developing a structured, community-based mediation process that can help address conflicts more effectively moving forward.

Next Steps

Participants recommended establishing a small mediation committee within the occupied houses that reflects the diversity of the community. This committee would help coordinate mediation processes and ensure accountability.

Future work will focus on:

• Developing a written mediation framework tailored to the occupation context
• Strengthening mediation skills through role-play exercises and case discussions
• Creating clear communication platforms for dialogue and conflict reporting
• Mapping leadership structures and recurring conflict patterns
• Integrating human rights education and socio-emotional learning into community training

Africa Unite plans to conduct a follow-up session within 6-8 weeks to review progress and support participants as they begin implementing these mediation tools. Through trainings like these, Africa Unite continues to support communities in building practical skills for conflict resolution. In environments shaped by housing insecurity and social inequality, strengthening community mediation is an important step toward greater stability, dignity, and social cohesion.