What South Africans need from political leaders is a commitment to peace

This statement from the Violence Prevention Forum, published by the Institute for Security Studies, argues that South Africa requires ethical leadership and a commitment to violence prevention to achieve a just and inclusive peace. It highlights a disconnect between a pervasive public narrative of violence and the reality that most South Africans desire unity and are actively working to improve their communities through local interventions.

• Despite political shifts following the May 2024 elections, a 2023 finding by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation indicates that 77% of South Africans, regardless of race or class, believe there are more factors that unite the population than those that keep them apart.
• The Violence Prevention Forum asserts that violence hinders societal development and the ability to address critical issues such as unemployment, education, and healthcare. The forum argues that the solution to these challenges lies in violence prevention rather than increased policing.
• Analysis of eight million social media posts from March 2023 to March 2024 by the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change reveals that South Africans often accept violence as a means to resolve conflict or punish criminals. Additionally, bullying is widespread among both adults and children, and discussions on structural violence, such as affirmative action and land redistribution, remain racially polarised.
• The document identifies several successful local initiatives that counter the narrative of inherent violence: monthly dialogues in Hoekwil and Touwsranten (Western Cape) to improve safety and services; parenting interventions by Ububele in Alexandra (Gauteng) to raise emotionally healthy adults; and regenerative agriculture and conflict transformation training by Phaphama Initiatives in the Vhembe District Municipality (Limpopo).
• The Violence Prevention Forum calls on the Government of National Unity to adopt ethical leadership that acknowledges past and present harms and utilizes evidence-based strategies to build a peaceful and prosperous country.

APA

Gould, C., Clark, D., Bengu, S., Watson, P., Shai, N. J., Machabaphala, T., Dippenaar, W., Connors, J., Mzaku, T., Strugnell, J.-L., Newham, G., Mazibuko, A., Mokgothu, S., Moraka, K., & Dingiswayo, N. (n.d.). What South Africans need from political leaders is a commitment to peace. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/what-south-africans-need-from-political-leaders-is-a-commitment-to-peace

Chicago

Gould, Chandré, Dellene Clark, Senzekile Bengu, Patricia Watson, Nwabisa Jama Shai, Thato Machabaphala, Wilmi Dippenaar, et al. What South Africans need from political leaders is a commitment to peace. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/what-south-africans-need-from-political-leaders-is-a-commitment-to-peace.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Gould |first1=Chandré |last2=Clark |first2=Dellene |last3=Bengu |first3=Senzekile |last4=Watson |first4=Patricia |last5=Shai |first5=Nwabisa Jama |last6=Machabaphala |first6=Thato |last7=Dippenaar |first7=Wilmi |last8=Connors |first8=Judy |last9=Mzaku |first9=Thamsanqa |display-authors=etal |title=What South Africans need from political leaders is a commitment to peace |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/what-south-africans-need-from-political-leaders-is-a-commitment-to-peace |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{gouldndwhat, author = {Gould, Chandré and Clark, Dellene and Bengu, Senzekile and Watson, Patricia and Shai, Nwabisa Jama and Machabaphala, Thato and Dippenaar, Wilmi and Connors, Judy and Mzaku, Thamsanqa and Strugnell, Jenna-Lee and Newham, Gareth and Mazibuko, Ayanda and Mokgothu, Sidwell and Moraka, Kopano and Dingiswayo, Ntombizodwa}, title = {{What South Africans need from political leaders is a commitment to peace}}, publisher = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/what-south-africans-need-from-political-leaders-is-a-commitment-to-peace}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }