Charting progress, mapping the future

The document traces the evolution of restorative justice in South Africa, starting with the first victim-offender mediation (VOM) projects in 1992. It details the roles of various NGOs, such as NICRO and the Restorative Justice Centre, and the influence of international models from the US, New Zealand, and Canada. The text also explores 'non-state justice' initiatives like community courts and peace committees in the Western and Eastern Cape, as well as the South African government's theoretical openness to restorative justice and its integration into child justice and professional training.

• South Africa's engagement with modern restorative justice began in 1992 through NICRO, which established the country's first victim-offender mediation (VOM) project in Cape Town after a study visit to the United States.
• The Survivor-Offender Mediation (SOM) network was created in 1995 to complement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) goals of reconciliation, but it closed after the TRC ended due to a lack of funding.
• The Restorative Justice Initiative (later RJISA) launched a victim-offender conferencing (VOC) pilot project in 1999 designed to align with African customary values by involving community members and supporters of both the victim and offender.
• A 'non-state justice' sector emerged from apartheid-era street committees, leading to community courts in the Western Cape and peace committees in townships like Zwelethemba. These initiatives focus on peace-making (resolving specific conflicts) and peace-building (addressing underlying issues like poverty).
• While the South African government has shown theoretical openness to restorative justice and co-sponsored international principles in 2000, critics argue there is a lack of common understanding and coordination across government departments regarding its definition and practice.
• Restorative justice has been integrated into professional training and academia, including degree courses in child and youth care at the Durban Institute of Technology and criminology requirements since 2003.

APA

Skelton, A., & Batley, M. (n.d.). Charting progress, mapping the future. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CHARTINGPROGCHAP3.PDF

Chicago

Skelton, Ann, and Mike Batley. Charting progress, mapping the future. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CHARTINGPROGCHAP3.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Skelton |first1=Ann |last2=Batley |first2=Mike |title=Charting progress, mapping the future |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CHARTINGPROGCHAP3.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{skeltonndcharting, author = {Skelton, Ann and Batley, Mike}, title = {{Charting progress, mapping the future}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CHARTINGPROGCHAP3.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }