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This case study describes a community dialogue initiative established in 2021 between the towns of Hoekwil and Touwsranten in the Western Cape, South Africa. Facilitated by the Institute for Security Studies, the initiative aimed to bridge racial and class divides to address shared safety concerns and economic instability.

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.

This report evaluates a multi-year intervention in Touwsranten, South Africa, combining four evidence-based parenting programmes with a social activation process. The study found that while the intervention significantly reduced children's internalising and externalising behaviours and decreased parenting stress, its overall impact was undermined by systemic issues such as intimate partner violence, poor mental health, and substance abuse among caregivers.