The outcome of the ANCs long-awaited KwaZulu-Natal conference was a win for the Thuma Mina crowd. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
The recent xenophobic attacks on foreigners which happened KwaZulu-Natal and Johannesburg clearly indicate that most South Africans continue to blame asylum seekers, refugees and migrants for their socio-economic difficulties. It is also unfortunate that young people are at the forefront of these violent and unprovoked attacks.
Research has shown that people who are more discriminative, racist or xenophobic are those who have less meaningful interactions and socialisation with their counterparts. These processes of interaction, however, will only succeed if they are specifically constructed programmes to allow for dialogue and meaningful interaction. This means that such interaction cannot just be coincidental, but needs to be organised and facilitated.
Africa Unite, a human rights and youth empowerment organisation in Cape Town, has initiated three programmes to encourage mutual respect and tolerance, interaction and co-operation between citizens and foreigners. These programmes are mainly designed to empower youth from different backgrounds to prevent conflicts and promote social cohesion.
Human rights peer education programme
Africa Unite has been recruiting youth (citizens and asylum seekers/refugees) from different backgrounds and communities to participate in a human rights peer education training programme. So far we have trained more than 450 young people (South Africans and foreign nationals) as human rights youth peer educators. Every year, these peer educators reach more than 4 000 people through their human rights information sessions in their respective communities in venues such as schools, churches, youth groups, workplaces and refugee groups.
These information sessions have a great impact in different communities/institutions as the youth often use various languages such as isiXhosa, isiZulu, Afrikaans, Kiswahili, Somali and French. These sessions have brought attitude and behaviour change.
Our peer educators not only run human rights sessions, but they are also involved in a lot of lobbying and advocacy activities within their communities. In 2013, Africa Unite extended the program to other provinces (KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng) and also in other African countries (Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Swaziland, Kenya and Zambia)
Community conflict mediation
Through a community conflict mediation initiative, Africa Unite youth peer educators work in groups (migrants and citizens) and have engaged communities affected by crime, gangs, drugs, unemployment, xenophobic attacks and school dropouts in dialogues to reduce community violence. This initiative is currently being implemented in Nyanga, Gugulethu and Hanover Park. Through these dialogues, communities have been empowered to resolve their issues of concern in a friendly way and find durable solutions to build a culture of respect and tolerance.
Youth peer educators have brought together councillors, traditional leaders, gangs, youth groups, women, foreign nationals and local leaders in dialogue.
Skills sharing
Africa Unite has developed a skills sharing programme where skilled foreign nationals are identified to share their skills with their local counterparts, especially in disadvantaged communities.
This programme allows the foreign nationals to contribute to their host country (South Africa) and change the attitude of local communities towards foreign nationals, thus reducing xenophobic tendencies. Activities undertaken by Africa Unite in the areas of common interest between the locals and foreign nationals include business skills sharing; a savings scheme; languages teaching, for instance Kiswahili lessons with the South African Police Service; and mathematics and science tutoring.
These activities have promoted tolerance and respect for diversity and fundamental human rights for all, regardless of age, gender or nationality.
www.africaunite.org.za