Three decades after the peak of communal conflict in South Africa’s Njobokazi village, violence continues to plague the village to this day. Achieving sustainable peace in Njobkazi requires understanding that there are different subsets of drivers of violence there.
My research on the village, published in 2023, reveals that drivers of violence there can be categorised into three types, which, are: root causes; enablers; and triggers. One major root cause of the conflict is warrior culture and strong masculinities (ubunsizwa), along with conquest mentality, one of the enablers was the ready availability of guns and dangerous weapons, and one of the triggers was traditional ceremonies.
In Njobokazi, the warrior culture mentality affects men such that they develop a culture of revenge, which was evident and engulfed the community. The conquest mentality entailed that those who have been defeated must leave the area. Groups who were defeated were driven out of the village altogether (Shozi, 2023: 154).
The carrying of unlicensed firearms and other dangerous weapons, even in the absence of war, is one of the enablers of violence. If violence is triggered during the traditional ceremony or event, it is easy for gun owners to shoot and kill someone (Shozi, 2023: 161). As violence intensified from 1985 to 1992, more guns entered the Njobokazi area, and brutal attacks and killings had devastating effects on the community. Political violence was the most devastating part of the Njobokazi conflict because more guns were brought to the community by various political parties who were involved in the conflict.
Traditional ceremonies serve as one of the triggers of violence because people attend these functions in large numbers, sometimes including people who are enemies. It is important to note that communities might be foes for years while living side by side, but traditional ceremonies might then spark and trigger physical violence. The study found that the Shubuza traditional ceremony triggered violence that spiraled and triggered a series of violent attacks in the area from 1982 to 1997 (Shozi, 2023: 167).
When drivers of violence were not addressed at Njobokazi, violence broke out and had a devastating impact on the community. Sadly, I contended that the most devastating aspect of the Njobokazi violent conflict was that so many people lost their lives, and some ended up being disabled.
The study utilized an action research approach which assisted me to work with communities to come up with various intervention programs to address drivers of violence. During the study, drivers of violence were addressed with workshops to study the impact of the violence. Community workshops were run that developed ways of building peace.
We drew on well known peace initiatives which are the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), and the Institute for the Healing of Memories to address drivers of violence. The AVP is an international initiative that holds workshops in which participants consider the underlying causes of violence and tension, and practical ways to deal with it. People have used the initiative in places ranging from schools and youth groups to prisons. The Institute for the Healing of Memories, based in South Africa, aims to heal psychological scars from apartheid and other forms of violence and oppression.
Furthermore, a major cleansing ceremony that drew on traditional rituals and animal sacrifice was also performed to cleanse the area, war lords, and warriors. Cleansing ceremonies in South Africa are often performed in order to restore order achieve forgiveness amid personal disputes. In Njobokazi, families perform cleansing ceremonies through the Shembe traditional church every year in January and July.
The impacts of these interventions were as follows: the resilient restoration of prayer in communities; tolerance; recognition of traditional leaders as peacebuilders; the community working as a collective to deal with trauma; and a sense of respect for human life and people being amenable to healing.
In an effort to tackle these issues and attain sustainable peace, these interventions did not only address one type of driver of violence, but addressed all drivers of violence comprehensively. Failing to address these drivers of violence could lead to a resurgence of violence.
Caroline Monnier (2024) reminds us that there is no sustainable peace without addressing the drivers of violence. Furthermore, Monnier (2024) argues that “despite growing polarization, there is a universal agreement on the urgent need to address the root causes of violence, whatever the type.”
Keywords: South Africa, Njobokazi village, violence, drivers, root causes, peace, conflict, conflict resolution, guns, gun control
Dizline Mfanozelwe Shozi
Dizline Mfanozelwe Shozi is the Deputy Director of the Community Engagement and Development Directorate at the Mangosuthu University of Technology, as well as a former lecturer and project Manager for Durban University of Technology’s Imbali Education and Innovation Precinct. He was the chairperson of the South African Commission for Gender Equality. He is currently a Sonke Gender Justice board member and deputy chairperson, and Chairperson of the Valley Trust Board. He holds a PhD in Peace Studies from his studies at the International Centre of Nonviolence, Durban University of Technology.
