The Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA) has launched its Justice Through Mediation programme, an initiative aimed at easing pressure on South Africa’s congested court system. The programme will provide free mediation services to individuals and small businesses, offering a faster and less costly alternative to litigation.
Through the initiative, AFSA plans to mobilise retired judges, advocates, and attorneys to mentor young mediators, ensuring high standards of professionalism and ethics are upheld.
Speaking to VOC News, AFSA CEO Andile Nikani explained that the programme was influenced by developments in Gauteng.
“This initiative was inspired by the decision of the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg and Pretoria to mandate mediation as the basis upon which a court date can be allocated to the parties,” Nikani said.
He added that the new rules mean no matter can be set down for judgment until mediation has been attempted.
“That obviously meant that a lot of matters, which were already ready to be heard by the court, had to be removed from the roll and sent to mediation,” he noted.
Nikani said AFSA recognised the need to step in and assist.
“We’ve raised our hand and said we want to do our bit to make sure the directive succeeds and that people do have access to the court, ultimately,” he said.
The initiative is expected to help reduce delays in the justice system while broadening access to fair and affordable dispute resolution.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
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