Simunye Media Dialogue Project - South Africa

The video dialogue was a form of media intervention during which members of both sides, led by former warring commanders, Wiseman Ndebele (IFP) and Thabo Kwaza (ANC), under the direction of the Media Peace Centre (MPC) produced a video analyzing the conflict. The video was later shown to the leadership of both sides of the community and discussion centered around to what extent, and how, this type of intervention brings about peaceful change.

Political development, peace.

The basic assumption underlying the video dialogue is that dialogue (communication between the parties) will promote reconciliation. What this type of video achieves is that former adversaries write a collected history. The video-making process structured the conflict, and started building relationships between the parties; it became a forum to resolve differences. Video dialogues cannot be ‘one time occurrences' but must be part of an ongoing process of consultation and intervention, otherwise they can easily become part of an exploitative process.