Abstract:
This publication is based on presentations delivered at a media, conflict and peacebuilding
training workshop aimed at building the capacity of African journalists to report on conflict and
peacebuilding in Southern Africa. The two-day workshop on “Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding
in Southern Africa” brought together sixteen print, radio, television, and digital journalists who
report on conflict and peacebuilding in the region. The journalists came from seven Southern
African countries—Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, eSwatini, Lesotho, Mozambique and
Namibia.
It was organised in July 2018 by the Department of Communication, Namibia University of
Science and Technology (NUST) and supported by the Social Science Research Council’s
African Peacebuilding Network (APN) grant program.
The workshop adopted a combination of theoretical and practical sessions with critique and
interactive exercises and was facilitated by experienced academics and practitioners who
combined the fundamental theories in the field with the rich experiences of their practice to
engender a holistic understanding of issues.
Journalists were introduced to concepts and key issues in conflict and peacebuilding, given
an understanding of the link between peace, and conflict, as well as led to reflect on the roles,
ideologies, and practices of the media in conflict and peacebuilding. The workshop looked at
civil strife in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The issue of
xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa also took centre stage. Journalists
were urged to adopt conflicts-sensitive journalism, which borrows heavily from Afrocentric
ideals such as Ubuntu and communitarianism. The issue of ethical reporting was also buttressed.
Moreover, the issue of the safety of journalists in conflict situations also received significant
attention.
The workshop also provided an opportunity to link together Southern African journalists and
scholars whose work focuses on conflict and peacebuilding to share experiences and learn new
ways to approach their writing in the belief that this would help mitigate the risks of the media
contributing to conflict.
