About the CMA
The CMA’s vision is to create safe spaces for dialogue. The Centre aims to embrace a responsive, transformative, and inclusive understanding of mediation that adequately responds to conflict in all its complexity, builds constructive relationships, and leads to a sustainable peace that is owned and lived by all members of society.
The CMA’s vision is pursued through rigorous, high-impact research, publications, postgraduate teaching and supervision, mediation training, mediation curriculum development, mediation practice development, and policy and science engagement.
Founded in 2012 by Professor Laurie Nathan, the CMA is located in the Political Sciences Department of the University of Pretoria. The Centre is currently being led by Professor Cori Wielenga, and has evolved into a dynamic community with teams working on a variety of research projects. The CMA also has, and continues to build, partnerships across academic, civil society and political spaces locally and internationally, making it a strategic Centre of influence, and offering researchers, students and other associates a highly impactful learning experience.
The Team
Dr Sokfa John
Deputy Director | Mediation practice
Dr Marlie Holtzhausen
Programme Director | Team development
Dr Chenai Matshaka
Programme Director | Applied research
Dr Bianca Parry
Programme Director | Research
Dr Edknowledge Mandikwaza
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ms Makhethe Makamase
Researcher
Ms Tyne Williams
Researcher
Ms Nontando Ndhlovu
Researcher
Ms Smeetha Singh
Project Coordinator
Mr Anthony Bizos
Researcher
Mr David Kabwa
Researcher
Interns
Ms Akira Modise
Intern
Ms Herminah Mmako
Intern
Ms Brenda Lwakatare
Intern
Ms Ripfumelo Chabangu
Intern
Research Associates
Dr Jason Musyoka
CEO of The Frontline Group & Principle of The Frontline Training Institute
Dr Bosco Bae
University of Lynchburg, Department of Religious Studies
Dr Litlhare Rabele
Gender Programme Manager, Foundation for Human Rights
Mr Patrick Hajayandi
Senior Project Leader -The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR)
Dr Sonja Theron
Senior Associate Fellow, African Leadership Centre
Dr Ashleigh Shangare
Researcher
Mr Samuel Igba
Researcher
Advisory Board
Prof Sandra Africa
Acting Dean – Faculty of Humanities at the University of Pretoria
Prof Victoria Graham
HoD – Department of Political Science, University of Pretoria
Prof Susanne Buckley-Zistel
Executive Director – Center for Conflict Studies, Philipps-Universität Marburg