NEWS RELEASE - Date: Monday, 8 September 2008

Tutu says let‘s talk it through

The ACDS was officially opened in Bellville on the 21st of August 2008 after its launch in February 2008 and will be focusing on dispute practices that affect individuals and organisations. The Centre also has a particular focus on Africa to ensure that African heritage and values are incorporated in the development of solutions that suit African conditions.

As the founding sponsor of the ACDS, Equillore CEO, Ms Wahida Parker says: “I think an argument can be made that it is the fiduciary duty of company directors to avoid litigation wherever possible. Unless it is absolutely necessary, it is wasteful, often costing the shareholders dearly and damaging a company.” She maintains that mediation provides the opportunity for “win-win solutions”

Professor Barney Jordaan said the ACDS would start out with projects such as awarding mediator accreditation, working in collaboration with universities such as UNISA and other external bodies such as Equillore in solving family, land, labour, civil and commercial disputes.

To stay in touch with the practice of dispute settlement, the Centre has formed a relationship with a public company, Equillore Ltd. This company, which is also a founding sponsor of the Centre, has been commercially active in the field of dispute settlement for the past ten years.

The combination of academic excellence with practical, real-world experience will enable the Centre to adopt a change agent role and alter the way in which people think and act in relation to dispute settlement.

Speaking at the event Archbishop Tutu said “Mediation and dialogue are vital skills in our society. We have one of the best countries in the world with some of the most wonderful people. Yes, there are many awful things in our country, but people can‘t forget 1994, where everyone was expecting a bloodbath and we didn‘t have a bloodbath. People saw, and still do see, that as a paradigm.“

END