We Want What's Ours by Atuahene Bernadette;

Author:Atuahene, Bernadette; [Atuahene, Bernadette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oxford University Press, Incorporated
Published: 2014-06-18T00:00:00+00:00

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Dignity restoration: The importance of communication

In order to successfully complete the restitution process, respondents and commission officials had to communicate. There are, however, various levels of communication, (see Figure 4.1). Input is when decision-makers listen, but do not necessarily change their behavior based on the information presented. Single exchange is when two parties are having a conversation at one point in time and each is considering and incorporating the input received. A sustained conversation is when there are multiple rounds of exchange occurring at different points in time. The interview data show that when there was a sustained conversation where commission officials and claimants were both listening to each other and providing space for each other to speak, then the post-apartheid state was more likely to facilitate dignity restoration.

A sustained conversation most commonly required the involvement of commission officials, committee members, claimants, and family members; but when land transfer was involved, it also involved an array of local and national government officials. As shown in Figure 4.2, when there was a sustained conversation, commission officials or claimant committees adequately explained the processes involved, responded to inquiries and requests, and abided by promises they made; and claimants or family members attended meetings, responded to requests, and compiled the necessary documentation in a timely fashion. The frequency of the conversation varied based on the number of exchanges necessary to complete each stage of the process while keeping both parties fully informed. Most importantly, the tenor of the conversation was respectful.

Fig. 4.1 Various levels of communication

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