Pan-Africanism from Below? The Peacebuilding Role of Local Peace Committees in South Africa

Abstract

Against the backdrop of a renewed discourse on Pan-African unity and solidarity, this article analyses and interrogates the role of local peace committees (LPCs) as mechanisms for building peace and fostering social cohesion in South African townships and informal settlements affected by xenophobic conflict. Drawing on both documentary sources and interviews, the article makes the case that, in the absence of serious national or regional efforts to promote cross-border social integration, the grassroots peacebuilding initiatives of LPCs have become indispensable for reviving and rooting the Pan- African ideal of integration and solidarity in the experiences of the African masses. However, I also argue that, because LPCs are by definition embedded in community dynamics, which can sometimes be a source of oppression and violence, a critical, reflexive, and transformative framework is required to unlock their potential for peacebuilding and cross-border social cohesion. Given the complexities of the social conflicts LPCs are called upon to mediate, their success also depends to a large extent on a supportive institutional framework, even though informality and independence are their main currency.