Mediation at Wits
The Transformation Office offers mediation services to staff and students experiencing distress or conflict within the University community
MEDIATION SERVICES OFFERED AT WITS
Did you know Wits has a panel of trained and accredited mediators available to assist you to address conflicts with individual colleagues, fellow students, and with individual teachers or administrators?
What is mediation?
Mediation is an informal yet structured process, where two or more parties to a conflict or dispute attempt, on a voluntary and confidential basis, to understand one another and reach an agreement to settle the conflict or dispute with the assistance of an independent and neutral third person; namely, a mediator.
What types of conflicts and disputes are suitable for mediation?
- Unfair direct or indirect discrimination
- Bullying and harassment, including abuse of power and authority
- Preferential treatment and favouritism
- Intimidation
- Unfair practices, such as withholding resources, unreasonable requirements and standards
- Hate crimes
- Verbal, physical, online and psychological attacks
Are you feeling isolated, left out, treated differently, picked on, victimised, unsupported, belittled, anxious, fearful, tearful, vulnerable, angry, upset, disappointed, abused or discriminated against in your relationships with fellow students, teachers or administrators, colleagues and co-workers?
Who are the mediators?
The mediators are staff members at Wits who have volunteered for an official 40-hour training course as mediators and have been independently accredited. Mediators act as impartial and neutral facilitators of the conversation between the parties in conflict.
Accredited Mediators:
| Accredited Mediators | UK CEDR Accredited |
|---|---|
| Dr Bernadette Johnson | yes |
| Ms Maria Wanyane | yes |
| Mr Ciaran Heywood | |
| Adv Neo Mahlako | yes |
| Dr Ida Risenga | yes |
| Ms Betina Fleming | |
| Mr Charles Gilbert | |
| Ms Shobna Morar | |
| Mr Aiden Mylchreest | |
| Prof Ames Dhai | |
| Dr Jillian Gardner | |
| Prof Kasturi Moodaliyar | |
| Mr Samkelo Nsibande | |
| Mr Mohamed Chicktay |
Mediators at the University of the Witwatersrand are guided by the Code of Conduct. The document allows the individual understand the expectations of the mediator in the mediation process.
Documents for Mediators:
- Mediation poster
- Agreement to Mediate
- Criteria for Panel Membership
- Mediation Outcome Report
- Request to mediate - referral form
- Settlement Agreement
Mediation is managed by the Transformation and Employment Equity Office. Contact Cecilia Smith on 011 717 1462 or cecilia.smith@wits.ac.za, for a confidential and without prejudice discussion about whether mediation could be of assistance to you.