Group Tensions and Informalisation of Community Leadership: Factors Affecting Social Cohesion and Collective Violence in Makhanda, Eastern Cape

This report presents the findings of research conducted by the African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS) in Makhanda (Eastern Cape Province) in August 2022 and January 2023. Conducted as part of the Kagisano programme, this research builds on -and updates- an original study conducted in the same area in 2017. The 2017 study resulted in a Grahamstown (Makhanda) Case Study Report (hereinafter referred to as the ‘original report’). As an update of the original research, the current report should be read together with the abovementioned detailed original report.

Like the original study, this research aims to identify obstacles to -and opportunities for- social cohesion in order to inform interventions to address collective or group-based violence and foster social cohesion in 16 selected sites in the country. In its simplest form, social cohesion refers to the ability of different population groups and people to peacefully live together differently (Freedom House, 20171). Updating the original research was important to assess whether there may have been significant changes in the empirical reality in the targeted, highly mobile and fluid communities, and by doing so, ensure that new interventions are not based on outdated data and information. Further, the new research collected additional baseline qualitative and quantitative data. This baseline data is not available in the original reports but is required for the new, planned community-based programmes.

Read the report here.