AN ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF UBUNTU PRINCIPLE ON THE SOUTH AFRICA PEACE BUILDING PROCESS

Abstract

Sustainable peace building demands that we move beyond the spirit of revenge and to open our world-view to include others. This paper explores how Ubuntu, a South African tacit principle helps in the peace building process in South Africa. It also examines how Ubuntu is essential for unity of humanity and emphasizes the importance of constantly referring to the principles of empathy, forgiveness, sharing in a conscious effort to resolving common problems. The discussion critiqued the western approach to peace building and focused on how Desmond Tutu used the principle of Ubuntu to promote peace building during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process. Using the secondary data for the analysis, the paper identified five stages of the peace building process including; acknowledgement of guilt, showing remorse and repenting, asking for and giving forgiveness, and payment of compensation or reparation as building blocks of reconciliation and peace building in South Africa.