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government (KIug 2000:1) This happened through the agreement of a powersharing
structure, which however, collapsed with the withdrawal of the
National Party from the government ofnational unity (GNU) before the agreed
five years
CONFLICT RESOLUTION, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACH
Usually when there is a conflict taking place people either fight or try to resolve
or manage the conflict through negotiation. There can be various approaches to solving
conflict situations i.e. conflict resolution, conflict management and conflict
transformation.
Lederach (1989: I) describes connict as " short-tcrm phenomenon, which is bas
and should be ended. The assumption is that conflict can be permanently resolved
"through mediation or other intervention processes."
THE MANAGEMENT ApPROACH
Lederach (1989:1) describes conflict management as a long-term process, which
cannot be resolved quickly. This implies that "people can be directed or controlled like
physical objects" This also creates the impression that the aim is to reduce or control
the volatile situation, not to deal with the real problem.
To Glaser (1993:1) the management approach to conflict resolution is very
practical in its focus. Issues are discussed for their practical purposes only. It does not
concern itself with the meaning of mediation. The focus is on the allocation of
resources taking into account people's interests to the exclusion of other important
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