Training of racially mixed groups in South Africa

Abstract

In South Africa training in community development of racially mixed groups can experience problems because of the distrust between races, caused mainly by ignorance of each other. This case study depicts an occasion where the trainers chose to address the race issue instead of ignoring it as is usually the case. They did this by breaking down the ignorance. The outcome was a drastic change in attitudes among both races, a keenness to find out more about each other, a gradual disappearance of distrust, a closing of the gap between the races until a stage of non-racialism was reached that led to the development of a. strong 'brotherhood'. This 'brotherhood' is still in existence long after the training course has been completed. The case study not only narrates how the situation developed, but also records how this process was "managed" by the trainers. © 1995 Oxford University Press.