Dr Fanie du Toit

Technical Advisor, Community Dialogue in Myanmar
South Africa

Dr Fanie du Toit is a Technical Advisor, Community Dialogue in Myanmar. He is also a Senior Advisor at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, where he previously served as the Executive Director. He has been engaged in post-conflict interventions in countries ranging from South Africa to Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Uganda,  and most recently in Iraq. Previously he led support strategies in South Africa. Previously, Fanie also led support strategies for the teaching of reconciliation, history and life orientation. Fanie recently published “When Political Transitions Work- Reconciliation as Interdependence” (OUP, 2018). As a participant and close observer in post-conflict developments throughout Africa for decades, this book offers a new theory for why South Africa’s reconciliation worked and why its lessons remain relevant for other nations emerging from civil conflicts.

He uses reconciliation as a framework for political transition and seeks to answer three key questions: how do the reconciliation processes begin; how can political transitions result in inclusive and fair institutional change; and to what extent does reconciliation change the way a society functions? Looking at South Africa, one of reconciliation's most celebrated cases, Fanie shows that the key ingredient to successful reconciliations is acknowledging the centrality of relationships. He further develops his own theoretical approach to reconciliation-as-interdependence-the idea that reconciliation is the result of an integrated process of courageous leadership, fair and inclusive institutions, and social change built toward a mutual goal of prosperity. As Fanie conveys, the motivation for reconciliation is the long-term well-being of one's own community, as well as that of enemy groups. Without ensuring the conditions in which one's enemy can flourish, one's own community is unlikely to prosper sustainably.

Fanie has edited and co-edited four books:
- When Political Transitions Work: Reconciliation as Interdependence (Oxford University Press, 2018) 

- In the Balance – South Africans Debate Reconciliation, co-edited with Erik Doxtader, (Published by Jacana Media, 2010).

- Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa: Ten Years On, co-edited with Charles Villa-Vicencio (Published by David Philip, 2006) 

- Learning to Live Together– Practices of Social Reconciliation  (Published by The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, 2003)

He has also authored a variety of journal articles, shorter essays, book chapters and media pieces.

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