Work

Reflexive insights on networking, solidarity, and community activism spaces for violence prevention in post-COVID-19 South Africa

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic deepened the existing vulnerabilities marginalized South African communities face daily, and intensified risk factors for injury and violence while disrupting established prevention mechanisms. This paper will examine the transformative potential of networking, solidarity, and community activism spaces post-COVID in advancing violence prevention within the South African context, where communities continue to contend with structural disparities and enduring levels of interpersonal violence. Using a qualitative case study design, this study draws on individual interviews conducted in a local Western Cape community. Thematic analysis was employed. The findings illustrate how networking, solidarity-driven approaches and community activism spaces not only mitigated the immediate impacts of COVID-19 but also generated sustainable frameworks for community-led violence prevention. The findings call for a shift from top-down interventions to grounded, participatory, community-based strategies that position solidarity and collective agency as central to achieving safety, justice, and social transformation.

Source: International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion

DOI: 10.1080/17457300.2026.2689075

Authors: Ghouwa Ismail, Naiema Taliep

Institutions: South African Medical Research Council, University of South Africa

Language: English

Topic: Community Health and Development

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: South African Medical Research Council