Why should you use Workplace Mediation?

There are many advantages of workplace mediation, one of them being that the issue is solved informally, in a civilised manner with both parties being heard equally by the mediator.

As both parties sit down and work together to find a fair solution, the end result is in the hands of the participants. Both parties are committed to the same thing – agreeing on an effective, long-lasting solution.

When it comes to workplace mediation, these are some of the situations that may arise:

-- There are clashes between people who have problems working together and simply do not get along.

-- A once happy working relationship has fallen apart.

-- Employees have become bitter and there are grievances because of a disciplinary procedure.

-- Someone in the workplace has been accused of sexual harassment.

Workplace mediation follows the following principles…

      ·         It is a fair, voluntary process where both parties must agree to be a part of the mediation.

      ·         Anyone who wants to withdraw from the mediation can do so at any time.

      ·         The mediation is confidential unless the parties agree otherwise.

      ·         It is a fast process that can begin whenever all parties are ready.

      ·         The mediator is always neutral.

The main purpose of mediation is to let each person involved with the dispute the opportunity to be heard and work together to find a solution.

Do you think you may need to contact a mediator for workplace mediation? To book your session, contact Cape Mediators in Cape Town today on 082 422 3324 or email mike@capemediators.co.za

When is Workplace Mediation Necessary?

Basically all conflicts in the workplace can be dealt with using mediation, as long as the people involved are willing to come to an agreement.

But, what workplace situations are so serious that mediation is well-advised?

-- Sexual Harassment

It is often assumed that people who are involved in a sexual harassment dispute cannot work together to come to an agreement. However most sexual harassment complaints happen when people cannot agree on what is funny and what is offensive. If the parties are actually willing to sit down and talk to each other, a mediator can help resolve the issues and come to a peaceful solution. This in turn will save employee relationships and avoid expensive lawsuits.

-- Conflicts between Employees

Everyone is different, and sometimes these differences can prevent two people from working effectively together. Should the company need these employees to work together as a team without conflict, then mediation can be an effective solution. Mediation will give them a change to come to an agreement and allow them to function together harmoniously in the future.

-- Declining Work Performance

An employee may stop working well for a lot of reasons, however when they are questioned about it they may become defensive and scared which in turn results in their work performance declining further. By contacting a mediator, they can help both parties to understand each other’s needs, requirements and requests.

-- Terminations

When an employer chooses to terminate an employee, mediation on the terms of the separation can be very helpful. Mediation can be beneficial emotionally: the employee may never agree that the termination was warranted but will more likely feel that he or she had a fair hearing, and may come to understand the reasons for the employer's action. These realizations can make it easier for terminated employees to move ahead with their lives!

Mediation is an alternative way to resolve conflicts, such as landlord/tenant resolution, labour and contractual disputes, and divorce settlements. 

Be sure to contact Cape Mediators today: email mike@capemediators.co.za or give us a call on 082 422 3324 to book your session.

Do you Need Family Mediation?

Over the years mediation has become the preferred way to solve conflicts and prevent family disputes, especially when divorce and children become involved. When two parties come to an agreement after a fare negotiation, family's often are able to restore communication, understanding and trust.

What can family mediation do for you?

- Family Mediation helps you resolve conflict and reach agreement on all issues surrounding separation, divorce or dissolution of civil partnership.

- It is a voluntary and confidential process which helps you reach joint decisions without the use of courts.

- It offers you a safe, neutral place where you and your ex-partner can meet with an impartial mediator to work out plans for the future.

- Mediators do not tell you what to do, but help you look at different options for sorting things out, so that you reach your own agreements about all aspects of your separation, divorce or dissolution, including arrangements for children, finances and property.

Do you need family mediation?

- Mediation is open to anybody affected by family breakdown including separation, divorce and dissolution of civil partnership.

- It is mostly used by parents or couples who are experiencing difficulties agreeing arrangements, regardless of age, race, nationality, sexuality, orientation, mobility, faith and other such factors.

- Mediation is also available to other family members, such as grandparents, who may be having difficulties over contact arrangements, or step-parents who would like to support their new partner.

Cape Mediators are professionals with a wealth of skills and experience in family mediation and conflict resolution. We deliver mediation at the highest accredited standard – If you are seeking mediation please click here and fill in the form.

Contact Cape Mediators today!

What to Expect from your First Time at Divorce Mediation

Divorce is not something that anyone wants to go through, but if it ever does come down to that, you’ll want to do it in a peaceful way.

If you have decided that divorce mediation is the path you want to take, then you need to know what to expect from your first time.

These tips will ease the stress that comes with divorce…

Communication – You may come into the mediation thinking that a vague description of finances, etc. will be enough; however there is a lot more information needed. A mediator will often look at other factors that are important, and you need to communicate clearly why something is important to you. By doing this you mediator can help find solutions to problems that you probably didn’t think of.

Financial Disclosure – It is always important to know exactly what your financial situation is before you make a decision. An informed decision is one of the most important factors that will ensure that your divorce mediation is successful.

Neutral Mediator – A mediator should never meet with one spouse without the other present, their main role is to be the neutral man in the middle. Information only given to one side of the divorce can turn into a bad game of broken telephone and end up compromising the mediator’s neutrality.

You’re Not Alone – Divorce affects more than half of the world’s population, so never think that you are alone. Mediators are there to support you in any way possible, if it is not in their job description, they will find the right person to help you.

The Future – When emotions are running high, it is easy to say something or do something unnecessary, especially in the heat of the moment. Take a moment, think about what is important for the future and take into account that a few months from now you will be in a completely different emotional state.

Everyone is different, meaning that every divorce will be different too. Choosing divorce mediation can be an affordable and peaceful way to solve your issues in this difficult time. Be sure to contact Cape Mediators today: email mike@capemediators.co.za or give us a call on 082 422 3324 to book your session. 

Tenant vs. Landlord Mediation

Most tenant / landlord issues are small and can be fixed easily and with a little common sense. However, some bigger issues can seriously destroy the enjoyment of where you're living and possibly cause it to come to an end! In these situations, getting a mediator's help may be the most effective, affordable way to protect your rights.

Below is a guide to determining whether you need the help of a mediator or not. If you find yourself in one of the following situations, consider contacting Cape Mediators.

Your Landlord is Evicting You

If your landlord serves you with a termination notice that you intend to fight, hiring a mediator can help you to settle the disagreement in a civilized way. A seasoned, skilled mediator can come up with effective strategies or creative solutions that you might not be aware of.

Your Landlord Discriminates Against You

If you believe your landlord is discriminating against you, you may need a mediator to step in and help you recover damages for any harm you suffered.

Your Landlord Won't Make Necessary Repairs

If your landlord isn't fulfilling important obligations under your lease and the law, it can lead to major problems. For example, think of the landlord who keeps putting off needed heating system repairs until winter is well under way, or the landlord who ignores a ground-floor tenant's requests to replace a broken window until a burglary occurs.

Consulting a mediator may be your best move. In addition, a mediator can attempt to communicate with the landlord for you, explore the possibility of a quick settlement, and sort the disagreement out in an appropriate manner.

Your Landlord Isn't Fulfilling His Promises

Sometimes, landlords make promises to encourage hesitant applicants to rent from them. For example, if an applicant is concerned about the neighbourhood crime rate, a landlord might promise to install a more effective intercom system or an electronic, gated parking lot. If the landlord later refuses to honour the promise, you may need to sit down with a mediator.

If you are in need of a mediator, choose one with expertise in landlord-tenant matters. Go straight to capemediators.co.za and contact them today!

Why Mediated Divorce is your Best Option

Try not to say both wedding planning and divorce planning in the same sentence - please!

Both wedding planning and divorce planning require copious amounts of collective input, the latter however is often void of the same collective involvement.



The latter, divorce, is seen as a “dirty” word. Divorce looks ugly, feels terrible and is rarely planned for, however it is a reality in many people’s lives including the little ones.

As with marriage, there is life after being single, so there is too life after divorce!

A mediated divorce allows both parties to own the process themselves and not hand their destiny over to lawyers and ultimately to the court to decide the final outcome. The environment created by mediation is conducive to seeking a mutual agreement whilst allowing the emotional standing of the parties to be processed. The mediation process has extremely positive healing attributes for life after divorce. For professional mediation services that won't burn a hole in your pocket be sure to contact Cape Mediators today: email mike@capemediators.co.za or give us a call on 082 422 3324 to book your session.

“I can’t deal with this”, “I’ve had enough” and “I just want this to be over with” are quotes that are heard far too often. Yes, you can sit back and just let the lawyers sort it out, but at what cost? And by cost, I am not talking only about the financial aspect.

While the lawyers and busy lawyering, life goes on or both parties attempt for life to go on. In reality, all the emotions still prevail. Just managing to get through work and be productive is a challenge; this is a real concern and can place careers and businesses at a huge risk.

Transferring the underlying stress to other family members and loved ones is often unavoidable – this all comes at a huge emotional cost.



Conflict is destructive in any circumstance, so afford yourself the opportunity to attempt to resolve it in a peaceful manner (mediation) and you will be thankful for the rest of your life.

Do you want to refer a dispute? Whether it be a divorce, labour dispute or landlord/tenant mediation - Contact Cape Mediators today!

What to do about a Noisy Neighbour

In almost everything community there is a rule about certain unnecessary and unreasonable levels of noise.

But what happens when you encounter a neighbour that is a bit noisier than the rest? Whether it is loud music playing at night, small children screaming excessively or whatever, here’s what to do about a neighbour’s noise.

Talk. It’s plain and simple, the best thing you can do is go over and have a civil conversation instead of shouting at each other over the wall. If you feel uncomfortable going over, write them a polite note and leave it in their post-box.

Give a warning. If the noise continues, send them a copy of the local noise ordinances and keep a copy for yourself.

Mediation. If you’d like to keep a good relationship with your neighbour, mediation is a great way to sit down and chat and work things out in a civilized manner. Contact Cape Mediators for affordable mediation services in Cape Town.

Call the police. If nothing works, then your last solution should be to call the police. Show them evidence of how you have tried to solve the noise problem, but your neighbour continues to make a noise. Try to call the police over at the time the neighbours are making a noise – if the police take too long to respond, rather use your PatrolMan SOS button to summon help to your location.

Noisy neighours is a common problem, so use this useful advice to deal with the problem in the right way.

3 Steps to take if you feel your Neighbour is harassing you

No matter which area you live in, or how many people there are living on top of one another in an apartment building, there is always bound to be some problems between neighbours.

But when a small complaint turns into a big issue, how do you deal with the problem?

The most common complaints can be addressed when looking at the lease that was signed. Noise complaints can be dealt with easily between the two neighbours.

More serious issues, such as harassment, physical threats, calling the police for false reasons and making your home unliveable on purpose is a completely different situation...

Here are some steps you can take to deal with the harassment:

Talk it out. If you feel you can approach your neighbour without feeling endangered, then it might be a good idea to go over and have a chat with them. Invite them over for coffee and remember to communicate calmly and compassionately.

Document the issues. You need evidence if you want to take the matter to the owners or the management company. Keep a log of all the incidents with the dates and times, so the people in charge can do something about it.

Mediation. Cape Mediators offer mediation for neighbours who can’t work things out themselves, as well as mediation for landlord and tenant conflicts. Mediation is extremely useful as well as cost effective, and by providing the two parties to speak in a controlled environment, they can work the problem out properly!

Is your neighbour harassing you? Don’t leave it until it becomes a serious issue – use these 3 steps to properly deal with the problem!

Are you being treated unfairly at work?

The workplace should be a place where everyone is treated fairly and with the respect they deserve. It should not be a place you hate going to because you feel like you’re being bullied or attacked.

Any kind of treatment that makes you feel like you are being intimidated or offended is seen as harassment. There are many forms...

-- Spreading hostile rumours about you
-- Treating you unfairly
-- Attacking you verbally
-- Undermining you
-- Denying promotions or training

Certain types of behaviour is seen as unlawful discrimination, if it is because of your...

--- Age
--- Gender
--- Disability
--- Marriage
--- Pregnancy
--- Race
--- Religion
--- Sexual Orientation

Do you feel you are being treated badly or unfairly at work? Do you feel that you may need help? A good mediator can help you out! 

Contact Cape Mediators today on 082 422 3324 or email mike@capemediators.co.za We can offer mediation in the workplace around disciplinary issues, performance, workplace behaviour and dismissals/retrenchments.

Is your Partner Cheating?

Marriages can be destroyed when it comes to cheating; this is why you need to know the certain signs that could catch your attention. Discovering your spouse is cheating is an awful experience; don’t make it worse by wasting your time and money on a lawyer – contact Cape Mediators today and we can settle your divorce in a peaceful manner.

Here are the 7 most common signs that may reveal that your partner is cheating...

Password Protection – These days it is vital to protect your phone, laptop, email, etc. with passwords. However if he is suddenly changing all his passwords or implementing passwords where he never was before then this could be a sign that he is hiding something.

Cellphone Guarding – If he all of a sudden starts spending more time glued to his cell phone and he won’t even let you touch it then something might be up. Some signs could include: sleeping with his phone right next to the bed, taking it into the shower with him, leaving the room to answer the phone when it rings.

Physical Appearance – Don’t jump to conclusions because this one could be nothing, but it should still be considered. Did he suddenly go from wearing jeans and a t-shirt to fancy suits and shiny shoes? Or maybe he’s wearing new cologne that you’ve never smelled before? This could be a sign of a mistress.

No More Intimacy – He may not reject your upfront, but when you reject him he may just agree with you instead of fighting them like he would usually do in the past.

Social Activities – Be aware when your partner is all of a sudden going out of town or attending social gatherings more often than usual. A business meeting or party is a common excuse! Also take note when he starts new hobbies without you, such as training three times a week for a marathon, but you never actually see him do it.

More Gifts – Partners who are unfaithful will try to cover up their feelings of guilt by buying you gifts. If you are surprised about how much your partner is spoiling you lately then you might want to find out what the reason behind it is.

Social Media Profiles – If your partner is cheating their social media profiles may start to look very different. There will be less photos of you two together and more solo shots or group pictures, this is a warning sign and you should be aware of how much time they’re spending on social media.

While these are the classic signs, it doesn’t mean that they’re always 100% accurate. Be careful to avoid accusing them and instead sit down and have a talk.

Why is Mediation Better than Arbitration?

Most of the time mediation and arbitration are mentioned together because both can be used instead of litigation. However they are two very different things and mediation is considered to be a better option. 

Here’s why...

TIME – Using arbitration to resolve a conflict or dispute is much faster than going to court, however mediation is faster. If you use mediation, your problem will be resolved in a fraction of the time that arbitration takes; sometimes it even takes as little as one day to completely settle the case.

MONEY – Arbitration may require an arm and a leg as you will need to hire an attorney and then the arbitrators also need to be paid. When using mediation you will almost always save a lot of money. Why? Because the sessions don’t take as long as arbitration so the bills will be much smaller.

FACTS – Arbitration mostly concentrates on finding the facts and uncovering the truth, while mediation likes to emphasize on the future by moving past the conflict and coming to a mutual agreement.

OUTCOME – During arbitration, a ruling will be made that is binding to both parties, so you will have no control of the outcome. In mediation, the parties will determine the outcome by working together with the mediator to come up with a resolution.

Looking for mediation services in Cape Town at an affordable price? Contact Cape Mediators on 082 422 3324 or pop an email to mike@capemediators.co.za