Social Justice Association Of Mediators

What Social Justice Association Of Mediators does

Social Justice Association of Mediators is a South African non-profit organisation (registered as Social Justice Foundation NPO 165-067NPO) founded in 2018 and headquartered in Cape Town, operating as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) membership body and service provider. The organisation delivers a comprehensive suite of mediation services across family/divorce, civil/commercial, maintenance, restorative justice, parenting coordination, and workplace dispute categories, in addition to accredited training and continuing professional development (CPD) for mediators, peacemakers, and restorative justice practitioners. Its primary customer segments are threefold: families in dispute (long-tail consumers seeking confidential, cost-effective alternatives to litigation), the South African courts and government departments (which refer matters under the 2025 Gauteng High Court mandatory mediation directive and via maintenance court partnerships), and accredited mediators/ADR practitioners (who join SJA for accreditation, CPD training, and directory listing).

The underlying technology infrastructure comprises three operational platforms: an online CPD Resource Library (training.socialjustice.co.za) delivering 2-hour training sessions worth 2 CPD points each; a searchable ADR member directory (sj.adrdirectory.co.za) listing 140+ accredited mediators across 7 South African provinces with filters for province, accreditation status, and language; and a recently launched Maintenance Obligation Reporting Digital Platform (January 2025) enabling tracking of housing, food, clothing, education, and medical care obligations for minors. A Google Forms-based membership application process handles new member registration and renewals. None of these systems are described as incorporating AI/ML capability.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across four streams: transaction-based mediation fees (R1,200/hour per party, R670 registration, R500–R2,950 settlement documentation); recurring membership dues (annual accreditation renewals requiring 15 CPD points); CPD training and accreditation fees (R100 certificates for members, R250 for non-members, R500+VAT reaccreditation courses); and conference/event revenue (SJCon25 annual ADR conference with sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, plus webinar rentals). The go-to-market motion is community-led: mediators join SJA for accreditation and referral access, while court and government partnerships drive mandatory mediation referrals to the directory. All fees are denominated in South African Rand (ZAR) and the organisation is governed by a Board of Executive members with co-opted representatives planned across all nine provinces.

Name

Social Justice Association Of Mediators

Legal name

Social Justice Foundation NPO (165-067NPO)

Website

https://socialjustice.org.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Social Justice Association of Mediators is a South African non-profit (NPO 165-067) that operates as an accredited ADR membership body, delivering family, civil, maintenance, and restorative justice mediation services, accredited mediator training and CPD, and a directory of 140+ mediators across 7 provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Dispute Resolution Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mediation, Negotiation Support & Peace Processes (BPADAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nonprofit & Cause Communications (BPAFADAK)

Keywords

• Alternative dispute resolution
• Mediation services
• Family mediation
• Restorative justice
• Mediator accreditation

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Mediation Services: Fees charged for mediation sessions including registration fees and hourly rates. Parties share costs equally for 2-hour sessions at R1200 per hour per party, plus settlement documentation fees.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for mediators including accreditation renewals. Members must maintain 15 CPD points per year for continued accreditation.
3. CPD Training and Accreditation: Continuing professional development courses, reaccreditation courses (R500 plus VAT), and first-time accreditation fees. CPD certificates issued at R100 for members and R250 for non-members.
4. Conference and Events: Annual ADR conference (SJCon25) with sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities. Webinar rental services available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Social Justice Association of Mediators provides NABFAM-accredited mediation, restorative justice, peacemaking, and dialogue services across family, divorce, maintenance, civil, commercial, workplace, and criminal matters. The organisation also operates a membership body for mediators, an accredited mediation training programme, a CPD resource library, and a national ADR directory connecting parties with accredited mediators. It renders services both to members of the public and to government departments, including cooperation with the courts and justice system.

Product overview

Social Justice Association of Mediators operates as a non-profit membership organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services. The core offering consists of mediation services across multiple specializations: Family & Divorce Mediation, Civil & Commercial Mediation, Restorative Justice, Maintenance Mediation, Parenting Coordination, and Workplace Mediation. Supporting these core services are add-on modules including accredited training programs, CPD events and online resource library, pre-mediation interview services, a maintenance obligation reporting digital platform, SJA membership program, annual SJCon25 conference, and reaccreditation courses for lapsed mediators. The organization functions as a membership organization affiliated with NABFAM, SARJAB, DiSAC, and IMI, providing access to justice through dialogue, mediation, restorative justice, peacemaking, and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Family & Divorce Mediation Services Voluntary, confidential mediation process for resolving family disputes including divorce settlements, parental responsibility, care and contact arrangements, and maintenance matters through impartial third-party mediators. Designed for families and individuals seeking to avoid adversarial court proceedings.
• Civil & Commercial Mediation Services Dispute resolution services for civil matters handled by DiSAC-accredited mediators, addressing conflicts normally dealt with by civil courts excluding family and labour disputes.
• Restorative Justice Services Practitioner-mediated resolution for criminal matters, community and civil disputes where restitution and repairing of harm is relevant to settlement, subject to SARJAB national norms and standards.
• Maintenance Mediation Services Specialized mediation for maintenance disputes including increases, decreases, arrears calculations, and enforcement through legal channels when agreements are not upheld.
• Parenting Coordination Services Quasi-legal, quasi-mental health dispute resolution process combining assessment, conflict management, education, facilitation, case management, mediation and limited decision-making for high-conflict parents.
• Workplace Mediation Services Labour dispute resolution services through Conflict Dynamics, a DiSAC accredited training provider, enabling settlement of workplace disputes without formal labour law system requirements.
• SJA Accredited Mediation Training Professional training programs aligned with NABFAM national norms and standards, qualifying practitioners as accredited mediators and parenting coordinators through theoretical and practical coursework.
• CPD Events & Resource Library Continuing Professional Development training events and online resource library offering 2-hour sessions with 2 CPD points per session, free to participants not requiring certificates.
• Pre-Mediation Interview Service Pre-mediation consultation service helping clients save time and money on disputes including divorce settlements, accrual calculations, parenting plans, and contact arrangements.
• Maintenance Obligation Reporting Digital Platform Digital platform enabling reporting and tracking of maintenance obligations for housing, food, clothing, education, and medical care for minors and dependents.
• SJA Membership Program Membership organization for dialogue facilitators, mediators, peacemakers and restorative justice practitioners offering accreditation, networking, and professional development support.
• SJCon25 Annual ADR Conference Annual Social Justice ADR Conference in collaboration with UCT Faculty of Law, providing sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities for companies serving the ADR community.
• Reaccreditation Course Refresher training course compiled by Professor Leentjie de Jong for mediators whose accreditation has lapsed, including family mediation principles summary and latest developments update. Cost R500 plus VAT.
• Maintenance Defaulter Blacklisting Pilot Project Pilot project enabling blacklisting of child maintenance defaulters with credit bureaus, launching in ten Gauteng courts in partnership with the Department of Justice South Africa.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of cases settle during first or second meeting
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Cape Town - Faculty of Law, Department of Commercial LawcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2025Co-hosting SJCon25 Annual Social Justice ADR Conference on 10-11 September 2025 at UCT. Joint collaboration for industry conference targeting ADR community.
• South African Restorative Justice Accreditation Body (SARJAB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2019SJA is a founding member of SARJAB, launched at Unisa Child Justice Conference in Pretoria. SARJAB is the sister organisation of DiSAC and handles restorative justice practitioner accreditation.
• STADIO Higher Education - School of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer practical mediation training programs to address growing demand for qualified mediators created by mandatory mediation requirement in South African courts. Training addresses the gap between court requirements and available skilled mediators.
• National Accreditation Board for Family Mediators (NABFAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSJA is an accredited membership organisation of NABFAM, the national standards body for family mediators. NABFAM sets national norms and standards for accreditation aligned with International Mediation Standards.
• Africa Centre for Dispute Settlement (ACDS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSJA incorporated under auspices of ACDS, which is a member of International Mediation Institute (IMI). ACDS is the parent body overseeing DiSAC and SARJAB.
• International Mediation Institute (IMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndirect membership through ACDS. IMI sets global standards for mediation practice and ethics. SJA standards aligned with IMI requirements.
• Conflict DynamicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiSAC accredited training service provider recognized by SJA for workplace mediator training. SJA acknowledges workplace mediators who have completed Conflict Dynamics training.
• Department of Justice South AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership confirmed for pilot project to blacklist child maintenance defaulters with credit bureaus. Launching in ten Gauteng courts to enforce maintenance obligations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• JAMS: JAMS is a large US-based private ADR provider offering mediators, arbitrators and dispute resolution services. Comparable as a scaled incumbent in commercial and family mediation, though much larger and operating primarily in the US.
• International Mediation Institute (IMI): IMI is the global standards body for mediation practice and ethics, accessed by SJA through ACDS. Comparable as a higher-level umbrella setting international mediator certification standards that SJA-aligned mediators qualify for.
• Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR): CEDR is one of the largest UK-headquartered ADR bodies offering mediator accreditation, training and conflict resolution services. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the mediation membership/accreditation space, though operating in the UK rather than South Africa.

Regional players

• Singapore International Mediation Institute (SIMI): SIMI sets mediation standards and accredits mediators in Singapore and internationally. Comparable as a regional accreditation body, with overlapping global IMI alignment and family/commercial mediation scope.
• ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC): ADRIC is Canada's national ADR membership and accreditation body covering mediation, arbitration and conflict resolution. Comparable as a regional peer running a similar mediator accreditation and membership model, though operating in Canada.

Direct peers

• South African Dispute Accreditation Council (DiSAC): DiSAC is the sister organisation of SARJAB under ACDS, accrediting civil, commercial and workplace mediators in South Africa. Directly comparable as both accredit mediators and are co-located under the ACDS umbrella alongside SJA.
• National Accreditation Board for Family Mediators (NABFAM): NABFAM is the South African national standards body for family mediators of which SJA is an accredited membership organisation. Directly comparable as both set and enforce family-mediation accreditation norms and oversee mediator directories.
• Conflict Dynamics: A DiSAC-accredited training service provider for workplace mediators acknowledged by SJA. Directly comparable as both deliver accredited mediator training and workplace mediation services in South Africa.
• Africa Centre for Dispute Settlement (ACDS): ACDS is the parent body under which SJA is incorporated and an IMI member. Directly comparable as it oversees DiSAC and SARJAB and sets ADR standards across Africa, overlapping SJA's mandate in training, accreditation and dispute resolution.

Others

• STADIO Higher Education - School of Law: STADIO's School of Law partnered with SJA to deliver practical mediation training addressing the Gauteng mandatory mediation demand. Comparable as an enabling training partner feeding the same accredited-mediator talent pool, though operating as a higher-education institution rather than a membership body.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/social-justice-association-of-mediators

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Social Justice Association Of Mediators