A free 30-minute conversation
Tell us what is happening. We map the issues, decide whether mediation fits, and agree the format. Confidential, with no obligation.
Vaal Mediation · Powered by Blackthorn Resolute · Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, Sasolburg & Meyerton
Mediation in the Vaal.
Resolve the issue, keep moving forward.
Practical, confidential mediation for divorce and parenting plans, business and workplace disputes, and Gauteng High Court Rule 41A referrals, from Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging to Sasolburg and mediation in Meyerton. A calm, structured conversation instead of destructive legal escalation.
- Confidential and without prejudice
- 27+ years of negotiation
- First consultation free
In court, you can win the legal argument in twelve minutes and still lose years of peace, money and working relationships. Mediation solves the actual problem.
Stavros GazisPrincipal mediator and author
R475per hour, per party
Freefirst 30 minutes
How it works
Three steps from stuck to settled.
Calm, structured sessions
In person across the Vaal Triangle and Johannesburg, or online on Zoom or Teams. If you cannot sit in a room together, we use separate private sessions. Our iMedi8 workspace keeps issues, schedules and summaries in one place.
A written agreement that holds
Agreed terms are recorded as a Memorandum of Understanding or parenting plan, ready for your attorney or the Family Advocate. Rule 41A matters receive the formal Mediator's Report.
Practice areas
Mediation for families, businesses, workplaces and referring attorneys.
Every session is confidential, structured and focused on workable written agreements.
Family and matrimonial
Divorce, separation and parenting plans
Divorce mediation that settles parenting schedules, maintenance, primary residence and the division of assets and pensions calmly, without turning your family's savings into legal fees.
- Co-parenting and holiday schedules
- Rule 43 and 58 maintenance
- Asset and accrual schedules
Commercial and partners
Business, shareholder and contract disputes
Led by a negotiator with 27+ years of international business and project leadership. Resolve partner deadlocks, supplier disputes and unpaid claims privately, in weeks.
- Partner and director exits
- Supplier and contractor disputes
- Cross-border claims
HR and pre-CCMA
Workplace conflict and executive negotiation
Stop management friction and grievance escalations before they become disciplinary hearings, constructive dismissal claims or CCMA referrals.
- Executive and line-manager mediation
- Confidential separation terms
- Family-enterprise succession
High Court and Magistrates
Court-referred matters under Rule 41A
Fast, compliant mediation under Uniform Rule 41A and the April 2025 Gauteng High Court directive, with the Initial and Outcome Joint Minutes and the Form J128 / MED-3 report.
- 24-hour conflict check
- Initial Joint Minute
- Mediator's Report within 5 days
Fees
Simple, shared and transparent.
R475
per hour, per party
The standard rate is R950 per hour in total, split 50/50 between two parties. No VAT is charged. Your first 30-minute consultation is free, and the first hour of mediation is payable on or before the session booking date.
Lock in a free consultationWhat could it cost?
Choose how many hours you expect to need.
Blackthorn Resolute
R3,800
R1,900 per party, no VAT
Typically 2 to 4 weeks
Contested court
R221,000+
two attorneys, pleadings and counsel
Typically 14 to 36+ months, in public
Illustrative only: mediation at R950 per hour against a contested matter with two attorneys at R3,500 per hour. Every matter is different.
For referring attorneys
Rule 41A referral, without the paperwork drag.
Under the April 2025 Gauteng Division directive, civil trial dates require a Mediator's Report confirming genuine mediation engagement. We make referral fast and compliant inside the 30-day protocol window.
Fast-track desk: 24-hour conflict check
Send opposing counsel's particulars. We confirm availability and circulate the Initial Joint Minute within 24 hours.
Free downloads
Rule 41A referral checklistNotices, conflict check, time-limit suspension, fee split PDF Pre-mediation Initial Joint MinuteAppointment, confidentiality, suspension of pleading deadlines PDF Mediation Outcome Joint MinuteMediator's Report, Form J128 / MED-3 PDF Parenting and financial disclosure packChildren's Act s33/34, Rule 43 and 58 disclosure PDF
Stavros Gazis
Mediator, negotiator and published author
Vanderbijlpark, Vaal Triangle and Johannesburg
27+years negotiating
2published books
Why Blackthorn Resolute
A twelve-minute courtroom win, and what it taught him.
Before founding Blackthorn Resolute, Stavros spent over 27 years in international business relations, commercial negotiation, project management and technology leadership, in high-pressure, cross-border settings where agreements had to hold under stress.
Years ago he walked into court over a dispute of his own. In twelve minutes the magistrate ruled in his favour. On paper it was a complete victory. In reality it followed months of draining preparation, rising legal bills and lasting damage to the relationship. Winning the legal point rarely solves the human or commercial problem.
Every dispute has three stories: yours, theirs, and the practical path forward that lets both sides stop losing time and money. That is the whole discipline of Blackthorn Resolute.
Neutrality does not mean passivity. My job is to keep the room calm, reality-test unrealistic demands, and make sure neither side gets bullied or bankrupted.
Books by Stavros Gazis
Plain-spoken books on conflict, separation and the cost of winning.
On Amazon Kindle and paperback worldwide, or order signed copies and South African delivery directly.
Divorce and family
Divorce & Separation: The Sh*t Nobody Tells You
A blunt, compassionate field guide to getting through separation without handing your children's future or your pension to a courtroom war, including the infamous "R40,000 Air Fryer" lesson.
Negotiation
The Subtle Art of Winning an Argument
Conflict, people and perspective: how high-stakes negotiations really work in business, marriage and leadership, and how to disarm defensive people without caving in.
Where we work
Based in Vanderbijlpark. In person across Gauteng, online worldwide.
The same calm structure and the same R950 per hour total rate, wherever you join from.
Vaal TriangleVanderbijlpark and Sasolburg
Sedibeng and MidvaalVereeniging, Three Rivers and Meyerton
Johannesburg and PretoriaSandton, Rule 41A matters and executives
OnlineZoom or Teams: South Africa, the UK, Europe, the USA, the UAE and Kenya
Client outcomes
What clients say when the shouting stops.
Mediation is strictly confidential, so we publish only initials and the type of matter.
We had not been able to discuss our parenting schedule without arguing for months. We reached an arrangement that has worked for both households.
Our business dispute was starting to affect staff and clients. I expected a long legal fight, but mediation helped us within a few weeks.
What I appreciated most was that neither side was pushed into an agreement. We were given enough time to explain our concerns.
Questions
Straight answers.
How much does mediation cost, and when do we pay?
Your initial 30-minute consultation is free. Standard sessions are R950 per hour in total, which is R475 per hour per party when split 50/50, with no VAT charged. The first hour of mediation is payable on or before the session booking date.
Is a mediated agreement legally binding in South Africa?
We record agreed terms in a structured Memorandum of Understanding or parenting plan. Once signed as a settlement agreement, made an order of court, or registered with the Family Advocate through your attorney, it is binding and enforceable.
What if the other person refuses to cooperate?
You do not need to be on good terms to mediate. We can hold separate confidential sessions, or shuttle between online breakout rooms, so you never have to argue face to face. Where litigation is pending under Rule 41A, an unreasonable refusal to mediate can carry adverse cost consequences.
Do you issue Rule 41A Mediator's Reports?
Yes. We provide the Pre-Mediation Initial Joint Minute before we begin, and issue the Outcome Joint Minute and the Form J128 / MED-3 Mediator's Report within 5 business days of completion, for filing with the Registrar.
Start with a free, confidential 30-minute conversation.
Tell us what is going on. We will tell you honestly whether mediation fits, and what it would take.
WhatsApp query
Email us
In person in Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, Sasolburg and Johannesburg, or online on Zoom and Teams.