Preventing violent extremism: South Africa’s place in the world

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the global framework for preventing violent extremism (PVE) and evaluates South Africa's position within this context. It argues that while the current threat of violent extremism in South Africa is relatively low, the country should proactively implement evidence-based prevention measures, update its legislation, and leverage its civil society to address emerging risks such as foreign terrorist fighters.

• The global approach to preventing violent extremism (PVE) has shifted toward a 'whole of society' model that incorporates non-state actors. This approach moves beyond traditional state-led force and criminal justice to include social and development interventions involving local actors such as teachers, psychologists, and religious communities.
• PVE implementation faces significant challenges, including the risk of 'securitising' development aid and the potential for inappropriately designed programmes to stigmatise specific ethnic or religious groups, such as Muslim communities in Western countries.
• While the overall threat of violent extremism in South Africa is currently considered relatively low, the government must prioritise the issue of citizens leaving to serve as foreign fighters for ISIS in the Middle East and the associated risks of returnees.
• South Africa's existing legal and policy frameworks are outdated regarding violent extremism. Specifically, the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act of 2004 requires updating to reflect current international and national dynamics.
• Political instability and a lack of trust in governance are identified as potential drivers of insecurity in South Africa. A survey revealed that approximately 60% of people have little or no trust in the South African Parliament, 54% distrust local government, and about 25% have used or are willing to use force for political ends.
• The document recommends that South Africa increase its active participation in international forums and institutions, such as the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF), to share experiences and access implementation tools, noting that its participation in the GCTF has been limited since becoming a founding member in 2011.

APA

Frank, C., & Reva, D. (2016). Preventing violent extremism: South Africa’s place in the world. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief95.pdf

Chicago

Frank, Cheryl, and Denys Reva. Preventing violent extremism: South Africa’s place in the world. Institute for Security Studies, 2016. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief95.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Frank |first1=Cheryl |last2=Reva |first2=Denys |title=Preventing violent extremism: South Africa’s place in the world |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=December 2016 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief95.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{frank2016preventing, author = {Frank, Cheryl and Reva, Denys}, title = {{Preventing violent extremism: South Africa’s place in the world}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2016}, month = dec, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief95.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }