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This issue of the SA Crime Quarterly (December 2004) examines critical failures and challenges within the South African criminal justice and security sectors. It details severe prison overcrowding driven by minimum sentencing laws, the mixed success of civilian oversight mechanisms for the South African Police Service (SAPS), the violent history and stalled recapitalisation of the minibus taxi industry, the under-utilization of weapon seizure powers in domestic violence cases, and the results of Operation Sethunya in combating illegal firearms.

The author argues that crime prevention in South Africa is often stalled by a dichotomy between long-term social regeneration and short-term law enforcement. The paper proposes a third way: using municipal by-laws to target 'those with something to lose'—such as property owners and business licensees—to disrupt the unregulated environments that enable urban crime, rather than relying solely on the police to address deep-seated social inequalities.

This research paper examines the disproportionate rates of victimization and incarceration among the coloured population in South Africa, particularly in the Western Cape and Northern Cape. The author argues that social exclusion, historical marginalization, urban density in areas like the Cape Flats, and substance abuse contribute to high levels of crime and gangsterism within this community.

This December 2003 issue of Crime Quarterly, published by the Institute for Security Studies, provides a multi-faceted analysis of crime trends and policing strategies in South Africa. It examines 2002/3 crime statistics, the investigation of farm attacks, the implementation of sector policing, the rise of gated communities via private security, social crime prevention, judicial processes for firearm unfitness, and the emergence of methamphetamine on the Cape Flats.

This research paper examines the industrial participation (IP) mechanisms used to offset the costs of South Africa's Strategic Defence Package (SDP), focusing on the Defence Industrial Participation (DIP) and National Industrial Participation Programme (NIPP).

This research paper analyzes the systemic failures of the South African criminal justice system, focusing on the police and prosecution services. It argues that while policing and incarceration are resource-intensive, enhancing the capacity of the prosecution service is the most affordable and effective strategic priority to reduce case backlogs, decrease prison overcrowding, and restore public confidence in the rule of law.

This research paper examines the presence and activities of Chinese organised criminal groups and triad societies in South Africa. It details their evolution from niche trades like shark fins to diversified criminal enterprises including abalone smuggling, drug trafficking, and counterfeit goods, while analyzing the challenges faced by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in monitoring these secretive, hierarchical organisations.

The Regulations in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998, establish a comprehensive legal framework for the management, conservation, and exploitation of marine living resources in South African waters. The document details administrative procedures, gear restrictions, species-specific limits, mariculture standards, and compliance monitoring systems to ensure sustainable fisheries management.

This 1998 report by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the nature and origins of organised crime in South Africa, tracing its evolution from domestic street gangs to sophisticated transnational networks. It examines the impact of political transition, the role of state corruption, and the shift in police strategies from incident-driven responses to intelligence-led operations.

This 1998 research paper argues that local government in South Africa is uniquely positioned to lead crime prevention efforts due to its proximity to citizens and the localized nature of crime. It outlines a policy framework based on the National Crime Prevention Strategy and various White Papers, suggesting nine areas of municipal intervention—ranging from internal management and by-law enforcement to the coordination of social programs. While noting the progress of 'Safer City' initiatives in cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town, the author warns that funding gaps, political pressure for quick results, and an over-reliance on municipal policing could undermine long-term success.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the relationship between the physical environment and crime in South Africa's major cities. It argues that apartheid-era urban planning created fragmented, segregated cities that foster insecurity, particularly in townships and informal settlements. The document advocates for crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) as a necessary component of multifaceted crime prevention strategies, emphasizing that design interventions should target specific environmental factors that increase the risk of victimisation and the fear of crime.

This report examines the application of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) in post-apartheid South Africa, reviewing international experiences and local urban challenges. It argues that while the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) identifies environmental design as a key pillar, implementation is limited by a lack of practitioner knowledge and the enduring spatial inequalities created by apartheid planning. The document proposes a 'Safer by Design' strategy based on flexible national guidelines, local pilot projects, and a system of incentives rather than rigid enforcement.

This research paper examines the relationship between illicit drugs and violence in South Africa, applying the 'tripartite conceptual framework' to analyze psychopharmacological, economic compulsive, and systemic violence. It highlights South Africa's emergence as a major transit point for international drug trafficking and warns that the resulting systemic violence and corruption could undermine the state's governability.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the rise of crime in South Africa during its transition to democracy. It argues that while the transition period saw a spike in criminality, the roots of the problem lie in the apartheid system. The author analyzes the failures of the centralized criminal justice system, the growth of private security and vigilantism, and the government's National Crime Prevention Strategy, concluding that the state's inability to ensure personal safety threatens the consolidation of the new democracy.

This monograph, published by the Institute for Security Studies in February 1997, examines the strategic utility of naval power for South Africa in the post-Cold War era. It consists of several papers discussing the renewal of the South African Navy (SAN) fleet, the evolving nature of global security, and opportunities for maritime cooperation in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean rims. The document highlights the SAN's struggle with obsolete equipment and funding shortages while arguing that naval power remains a flexible, benign tool for diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and the protection of marine resources and economic interests.

This 1997 research paper evaluates the South African Police Service's (SAPS) response to gender-based violence, highlighting systemic failures such as secondary victimisation, under-reporting, and a militarized police culture. It details the impact of the Prevention of Family Violence Act of 1993 and examines various training initiatives, including a Gauteng-based partnership with civil society and specialized centers in Port Elizabeth and Pretoria, while calling for better statistical recording of gender crimes.

The document is an annex containing a list of legal appeals and disputes brought before the Water Tribunal regarding the National Water Act, 1998. It details various cases involving water use licenses, directives issued by the Department of Water Affairs (DWA), and disputes over illegal dam construction or water stress, noting the current status of pleadings and potential for settlement.

This joint practice note outlines the procedural arrangements and legal issues for a combined hearing in the High Court of South Africa (Western Cape Division) regarding three defamation lawsuits. The parties request a virtual hearing for proceedings scheduled for 9 and 10 June 2020, involving disputes over the abuse of process in legal proceedings and the requirements for trading corporations suing for defamation.

The Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa (MEJCON-SA) and Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) have appealed a decision by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to grant environmental authorisation (EA) to Tetra4 (Pty) Ltd for the Cluster 2 Virginia Gas Production Project. The appellants argue that the decision is unlawful and unreasonable due to flawed groundwater and climate change assessments, inadequate public participation, a failure to consider renewable energy alternatives, and the state's lack of capacity to monitor gas operations.

A formal request sent on 29 November 2016 by the Life After Coal Campaign and other environmental organisations to the South African Minister of Energy, seeking an extension for public comment on the Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) and the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) Update and demanding the release of critical supporting documents.