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This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the legal and constitutional concerns surrounding the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in support of the South African Police Service (SAPS) during the 2011/2012 festive season policing operations.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the rise of lawlessness in South Africa, arguing that it is driven by government failure in service delivery and endemic corruption. The author warns that increasing violence in protests, the rise of vigilantism, and the perceived exemption of certain sectors from the law could lead to a full-scale revolt unless citizens hold the government accountable.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines crime patterns and policing effectiveness in inner Johannesburg, specifically focusing on the Hillbrow area. It utilizes survey data from 1,100 residents to analyze the prevalence of robbery, assault, and drug use, while evaluating the impact of SAPS resource allocation and community perceptions of crime.

This monograph examines the potential for implementing restorative justice within the South African criminal justice system. It analyzes theoretical principles, international lessons, empirical data from victims and legal professionals, and practical applications such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and diversion programs for youth. The document concludes that while the policy environment is favorable and there is openness among legal practitioners, there is a critical need for training, new partnerships, and a shift in mindset to move beyond purely retributive justice.

The document provides a menu of optional tourist excursions for attendees of the ISS 3rd International Conference, detailing various wildlife tours, adventure activities, and safaris in South Africa, including costs, durations, and inclusions.

This report examines the flight, reception, and long-term integration of Mozambican refugees in South Africa following the Mozambican civil war (1979–1992). It details the role of ethnic solidarity in the Gazankulu homeland, the creation of a precarious underclass in the agricultural labour markets of the lowveld, and the failures of the UNHCR repatriation programme. The author argues that despite various amnesties and a 2004 Constitutional Court ruling granting access to social grants, many former refugees remain de facto undocumented and socially marginalized due to structural economic dependence on cheap labour and deep-seated xenophobia.

This report examines the patterns of forced migration from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to South Africa, focusing on the demographic shift toward a young, educated, middle-class population. It details the social dislocation these migrants face, moving from professional status in the DRC to survivalist roles in the South African informal economy, and the defensive ethnic networks they form to navigate a hostile urban environment.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the nature, impact, and service delivery responses to violence against women in South Africa. Based on interviews with 1,000 survivors across nine provinces, the study analyzes economic, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, highlighting the normalization of domestic violence and the systemic failures of police, medical, and legal services in providing effective support and protection.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies examines the intersection of HIV/AIDS and policing in South Africa, the perceptions of personal security in Soweto townships, the 'sieve effect' of the criminal justice system's conviction rates, and crime trends within the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality.

This collection of articles from SA Crime Quarterly No 8 (June 2004) examines various aspects of the South African criminal justice system, including the legality of lethal force in property defense, police accountability and misconduct monitoring, strategies for local crime prevention through by-laws, national victimisation trends, the application of the Domestic Violence Act by magistrates, and the operational mandate and independence of the Directorate of Special Operations (the Scorpions).

This monograph examines the evolution, legislative framework, and operational challenges of municipal policing in post-apartheid South Africa. It details the transition from apartheid-era township policing and traditional traffic departments to the establishment of modern Municipal Police Services (MPS) under the South African Police Service Amendment Act No 83 of 1998, focusing on the experiences of major cities like Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town.

This report details a study of nearly 3,000 arrestees in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban to examine the relationship between drug use and crime in South Africa. Using interviews and urinalysis, the research identifies strong ethnic and regional segmentation in drug markets, noting high prevalence of cannabis and Mandrax among certain groups and a growing crack cocaine market linked to sex work and Nigerian syndicates. The authors argue for nuanced, locally-based interventions rather than broad national strategies.

This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of court specialisation in South Africa, focusing on the Specialised Commercial Crime Court (SCCC) in Pretoria. The author argues that the court's success is not derived from its specialised status, but from the deep integration of investigators from the SAPS Commercial Branch and prosecutors from the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit (SCCU). The document distinguishes between 'court specialisation' (statutory parallel courts) and 'court dedication' (reserving resources within existing courts), suggesting the latter is more practical and less risky. While the SCCC shows high conviction rates and efficiency, the author cautions that these results are influenced by high-quality personnel, private sector support from Business Against Crime, and the co-location of staff, making the model difficult to replicate universally.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the evolution of partnership policing from community policing, focusing on its application in South Africa and comparing it with international models. It argues that partnership policing is an independent model based on a 'multi-agency approach' where police, the public, and government agencies share responsibility for community safety.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes major demographic, economic, technological, urban, and socio-political transitions in Africa through 2035. Using the International Futures forecasting system, the authors highlight a general positive trend but warn that rapid population growth, fragile democratic foundations, and infrastructure gaps may compound poverty and instability if not addressed by strategic governance and investment.

This policy brief by the Omega Research Foundation, published by the Institute for Security Studies in June 2016, examines the manufacture and trade of electric shock devices in South Africa. It argues that a lack of trade controls on these devices—including stun belts, shields, and batons—facilitates torture and ill-treatment, contradicting South Africa's constitutional and international human rights obligations. The document details the activities of South African companies exporting these devices globally and recommends a comprehensive ban on body-worn and hand-held direct contact electric shock equipment.

This report examines the implementation of city-level crime prevention strategies in South Africa, focusing on the transition from punitive law enforcement to problem-solving approaches. It analyzes the experiences of major cities—Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban—evaluating various models such as 'Safer Cities' and Section 21 companies, while highlighting the tension between situational prevention (like CCTV and visible policing) and long-term social interventions.

This document is the preface and introduction to Volume I of the Towards Collaborative Peace (TCP) project series, published by the Institute for Security Studies. It examines the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Southern Africa and their role in fostering a 'culture of violence' that undermines democracy, security, and socio-economic development. The project employs a south-south comparative approach, contrasting Southern African trends with those in the southern part of South America to propose regional and local mechanisms for weapons control.

Natural Justice, a non-profit organization, submitted comments on the Land Court Bill [B11 – 2021] to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services. The organization supports the establishment of a specialist Land Court and Land Court of Appeal to address the failures of the previous Land Claims Court, but recommends amendments to the composition of the judiciary to ensure contextual expertise is not lost.

This research paper by Ivor Chipkin of the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) analyzes the shift toward 'tyranny' under the presidency of Jacob Zuma in South Africa. The author argues that the Zuma administration's move toward lawlessness and 'state capture' was driven by a political project called 'Radical Economic Transformation,' which viewed the South African Constitution as an obstacle to economic change. The paper details efforts to control the media, weaken state institutions, and the subsequent emergence of a rejuvenated civil-society coalition that used litigation and political mobilization to defend constitutional democracy.