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The briefing analyzes the fragmentation of South Africa's labour union movement, highlighting the rise of splinter unions like Amcu and Natawu as a response to alleged corruption and the perceived failure of Cosatu-affiliated leaders to represent the working class. It argues that the blurring of lines between union leadership and private/political elites undermines worker representation and warns that criminalizing dissent within the movement threatens South Africa's democratic space and may lead to increased conflict.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) explores how South Africa can enhance its peacebuilding engagements within the United Nations (UN) architecture, leveraging its domestic transition to democracy and its continental experience to promote African perspectives.

This research paper reviews the concept and practice of diversion for children in South Africa between 1990 and 2003, focusing on the transition from disjointed implementation to a formalised framework under the Child Justice Bill.

This monograph by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the performance of South Africa's three core criminal justice departments—Safety and Security, Justice and Constitutional Development, and Correctional Services—between January 2001 and December 2002. It analyzes crime statistics, budget allocations, and departmental workloads, concluding that while performance was satisfactory, capacity constraints and a significant court case backlog hinder sustained improvement.

This research paper presents the results of a survey conducted by the Institute for Security Studies between August and October 2000, involving over 150 experts on the causes and controls of corruption in South Africa. The survey aimed to provide data to help policymakers prioritize interventions following a policy impasse after the April 1999 anti-corruption summit.

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 research paper by Martinho Chachiua describes 'Operation Rachel', a joint intelligence-driven initiative between Mozambique and South Africa established following a 1995 crime combating agreement to locate and destroy illegal arms caches in Mozambique.

This report describes a conference held on 25 and 26 October 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa, focused on national security and access to information. The event aimed to develop principles for national security and access to information based on comparative law and policy, specifically informing the debate on South Africa's Protection of Information Bill.

This statement by Collette Schulz Herzenberg of the Institute for Security Studies argues that South Africa's ethics infrastructure is ineffective due to poor implementation and a lack of political commitment. It calls for a shift from a rules-based society to one based on values, alongside specific policy reforms to combat corruption and conflicts of interest in public life.

This research paper by Collette Schulz-Herzenberg of the Institute for Security Studies examines whether public policy influenced voting outcomes in the 2009 South African elections. The author argues that policy issues had a limited direct impact on voter decisions due to a significant disconnect between the priorities of the electorate and the focus of both media coverage and political party campaigns.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies argues that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) represents a critical opportunity to reform international climate finance by addressing systemic biases toward large-scale mitigation and a lack of gender-responsiveness. The authors emphasize that poor rural women, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, are disproportionately affected by climate change but remain underfunded due to structural discrimination and a preference for high-tech projects over community-level initiatives.

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies examines the sustainability of President Paul Kagame's regime in Rwanda, highlighting the loss of foreign aid, the suppression of political opposition, and internal party tensions.

This research paper examines the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO), known as the "Scorpions," an investigative arm of South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority focused on organised crime.

This statement by former members of the Marikana Panel of Experts on Policing and Crowd Management criticises the South African government and the South African Police Service (SAPS) for failing to release or implement a July 2018 report containing 136 recommendations to reform policing following the 2012 Marikana massacre.

This statement by Lukas Muntingh of the Institute for Security Studies examines the case of Morgan Matlala, a 23-year-old man imprisoned for stealing milk and cookies valued at R50, to highlight systemic failures and inequalities within the South African criminal justice system.

This report introduction examines the disproportionate impact of crime on South Africa's poor, noting that while the country has some of the world's highest violent crime rates, research and policy have historically focused on wealthier suburban and business interests.

This monograph is the partial result of a two-year research project focused on the regulation of the private security sector in Africa, utilizing case studies to inform national, sub-regional, and regional policy making.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the increasing risks of predatory cyber crime in South Africa, driven by the proliferation of smartphones, social networking, and broadband access. It highlights the prevalence of card cloning in the hospitality sector and the gap between the availability of legislative protections and public awareness of cyber risks.

This research paper examines the potential economic and environmental implications of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for shale gas in South Africa, presenting three distinct scenarios to evaluate the trade-offs between economic growth and ecological preservation.

This research paper examines the implementation of financial disclosure requirements for elected officials in South Africa from 2004 to 2008. It evaluates compliance, institutional capacity, oversight mechanisms, and public access to information to determine how these regulations control conflicts of interest and ensure political accountability.