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4,338 results
The challenges of community policing in South Africa
This research paper by Eric Pelser of the Institute for Security Studies examines the contradictions between President Mbeki's 1999 commitment to strengthen Community Police Fora (CPFs) and the guidelines set out in the 1998 White Paper on Safety and Security regarding local government capacity and policy review.
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Document type: Research paper
The Need for Evidence to Assess Concerns About Human Trafficking During the 2010 World Cup
This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) critiques the lack of evidence in anti-trafficking campaigns preceding the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa. The authors argue that sensationalized claims, such as those in the "Stop 2010 Human Trafficking" campaign, conflate sex work with trafficking and overestimate risks, which may divert resources and hinder the ability of sex workers to report actual crimes due to the continued criminalization of their work.
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Document type: Briefing
Elections and accountability in South Africa
This research paper by Collette Schulz-Herzenberg of the Institute for Security Studies examines whether elections in South Africa serve as an effective accountability mechanism by analyzing voter behavior, perceptions of political parties, and cognitive mobilization.
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Document type: Research paper
Penetrating State and Business. Organised Crime in Southern Africa, Volume Two
This report, the second volume of a monograph edited by Peter Gastrow for the Institute for Security Studies, examines the penetration of organised crime into state and business structures across Southern Africa. It specifically provides detailed country studies on Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa, illustrating how criminal networks exploit weak governance and economic instability to create a regional market for illicit goods.
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Document type: Report
Zimbabwe: another stalemate in the constitution-drafting process
This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the stalemate in Zimbabwe's constitution-drafting process under the Global Political Agreement (GPA), the role of SADC mediation led by South African President Jacob Zuma, and the potential political scenarios surrounding the expected June 2013 elections.
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Document type: Briefing
Rival Views of Organised Crime
This research paper by Andre Standing examines the nature of organised crime, arguing that the term has become a muddled analytical concept in mainstream discourse. The author proposes replacing the concepts of 'organised crime' and 'white-collar crime' with the notion of 'illicit enterprise' to shift the analytical focus from criminal groups to specific commodity and service economies.
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Document type: Research paper
Monograph 122: From State Security to Human Security in Southern Africa, Edited by Cheryl Hendricks | ISS Africa
This monograph, edited by Cheryl Hendricks and published by the Institute for Security Studies, presents a collection of think pieces from a December 2005 workshop in Cape Town. It examines the transition from a state-centric security paradigm to a human security approach in Southern Africa, analyzing the conceptual challenges, the role of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and the persistent gap between policy frameworks and the actual lived experiences of citizens.
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Document type: Report
United Nations Convenes Crucial Nuclear Weapons Meeting
A briefing by the Institute for Security Studies regarding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Preparatory Committee meeting in New York from 4 to 15 May 2009, focusing on the treaty's pillars and the strategic interests of African states leading up to the 2010 Review Conference.
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Document type: Briefing
Kenya Again Tests Africa's Commitment to the ICC
This briefing by Max du Plessis analyzes the Kenyan government's efforts to obstruct International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings regarding the 2007-8 post-election violence. The author argues that Kenya's strategy—seeking a UN Security Council deferral under Article 16 of the Rome Statute—is legally flawed and politically risky, while suggesting a complementary approach where national courts try lower-level perpetrators and the ICC focuses on those with the greatest responsibility.
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Document type: Briefing
Post-conflict development: What South Africa can achieve through SADC
This text is an introduction to a research paper by Naomi Kok of the Institute for Security Studies. It identifies the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as the primary body for peace and security in sub-Saharan Africa but notes that its post-conflict reconstruction and development (PCRD) efforts have been limited. The paper aims to explore structural challenges within SADC and how South Africa can overcome constraints to strengthen these PCRD activities.
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Document type: Research paper
The Military Veterans Act of 2011: Promising More Than can be Delivered?
This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the Military Veterans Act of 2011 in South Africa, analyzing the gap between the legislative promises of benefits for former combatants and the practical capacity of the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) to implement them.
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Document type: Briefing
South Africa: Shocking evidence presented to the Marikana Inquiry
A briefing on the Marikana Inquiry detailing evidence of police crime scene tampering, including the planting of weapons on deceased mineworkers and evidence of executions. It highlights concerns over a police cover-up, the alleged torture of witnesses, and the evasiveness of senior police leadership regarding a post-tragedy nine-day meeting.
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Document type: Briefing
Hawks, doves or penguins? A critical review of the SADC military intervention in the DRC
This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the impact of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) military intervention in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on sub-regional cohesion and the challenges facing future stability efforts.
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Document type: Research paper
Sector Policing. Origins And Prospects
This research paper by Bill Dixon and Janine Rauch examines the introduction of sector policing in South Africa, framing it as a "practical manifestation" of community policing. The authors analyze the South African Police Service's (SAPS) 2003 National Instruction on Sector Policing and draw comparative lessons from the failure of a similar model implemented in London during the 1990s.
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Document type: Research paper
The South African Transitional Peace Process - Perspectives from Key Role Players
The document is a table of contents or program outline for a report titled "The South African Transitional Peace Process - Perspectives from Key Role Players," which compiles papers and addresses from various contributors regarding South Africa's transition to democracy.
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Document type: Report
Boundaries of Peace Operations: The African Dimension
This document is an introduction to a monograph titled "Boundaries of Peace Operations: The African Dimension," which compiles edited texts from a series of workshops held in 1999 in Prague, Harare, and Pretoria. The text examines the conceptual and doctrinal gaps in peace support operations, specifically contrasting the limited scope of UN peacekeeping with the more robust peace enforcement capabilities of African coalitions. It highlights the influence of Cold War military doctrines and colonial legacies on current African military approaches and argues for the need for a synthesized, viable doctrine for multinational peace operations in Africa.
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Document type: Report
Solving Crime the State of the SAPS Detective Service
This research paper, authored by Antony Altbeker for the Institute for Security Studies, examines the state of the South African Police Service (SAPS) detective service. Based on three months of interaction and interviews, the work explores how South Africa's democratisation and related processes have affected detectives and identifies the professionalism of these officers despite the challenges of working in a high-crime society.
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Document type: Research paper
Beyond Retribution, Prospects for Restorative Justice in South Africa
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.
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Document type: Report
Beaten bad: The life stories of violent offenders
This monograph by the Institute for Security Studies examines the drivers of violent crime in South Africa through the life stories of men incarcerated for murder, robbery, and rape, arguing that early experiences of abuse, loss, and alienation contribute to criminal careers.
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Document type: Report
Child justice in South Africa
This monograph examines the history and current state of child justice in South Africa, specifically detailing the provisions of the new Child Justice Bill and its alignment with international standards.
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Document type: Report