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An opening speech by Ambassador W Makanda delivered during South Africa Week, reflecting on South Africa's transition to a non-racial democracy and advocating for negotiation and intellectual discourse over armed conflict to resolve political challenges in Africa and globally.

This report, produced by the Institute for Security Studies in collaboration with the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO), provides a comprehensive review of organised criminal activities in 12 southern African countries. It identifies a strong nexus between organised crime and corruption, noting that the region's porous borders and economic disparities facilitate the transnational movement of drugs, stolen vehicles, counterfeit goods, and endangered species. The report emphasizes that while some crimes are local, the most serious activities are transnational and often underpinned by systemic corruption within law enforcement and government institutions.

This research paper examines the evolution of civil-military relations in Botswana, focusing on how the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) has navigated the tension between operational secrecy, military spending, and the need for public trust within a democratic framework. It details the BDF's transition from a force struggling with legitimacy during South African cross-border raids to one seeking public acceptance through humanitarian missions and domestic support roles.

This research paper examines the evolution of civil-military relations in Mozambique following the Cold War and the end of apartheid. It analyzes the transition from a single-party system to a multi-party democracy, the integration of former belligerents into the Mozambique Defence Force (FADM), and the challenges of establishing professional, democratic civilian control over the military in a volatile regional security environment.

This research paper by James Ngculu examines the history of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the military wing of the African National Congress (ANC), and its role in establishing a tradition of democratic civil-military relations in South Africa. The author argues that MK's foundational commitment to political subordination and accountability to civilian leadership provided a blueprint for the integration of forces and the creation of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) after 1994.

This research paper by Martin R Rupiya analyzes the deterioration of civil-military relations in Zimbabwe between 1980 and 2002. The author argues that the country's security institutions are rooted in a 'liberation movement model' characterized by a fusion of political and military power, which has led to the ruling ZANU (PF) party using coercive military tools to maintain dominance over political opponents and manage state failures.

This research paper analyzes the South African Defence Review process (1996–1998) and the 1995 Defence White Paper, arguing that while the process was historically inclusive and democratic, the resulting force design relied too heavily on traditional Western concepts of 'primary function' (territorial sovereignty) at the expense of more frequent 'secondary functions' (internal stability and regional support).

This research paper by Rocky Williams critiques the application of Western civil-military relations theories to the African context, arguing that formal institutional mechanisms are often insufficient for ensuring civil control. The author proposes a more flexible 'collaborative-partnership' model that integrates both objective (formal/legal) and subjective (informal/relational) forms of control, drawing on evidence from Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries to demonstrate how political partnerships and shared value frameworks maintain stability.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the operational challenges facing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ for Politics, Defence and Security (OPDS). It analyzes the Organ's evolution since its 1996 creation, focusing on the tension between state sovereignty and regional collaboration, the impact of socio-economic crises like HIV/AIDS on security forces, and the limited administrative capacity of the SADC Secretariat. The authors argue that while the region possesses strong political solidarity and a comprehensive security architecture, its efficacy is hindered by financial constraints and a precarious international environment.

This research paper reviews corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS), highlighting a disconnect between high-level anti-corruption policies and their implementation at the station level. It notes a pervasive culture of secrecy and low public trust, while detailing a new 2007 strategic plan based on prevention, detection, investigation, and restoration, though it warns that the plan is under-resourced.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) provides an overview of the 2007 National Crime and Victimisation Survey (NCVS) in South Africa. It compares data from 2007 with previous surveys from 1998 and 2003 to track trends in victimisation, reporting rates, public perceptions of safety, and the performance of the criminal justice system.

This research paper by Lauren Hutton, published by the Institute for Security Studies in February 2015, interrogates the continued relevance of peacebuilding within external interventions in Africa. The author argues that current peacebuilding efforts are often limited because they fail to address the radical restructuring of political and economic power, instead reinforcing existing inequalities and enabling autocratic governance through the building of state institutions that can be used for predation and control.

This research paper uses the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system to evaluate Namibia's progress toward the goals of Vision 2030 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP4). The author analyzes population trends and economic drivers, identifying physical capital—specifically basic infrastructure—as the primary constraint on long-term growth. The paper presents three scenarios (Current Path, Infrastructure Access, and Leave No Namibian Out) to illustrate the trade-offs between investing in physical infrastructure and human capital.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the precarious state of the peace process in Angola as of April 1998. It examines the historical roots of the conflict, the failure of previous peace accords, the clandestine networks supplying weapons to UNITA, and the potential scenarios for the country's future, ranging from renewed military conflict to a fragile political transition.

This research paper by Mark Malan of the Institute for Security Studies examines the institutional confusion and legal ambiguities surrounding the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as it attempted to transition from an economic coordination body to a regional security arrangement. The author argues that the lack of a formal structure for the proposed SADC Organ for Politics, Defence and Security has allowed member states to justify unilateral or small-group military interventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Lesotho under a 'mythical' regional mandate, often bypassing UN Security Council authorization.

This research paper examines the relationship between the extraction of precious stones—specifically diamonds, coltan, and gold—and the perpetuation of armed conflicts in Southern Africa, with a focus on Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It analyzes how these resources fund rebel movements and governments, the challenges law enforcement faces in policing illicit trade, and proposes regulatory reforms to decouple resource wealth from conflict.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates South Africa's participation in international peace missions, comparing the guidelines of the 1999 White Paper on South African Participation in Peace Missions against actual practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Lesotho. The authors argue that decision-making remains overly centralized in the presidency, often bypassing mandated inter-departmental consultation and parliamentary oversight.

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 research paper evaluates the National Development Plan 2030 (NDP 2030) for South Africa, concluding that the target average GDP growth of 5.4% is highly ambitious and unlikely to be met without systemic structural changes. While the authors find the economic targets difficult to achieve, they argue that targets for education and infrastructure are attainable even with lower growth rates, suggesting a lack of integration in the NDP's sectoral planning. The analysis emphasizes the need to move from a consumption-driven growth model to one based on investment and improved state capability to address deep structural inequality and unemployment.

This policy brief summarizes the book 'Africa First!' by Jakkie Cilliers, which analyzes the current development trajectory of Africa and proposes a scenario for economic growth and poverty reduction by 2040. The document highlights a growing economic divergence between Africa and the rest of the world, attributing the slow progress to unproductive economic structures, slow demographic transitions, and weak governance.