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This research paper by Len le Roux argues that South African defence policy, specifically the 1998 Defence Review, is outdated and misaligned with current strategic realities. The author contends that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is designed for conventional homeland defence against external aggression, while its actual operational demands have shifted toward expeditionary peace support operations in Africa and internal security support for the police.

This report analyzes South Africa's election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2019–2020 term. It examines the current geopolitical dynamics of the Council, the expectations placed on South Africa as a regional power, and provides strategic recommendations for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to maximize the country's international visibility and influence.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the challenges and prospects of implementing freedom of movement within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It argues that while regional integration is a stated goal, progress is hindered by a lack of political will, the securitisation of migration, and a critical shortage of reliable data. The authors contend that shifting the perspective of migration from a security threat to a developmental opportunity would benefit the region's economic stability and human rights.

This report analyses the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), a South African government agency focused on the civil recovery of misappropriated state resources. It examines the SIU's history, its limited independence due to its reliance on presidential proclamations, and the challenges it faces in translating investigative findings into criminal or disciplinary accountability through other state agencies.

This report evaluates a multi-year intervention in Touwsranten, South Africa, combining four evidence-based parenting programmes with a social activation process. The study found that while the intervention significantly reduced children's internalising and externalising behaviours and decreased parenting stress, its overall impact was undermined by systemic issues such as intimate partner violence, poor mental health, and substance abuse among caregivers.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines how to map murder and violence in South Africa when official police data is unavailable or outdated. Using the Western Cape as a case study, it argues that because violence is clustered in specific areas, data-driven mapping is essential for effective prevention. The author proposes several alternative data sources, including health facility trauma records, community police forums, smartphone applications, and municipal emergency systems, to identify violence hotspots and guide interventions.

This briefing summarizes the results of the 2011 Annual Conference of the Think Tank Forum GIBSA, focusing on the shared interests and individual agendas of Germany, India, Brazil, and South Africa during their concurrent terms as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The document highlights their collective push for UNSC reform to better reflect current global power dynamics and their efforts to establish a common agenda on issues such as climate change, non-proliferation, and the legitimacy of international security governance.

This situation report by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates Zimbabwe's constitutional reform process as of August 2012, focusing on the efforts of the Constitution Select Committee of Parliament (Copac) to draft a new constitution under the Global Political Agreement (GPA). It examines the role of SADC, the challenges of conducting a credible referendum and elections, and the influence of the security sector and international sanctions.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the fragile peace process in Burundi as of February 2009, focusing on the implementation of the 2006 ceasefire agreement between the government and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL rebels.

This report presents a proposed Ministerial Policy on the Control of Firearms in South Africa, designed to reduce the proliferation of both legal and illegal firearms. It recommends replacing the Arms and Ammunition Act No 75 of 1969 with a new Firearms Control Act, implementing a two-tier licensing system (personal competency and firearm possession), and fundamentally restructuring the Central Firearm Register (CFR) to improve database integrity. The policy emphasizes stricter controls on handguns, the prohibition of automatic firearms for civilians, and the creation of 'firearm free areas' to combat lethal violence.

This research paper examines the role of the South African Gunowners Association (SAGA) in opposing prohibitionist firearm legislation in South Africa. The author argues that legal firearm ownership is a necessary deterrent against crime and mass violence, citing the 1994 Rwandan genocide as a warning against disarming civil populations. The document details the socio-economic impact of potential firearm bans on the hunting and ecotourism industries, the failure of the South African Police Services (SAPS) to provide adequate security, and the proliferation of illegal 'liberation weapons' following the transition to democracy.

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.

This report documents a workshop held in Kinshasa from May 17 to 19, 2004, organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Labor Optimus. The event brought together a delegation of SADC (Southern African Development Community) guests and officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to share regional experiences on military restructuring, demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration (DDR) to support the DRC's peace process.

This research paper examines the rise of transnational organised crime (TCOs) as a global security threat, analyzing how globalisation and the erosion of state authority have facilitated the growth of criminal networks. It explores the relationship between TCOs and various state types—particularly weak and transitional states—and provides a typology of state roles in facilitating or combating illicit activities. The document details the operational characteristics of TCOs, including their use of ethnic networks and risk management strategies, and assesses the specific threats they pose to national security, financial systems, and human rights.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes South African Police Service (SAPS) violent crime statistics for the period of 1 April 2016 to 30 March 2017. It highlights an increase in murders and aggravated robberies, while noting that decreases in assault and sexual offences may be due to declining reporting rates rather than a reduction in crime. The document argues that police performance has deteriorated due to management crises and political interference, and suggests that long-term reductions in violence require addressing root social causes and improving the quality and frequency of crime data reporting.

This workshop report, produced by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Save the Children South Africa, and UNICEF SA, assesses the implementation of the INSPIRE framework to prevent violence against children (VAC) in South Africa. It details how government departments, NGOs, and researchers use the framework, identifies systemic gaps in coordination and leadership, and provides recommendations for scaling up evidence-based interventions.

A comprehensive record of the criminal trial of Dr. Wouter Basson, former head of the apartheid-era chemical and biological warfare programme known as Project Coast. The trial, which took place between October 1999 and April 2002, involved 67 charges including fraud, murder, conspiracy to murder, and drug trafficking. The proceedings detailed the use of front companies, the manufacture of incapacitants and toxins, and alleged human rights violations. Dr. Basson was ultimately found not guilty on all remaining charges on April 11, 2002.

This guide, published by Natural Justice, provides a comprehensive toolkit for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Southern Africa to navigate Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) processes. It focuses on protecting Traditional Knowledge and natural resources, specifically highlighting the case of Aloe ferox, while explaining the legal frameworks, negotiation strategies, and conservation tools available to ensure fair and equitable benefits from the commercial or scientific use of biological resources.

The Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) Toolkit provides a framework for Southern African communities to protect their Traditional Knowledge and biological resources. It explains the ABS process—where providers and users negotiate access and benefits—and highlights the role of Biocultural Community Protocols in strengthening community bargaining power. The guide details international frameworks like the Nagoya Protocol and South African national laws (NEMBA and BABS Regulations) that mandate permits and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). Using Buchu as a primary example, the toolkit discusses the importance of sustainable stewardship and the potential for both monetary and non-monetary benefits, while warning against biopiracy and the limitations of ABS in resolving land rights issues.

A fact sheet detailing a legal challenge by Aukotowa Fisheries Primary Co-operative, The Green Connection, and Natural Justice against a proposed 3D seismic survey for oil and gas on South Africa's West Coast. The challenge is based on lack of legal authority, failure to protect the coastline, negative impacts on marine ecosystems and small-scale fisheries, and incompatibility with the Paris Agreement and global decarbonization trends.