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This document introduces 'Society Under Siege, Volume Three: Managing Arms in South Africa', a report by the Institute for Security Studies. It examines the transition of firearms from legal to illegal status, the failures of the Central Firearm Registry (where only 30% of records were accurate), and the social drivers of firearm demand. The report advocates for a combination of stricter government legislation and community-based initiatives to combat the culture of violence in South Africa.

This report documents a seminar held in Pretoria, South Africa, on 8-9 September 1999, hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Saferworld. The event aimed to transition the Southern Africa Regional Action Programme on Light Arms and Illicit Trafficking from a conceptual framework into practical projects.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Southern Africa, focusing on the failures of disarmament and demobilisation in UN peacekeeping operations and the subsequent rise of illicit arms trafficking. It argues that the lack of effective weapons control during conflict resolution processes has fueled regional instability and criminal activity, while proposing a coordinated regional approach involving SADC, SARPCCO, and the OAU to manage stocks and reduce the culture of violence.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the evolution of security architectures in Southern Africa, tracing the transition from the informal Front-Line States (FLS) alliance to the formal structures of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), specifically the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC), and the Southern African Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (SARPCCO).

This 1999 research paper examines the 'peace pyramid' model of conflict management in Africa, which positions the UN at the top, subregional organisations at the base, and the OAU as the intermediary. The author argues that while subregional bodies like ECOWAS and SADC are often more motivated to intervene in local conflicts, they lack institutionalised mechanisms and are built upon weak states. The paper concludes that sustainable security requires a focus on state-building, good governance, and the creation of permanent, impartial bureaucratic structures within subregional organisations rather than relying on ad hoc military responses.

This report, based on a 1998 conference, examines the transformation of the South African Army as it transitions from the apartheid-era South African Defence Force (SADF) to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). It details the challenges of integrating seven former adversarial forces, achieving racial representivity across all ranks, and shifting toward a 'jointness' operational model. The document outlines strategic shifts in logistics—moving from 'just-in-case' to 'just-in-time' systems—and the implementation of civic education and competency-based training to professionalize the force under civilian control.

This report, introduced by Jakkie Cilliers, provides a snapshot of the South African Army's transition following the end of apartheid. It details the shift from a secretive, racialized force to a democratically overseen institution, while highlighting significant operational and human resource challenges, including 'transformation fatigue', integration delays, and a funding crisis that threatens operational capability.

This research paper introduces the 'Towards Collaborative Peace' (TCP) project by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), which examines the illegal trade of small arms and light weapons in Southern Africa and their role in fostering a 'culture of violence'. The project employs a south-south approach, comparing trends in Southern Africa with those in the southern part of South America, specifically within the Mercosur countries, to propose regional control mechanisms and local strategies for reversing violence.

This research paper by Hussein Solomon of the Institute for Security Studies analyses the transition from the 1995 Draft Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons to the 1997 Draft Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The author argues that the 1995 protocol was overly idealistic and failed to account for extreme economic disparities and security risks, whereas the 1997 protocol adopts a more realistic, incremental approach focused on bilateral agreements and the gradual elimination of obstacles.

This document is the front matter and table of contents for a monograph titled "New Partners in Peace: Towards a Southern African Peacekeeping Capacity," edited by Mark Malan and published by the Institute for Security Studies in 1996.

This document outlines the nine strategic pillars of the Critical Minerals Mission for Sustainable Strategic Advantage (CMMSSA), a framework designed to transform South Africa's critical minerals sector. The strategy focuses on moving from raw mineral exports to local beneficiation, enhancing geoscience mapping, improving infrastructure, and fostering regional integration within Southern Africa to support the global energy transition.

The document argues that climate resilience in Africa must be mainstreamed into general development planning rather than treated as a separate process. It advocates for a coordinated approach where central governments lead, regional bodies manage transboundary water resources (noting Africa's 53 shared basins), and local communities are consulted to ensure adaptation meets specific local needs. Successful implementation is seen as dependent on the active participation of non-state actors and the strengthening of institutional capacity at all levels.

This document is an internal appeal submitted by groundWork, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), against the deemed refusal by Eskom Holdings SOC Limited to provide records regarding its compliance with emission standards and the decommissioning of its coal-fired power stations.

This founding affidavit is an application by the Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN) to be admitted as amicus curiae in the Constitutional Court of South Africa cases CCT 66/21 and CCT 67/21. The application focuses on the use of Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suits by mining companies to silence human rights defenders (HRDs) who criticized their activities in South Africa.

This executive summary, authored by Professor Bob Scholes and Professor Francois Engelbrecht, details the climate vulnerabilities and projected impacts for Southern Africa during the 21st century. It emphasizes that the region is warming at twice the global average rate and warns that agricultural production, freshwater availability, and human health are at significant risk, particularly under low-mitigation scenarios.

This case study describes the application of a metacoupling approach to the management of biosphere reserves (BRs), specifically within the context of South Africa. It outlines how this framework can be used to understand human-nature interactions and resource flows to ensure equitable outcomes for marginalized communities.

This research brief outlines key principles for applying a metacoupling framework to social-ecological systems (SES). It emphasizes the need to understand interconnections across multiple scales—local, neighboring, and global—to identify leverage points for enhancing social justice, equity, and resilience, particularly within value chains.

This report analyzes the policy responses of Southern African nations to the global food price increases of 2006–2008. It argues that the region exists in a state of permanent food insecurity, making the global crisis a "spike" in a long-term trend rather than an isolated event. The report emphasizes the role of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) as the primary framework for coordinated regional responses, focusing on long-term structural improvements over short-term reactionary measures.

This research paper by Jakkie Cilliers for the Institute for Security Studies analyzes Africa's demographic transition, focusing on the 'demographic window of opportunity' defined by a worker-to-dependant ratio of 1.7:1. It details the varying timelines for different African regions to reach this threshold and the systemic requirements needed to convert population growth into economic dividends.

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.