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This report details a panel discussion held on 26 March 2009 at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria, co-hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), UNISA, and The Weekender. The seminar focused on the crime and criminal justice system (CJS) proposals within the election manifestos of four major South African political parties: the African National Congress (ANC), the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Congress of the People (COPE), and the United Democratic Movement (UDM).

The December 2009 edition of SA Crime Quarterly examines the state of crime and justice in South Africa, highlighting a reversal in the downward trend of overall crime rates and the rise of 'trio crimes'. The report analyzes the effectiveness of social crime prevention versus law enforcement, the implementation of right-to-information laws, and the systemic challenges within the correctional and policing systems.

This document presents the 'Co-Chairs' Recommendations' from a workshop held in Cape Town on 24-25 June 2009. The event, hosted by the Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), aimed to raise awareness of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy among African civil society organizations (CSOs) and explore ways to increase their participation in its implementation.

This research paper by Jonny Steinberg for the Institute for Security Studies examines the 'xenophobic riots' in South Africa between 11 and 26 May 2008. Through interviews with victims, perpetrators, and local leaders, the author argues that while the violence targeted foreign nationals, it was driven by a patrimonial understanding of the economy as a finite resource and fueled by local struggles for state patronage.

This edition of the SA Crime Quarterly examines the implementation of the Child Justice Bill, the role of probation officers, the decentralization of firearm destruction by the SAPS, and the functions of the SAPS Investigative Psychology Unit (IPU). It highlights the influence of civil society on child justice legislation and the operational challenges facing specialized police units following a 2006 reorganization.

This research paper details the efforts of the Open Democracy Advice Centre (ODAC) to ensure that access to information and whistleblower protection were included in South Africa's African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process. It highlights systemic obstacles, including the government's control over the National Governing Council (NGC) and the exclusion of specialist NGOs. Despite these challenges and the removal of key recommendations from the Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR), ODAC's persistence led to the inclusion of a 'Know Your Rights' campaign and a commitment to review the Protected Disclosures Act in the final, binding Programme of Action (POA).

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) details the efforts of the Open Democracy Advice Centre (ODAC) to influence South Africa's self-assessment under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The document describes the challenges ODAC faced due to government control over the process, the strategic use of parliamentary committees and technical agencies to ensure their concerns regarding access to information and whistleblower protection were heard, and the eventual inclusion of these issues in the final Plan of Action.

This guide from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) provides practical advice for the public to stay informed about local crime and security in South Africa, arguing that the South African Police Service (SAPS) needs to overhaul its public information approach.

This guide, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in 2008, provides civil society organisations (CSOs) with a strategic framework for creating effective written submissions to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). It explains the APRM's governance review process and offers a five-step methodology for CSOs to influence national policy and the resulting Programme of Action (POA).

This research paper by Lisa Vetten analyzes the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill passed by the South African National Assembly on 23 May 2007. While the author acknowledges the Bill's success in updating substantive law by creating new sexual offences and expanding definitions of rape, she argues that it fails to deliver on its promises regarding procedural reforms and victim support. The paper highlights the omission of comprehensive health services and the failure to implement recommended protections for vulnerable witnesses in court.

This document is an opening address delivered by Jakkie Cilliers of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) on 31 October 2007. The speech outlines the ISS's regional security initiatives across Africa and discusses the challenges of policing, crime statistics, and security preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

This report analyzes the development and effectiveness of South Africa's anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) infrastructure between 2004 and 2007. It evaluates the roles of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), highlighting a shift toward civil asset forfeiture and the challenges posed by economic crime, alternative remittance systems, and the need for stronger supervisory powers.

This briefing describes a violent conflict among gangs and international syndicates in the Western Cape of South Africa, primarily driven by the trade of Crystal Methamphetamine (Tik). It details the rise of the drug's popularity, the organizational evolution of gangs, and the systemic challenges facing law enforcement, including police corruption and low public cooperation.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the lack of regulation regarding private political party funding in South Africa. It argues that the absence of such legislation, combined with the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), has created a 'blurred nexus' between the state, the ruling African National Congress (ANC), and corporate interests, facilitating political patronage and corruption.

This research paper examines the state of human trafficking research in South Africa as of 2006, arguing that existing data is rudimentary, methodologically weak, and overly focused on sexual exploitation. It calls for more sophisticated, dispassionate research and the adoption of innovative methodologies to inform the development of specialized anti-trafficking legislation.

This 2006 report analyzes trade and investment barriers between South Africa, India, and Brazil. It finds that while trade is growing, particularly between South Africa and Brazil, it remains hampered by high tariffs, non-tariff barriers, and a lack of awareness among the business sector regarding the IBSA initiative. The report recommends reducing customs duties, improving infrastructure, and involving the private sector in trade agreement implementation.

This report evaluates the first five years of South Africa's metropolitan police departments (MPDs), noting their heavy focus on traffic enforcement over crime prevention due to resource constraints and a lack of investigative powers. It also details the transformation of public order policing into Area Crime Combating Units (ACCUs) and assesses the impact of 'zero tolerance' community courts in the Western Cape, finding that while they improve access to justice, some (like the Cape Town court) may disproportionately target homeless populations.

This statement from the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that the South African Parliament has become increasingly irrelevant due to a 'democratic deficit' where Members of Parliament (MPs) are accountable to political parties rather than the electorate. The author calls for fundamental reconceptualisation of the institution, specifically through electoral reform and the introduction of a social charter to ensure MP accountability.

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) is a regional human security policy thinktank focused exclusively on Africa, aiming to support policy formulation and decision-making to enhance human security across the continent.

This research paper critiques the Red Door initiative in South Africa's Western Cape province, arguing that political pressure to claim success has led to the funding of a superficial training programme that prioritizes quantity of participants over actual job creation and business viability.