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This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the early development of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security. It argues that the Organ is currently underdeveloped, operating primarily at the summit level and through the military-focused Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC), while lacking mechanisms for human rights and democratic governance. The authors propose a comprehensive structural overhaul, including the creation of a Political Co-operation Council, an Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, and a permanent multinational secretariat to move the Organ from a reactive 'fire brigade' role to a proactive regional security framework.

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.

This report chapter examines the implementation of 'stability operations'—combining internal defence and development—by the Rhodesian Security Forces. It details the evolution of psychological operations (Psyop) and civic action from the informal 'Sheppard group' to the formal 1 Psychological Operations Unit and the Directorate of Psychological Warfare. The text analyzes various tactical attempts to control populations and resources, such as food control (Operation Turkey), 'Interface' operations, and the use of spirit mediums, concluding that these efforts largely failed due to a lack of genuine local involvement and a military culture that prioritized insurgent casualties over socio-economic reform.

This report chapter examines 'Operation Favour', a Rhodesian counter-insurgency initiative to establish Security Force Auxiliaries (SFAs) as a local self-protection militia. The program aimed to stabilize rural Tribal Trust Lands and secure political support for the Internal Settlement government, though it faced significant challenges including poor training, urban recruitment issues, and political instability.

This report chapter analyzes the failures and evolution of the Rhodesian intelligence community during the counter-insurgency conflict from 1972 to 1980. It details the transition from a peace-time, police-led intelligence structure to the belated development of military intelligence organizations, highlighting the systemic lack of coordination between the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), the Army, and special forces units.

This report documents a political seminar held in Brazzaville, Congo, as part of 'South African Week' in April 2006. The event, organized by the South African Embassy in Brazzaville, the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA), and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), aimed to share South Africa's experiences of transitioning from apartheid to a democratic state to provide lessons for the Republic of Congo.

This report by Ebrahim Ebrahim details the transition of South Africa from apartheid to a democratic state, focusing on the strategic negotiations between the African National Congress (ANC) and the National Party, the role of international frameworks like the Harare Declaration, and the public participation processes that legitimized the final constitution.

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 history of human rights violations in Zimbabwe, arguing that land disputes and political intolerance are the primary drivers of abuse. It details the transition from colonial racial discrimination to post-colonial state violence, including the Gukurahundi massacres, the violent fast-track land reform programme, and the systematic suppression of political opposition and free speech through draconian legislation. The author concludes that Zimbabwe demonstrates the vulnerability of states in democratic transition to regress into tyranny.

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 case study examines the non-tariff barriers and systemic inefficiencies at the Beit Bridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe. It details how inadequate infrastructure, IT failures, corruption, and bureaucratic redundancies cause significant delays for commercial trucks, increasing transport costs and consumer prices for goods such as fuel and sugar.