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The National Environmental Compliance & Enforcement Report 2011-12 provides a comprehensive overview of the activities of the Environmental Management Inspectorate (EMI) in South Africa. It details a significant increase in EMI capacity, particularly Grade 5 field rangers, and tracks national statistics on criminal and administrative enforcement. The report highlights a rise in section 24G administrative fines and a focus on proactive industrial compliance, while also documenting the ongoing crisis of rhino poaching and the illegal trade in cycads. It further outlines specific court cases, legislative developments, and capacity-building efforts for inspectors and prosecutors.

This document is an introduction by Chandré Gould to a peer-reviewed collection of ten papers resulting from a December 2010 conference titled ‘Towards a coherent strategy for crime reduction in South Africa beyond 2010’. The collection explores the causes of crime, policing practices, and victimisation, with a primary focus on South Africa and additional perspectives from the United States and Mexico.

A formal request from the Centre for Environmental Rights and a coalition of twelve other NGOs to the South African Minister of Mineral Resources. The document urges the Minister to use her discretion under Section 49 of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) to prohibit or restrict prospecting and mining in areas of critical biodiversity and hydrological value to protect the environment and mitigate climate change impacts.

The National Environmental Compliance & Enforcement Report 2009-10 provides a comprehensive overview of environmental law enforcement activities in South Africa from April 1, 2009, to March 31, 2010. It details the growth of the Environmental Management Inspectorate (EMI), national statistics on criminal and administrative enforcement, and specific case studies regarding industrial pollution and biodiversity crimes, particularly rhino poaching.

This research paper analyses data from the 2007 National Crime and Victimisation Survey to identify characteristics and factors that influence the likelihood of experiencing different types of crime in South Africa. Using regression modelling, the author examines demographic, geographic, socio-economic, security, and environmental variables to determine their impact on housebreaking, property theft, theft from vehicles, robbery, and assault.

This research paper analyzes the dynamics of the six most common crimes in South Africa—housebreaking, property theft, theft from vehicles, robbery, assault, and corruption—using data from victim surveys conducted in 1998, 2003, and 2007. Key findings indicate a trend of crimes increasingly occurring within residential areas and homes, particularly housebreakings and assaults. While weapon use in assaults has declined, it has increased in robberies. Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal are identified as the provinces with the highest crime levels, while the Northern Cape has the lowest. The paper highlights a high level of familiarity between victims and perpetrators and notes a permissive societal attitude toward 'minor' corruption, such as paying bribes for traffic fines.

This issue of SA Crime Quarterly examines public perceptions of crime in South Africa, the role of the private security industry, the impact of sentencing policies on prison populations, and the legal implications of compulsory HIV testing for alleged sexual offenders.

This report analyzes public opinion surveys from Idasa and Afrobarometer conducted in South Africa since 1994 to compare citizen experiences of crime and policing against official statistics. While public perceptions of overall safety and government performance in fighting crime have improved since 2000, trust in the South African Police Service (SAPS) is undermined by high perceived and actual levels of corruption and poor user-friendliness.

This research paper, based on the 2005 National Youth Victimisation Study, examines the relationship between exposure to family violence and criminal victimisation among South African youth aged 12 to 22. The study finds that young people who witness or experience violence at home are significantly more vulnerable to becoming victims of crime, including violent crimes and repeat victimisations.

This 2006 report by the Institute for Security Studies and the Restorative Justice Centre documents the state of restorative justice (RJ) practice in South Africa. It maps over sixty projects across various sectors—including probation services, correctional services, civil society, and traditional leadership—to evaluate the scope and quality of services provided to victims and offenders. The authors argue that RJ should be viewed as a philosophy and approach rather than a specific programme, and they advocate for its 'mainstreaming' within the criminal justice system through a partnership where civil society leads direct service delivery while the state acts as an enabler, resourcer, and guarantor of quality.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the South African Police Service (SAPS) crime statistics for the 2003/04 financial year. It reports a general decrease in most serious crimes, including murder and residential burglary, while highlighting a concerning increase in aggravated robbery. The authors note a disconnect between improving statistical trends and the high levels of fear felt by the South African public.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies provides a comprehensive analysis of South African crime statistics for the 2003/04 financial year, alongside thematic studies on the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, the 2005 firearms amnesty, and the nature of gang rape in inner-city Johannesburg.

This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of the national and provincial secretariats for safety and security in providing civilian oversight of the South African Police Service (SAPS). It finds that while these bodies were established to ensure democratic accountability and transparency, their impact has been limited and inconsistent, often functioning as ad hoc monitoring structures rather than robust oversight mechanisms.

This issue of the SA Crime Quarterly (December 2004) examines critical failures and challenges within the South African criminal justice and security sectors. It details severe prison overcrowding driven by minimum sentencing laws, the mixed success of civilian oversight mechanisms for the South African Police Service (SAPS), the violent history and stalled recapitalisation of the minibus taxi industry, the under-utilization of weapon seizure powers in domestic violence cases, and the results of Operation Sethunya in combating illegal firearms.

The 2003 National Victims of Crime Survey in South Africa, conducted by the Institute for Security Studies, provides a comprehensive analysis of crime levels, public perceptions of safety, and the performance of the criminal justice system. The survey indicates a slight decline in overall victimisation rates compared to 1998, though housebreaking increased. It highlights a significant gap between public perceptions—which often overestimate the prevalence of violent crime—and the reality of non-violent property crime. The report also documents widespread petty corruption, declining feelings of safety, and a reliance on state protection despite mixed views on police and court performance.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines homicide trends in South Africa, focusing specifically on the coloured population, which has historically experienced the highest murder rates in the country. The analysis explores the demographics of victims and perpetrators, the shift in weaponry from knives to firearms, and the socio-economic drivers of violence, including gang activity and alcohol abuse.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies consists of several articles analyzing critical issues within the South African criminal justice system. It examines the high rates of police killings and the factors contributing to them, the closure of the SAPS Anti-Corruption Unit, the dynamics of sexual violence and gender roles in men's prisons, trends in child sex offenders and their custody, the effectiveness of the Independent Complaints Directorate in monitoring police brutality, and the implementation of firearm unfitness hearings under the Arms and Ammunition Act.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the rise of crime in South Africa during its transition to democracy. It argues that while the transition period saw a spike in criminality, the roots of the problem lie in the apartheid system. The author analyzes the failures of the centralized criminal justice system, the growth of private security and vigilantism, and the government's National Crime Prevention Strategy, concluding that the state's inability to ensure personal safety threatens the consolidation of the new democracy.

The Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 43 of 1983 (and its associated regulations) provides a legal framework for the protection of agricultural resources in South Africa. It establishes mandatory control measures to prevent soil erosion, waterlogging, and salination, regulates the use of veld and the management of veld fires, and creates a classification system for combating weeds and invader plants. The document also outlines the administrative functions of conservation committees and the technical specifications for soil conservation beacons.

This document is a draft reply from the South African Department of Water and Sanitation to a National Assembly question (No. 4253) regarding the number and qualifications of 'Blue Scorpions' (Environmental Management Inspectors) within its Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement unit.