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The South African criminal justice system is facing a crisis characterized by a decline in prosecution and conviction rates since 1949. While the prosecution service maintains a high success rate for the cases it chooses to take on, the overall system is hampered by weak police forensic capabilities, high case withdrawal rates—particularly in assault cases—and a shortage of experienced prosecutors due to high staff turnover.

This document is a table of contents and introductory page for a working draft manual titled 'Peace Support Operations: A Working Draft Manual for African Military Practitioners', produced during a meeting in Harare from 24-26 August 1999.

This research paper examines the growth, structure, and regulation of the private security industry in South Africa as of 1999. It analyzes the industry's shift toward performing functions traditionally reserved for the police, the resulting tensions regarding accountability and human rights, and the industry's expansion into other African nations.

This research paper by Mark Malan of the Institute for Security Studies examines South Africa's potential roles in resolving the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as of March 1999. It analyzes various scenarios—ranging from a firm peace agreement to the absence of a cease-fire—and proposes an unconventional 'Renaissance peacekeeping' model that co-opts belligerent statutory forces into a multinational operation.

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. The document outlines the project's goal to analyze how the proliferation of weapons—resulting from conflict legacies and porous borders—contributes to a 'culture of violence' and undermines democratization and socio-economic development in the region.

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 research paper assesses Western efforts to develop African peacekeeping capabilities in the late 1990s, specifically focusing on the 'P-3 Initiative' (US, UK, and France) and Danish contributions. The authors argue that while these capacity-building programs provide tangible training and equipment, they are primarily driven by Western domestic political desires to avoid direct military or financial involvement in African conflicts. The document also details the institutional, financial, and operational limitations of African regional bodies like the OAU, SADC, and ECOWAS in managing peace and security independently.

This document is a table of contents for a report titled 'Crime in Pretoria. Results of a City Victim Survey', authored by Antoinette Louw and published in August 1998. It lists sections covering the extent of crime, police reporting and perceptions, specific crime profiles (violent crime, mugging, robbery, burglary, and vehicle crimes), fear of crime, victim support, and an addendum on sexual harassment and assault.

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 1998 report by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the nature and origins of organised crime in South Africa, tracing its evolution from domestic street gangs to sophisticated transnational networks. It examines the impact of political transition, the role of state corruption, and the shift in police strategies from incident-driven responses to intelligence-led operations.

This 1998 research paper argues that local government in South Africa is uniquely positioned to lead crime prevention efforts due to its proximity to citizens and the localized nature of crime. It outlines a policy framework based on the National Crime Prevention Strategy and various White Papers, suggesting nine areas of municipal intervention—ranging from internal management and by-law enforcement to the coordination of social programs. While noting the progress of 'Safer City' initiatives in cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town, the author warns that funding gaps, political pressure for quick results, and an over-reliance on municipal policing could undermine long-term success.

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 report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the relationship between the physical environment and crime in South Africa's major cities. It argues that apartheid-era urban planning created fragmented, segregated cities that foster insecurity, particularly in townships and informal settlements. The document advocates for crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) as a necessary component of multifaceted crime prevention strategies, emphasizing that design interventions should target specific environmental factors that increase the risk of victimisation and the fear of crime.

This report examines the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Southern Cone of South America, specifically within the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay). It analyzes how the transition from military rule to democracy, combined with regional economic integration, inadvertently facilitated the flow of weapons to criminal organizations. The document provides detailed case studies on the 'culture of violence' in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, highlighting the roles of drug trafficking, police corruption, and socio-economic instability in driving the demand for firearms.

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 document is the front matter and table of contents for Monograph No 18, titled 'Crime in Johannesburg: Results of a City Victim Survey', published in February 1998 by the Institute for Security Studies.

This report presents the results of a victimisation survey conducted in July 1997 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It aims to provide a more accurate picture of crime levels and the nature of victimisation than official police statistics, highlighting the disproportionate impact of violent crime on African residents and the widespread dissatisfaction with police services.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the growth of organised crime in South Africa following the transition to democracy in 1990. It analyzes the factors contributing to this growth, the nature of local and international syndicates, and the systemic weaknesses within the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the broader criminal justice system that hinder effective countermeasures.

This report examines the application of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) in post-apartheid South Africa, reviewing international experiences and local urban challenges. It argues that while the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) identifies environmental design as a key pillar, implementation is limited by a lack of practitioner knowledge and the enduring spatial inequalities created by apartheid planning. The document proposes a 'Safer by Design' strategy based on flexible national guidelines, local pilot projects, and a system of incentives rather than rigid enforcement.

This research paper analyzes the transition of the US-led African Crisis Response Force (ACRF) into the African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI) in 1997. It examines the ACRI's focus on long-term capacity-building through military training for African battalions to enhance peacekeeping interoperability, while critiquing the initiative's lack of coordination with the OAU and UN, its reliance on US military doctrine, and the absence of a clear mechanism for deploying the trained forces.