A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force
| dc.contributor.advisor | Lamb, Guy | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | de Coning, Embla | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-01-30T14:07:14Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-01-30T14:07:14Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-12 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | This thesis is situated in the context of South Africa’s unique history of colonialism and apartheid. Within that framework, this study is a decolonial analysis of the post-apartheid Security Sector Reform (SSR) process, with a particular focus on the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The 1996 South African White Paper on Defence envisaged a transformed and arguably ‘decolonial’ SANDF. The study seeks to explore how decolonial theory can contribute new insights into the post-1994 reform and transformation of the SANDF. This decolonial analysis finds that the reform and transformation of the SANDF have only been partially successful because the transformation furthered colonial and apartheid-era power hierarchies; was largely based on previous (apartheid-era) South African Defence Force (SADF) structures; and failed to evolve in a changing security landscape largely due to a Westerncentric approach based on liberal SSR. The thesis further found this to be due to the lack of an active decolonial approach. The study points to what such a decolonial transformation can achieve, as well as how it could be initiated and sustained. The thesis finds that in order to decolonise successfully, defence forces need to focus on changing their institutional culture and colonial-based institutional structures, as well as decolonising their educational curriculum. Furthermore, although policies such as gender inclusion and representation are actively decolonial, they require consistent work and reflection on deconstructing colonial structures of power, knowledge and being, and especially colonial patriarchy. Lastly, deconstructing the coloniality of knowledge and Western assumed universal roots of knowledge production is important in achieving a decolonial defence force. The thesis highlights some potential positive performance outcomes should the SANDF apply a more intentional decolonial approach to its ongoing evolution. Firstly, it encourages a more accurate depiction of South Africa’s current security landscape and relationship with regional allies, as well as its role in supporting the SSR of other countries in Africa. Secondly, it creates an environment where personnel are more directly involved in the defence force and in co-shaping how it works and is understood. In other words, that it is not based on a colonial model of exploitation or colonial standards and criteria. This may result in a defence force more in line with what it actually does and who it actually serves, as opposed to having goals and budgets that do not reflect what the defence force spends most of its time doing. The thesis makes a contribution to the field of political science by actively applying decolonial theory in practice to the sub-field of defence and security studies, and thus demonstrating how theories of decoloniality can be applied in researching defence and security policy and practice. While there has been some effort to decolonialise defence and security studies in Africa, this is still only in its initial stages. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Masters | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | 128 pages | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131631 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.title | A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |