Preface.

The Institute has previously brought out publications on official South African strategic and security perceptions. This publication is the fourth in the series, each covering a specific period. The first the period from 1975 to 1987, incorporating the perceptions that embedded the national security policy and strategy eventually known as the 'Total Strategy' of the National Party government; the second the period between 1989 and 1992, characterised by turbulent change in the strategic environment of South Africa, focusing on the revision of the basic tenets of national security and military policy and doctrines in an era of transitory politics, as precursor of political change to eventual majority rule; the third the period from 1992 to 2000, epitomised by democratic elections and the transfer of political power, comprising the official incorporation African National Congress policy guidelines on security and defence and the transformation of strategic perceptions, policy and strategy in accordance with new security thinking and the broadening of the security agenda.

This publication covers the period from 2001 to 2007, a period of democratic consolidation, which saw the further development of national security policy and strategy, as well as of defence policy and doctrine. Whereas the previous period was characterised by the absence of an integrated national security policy and consolidated national security strategy, and anticipated the subsequent development thereof, these ideals have not come to fruition since 2001. Various components of policy and strategy are incorporated in official documents, statements and speeches without coalescing into a comprehensive national security policy and strategy that serve as a point of departure for defence policy, strategy and doctrine. Also, the official perceptions of the period from 2001 to 2007 lack a definitive thrust in strategic thinking and subsequent policy alignment, and rather comprise an eclectic mixture of security themes, initiatives and programmes of action. However, collectively they do represent a measure of enlargement, consolidation and progression, although in an incremental and often repetitive manner. What is nevertheless evident is, firstly, an increasing emphasis of ...