South Africa must do more for long-term peace

In an unprecedented show of force since South Africa became a democracy in 1994, the South African National Defense Force has ordered 25,000 troops to be deployed across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, the two most important provinces. most affected by recent riots and large-scale looting.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of troops to support the country’s police, which had been overwhelmed by the scale of the violence.

Governments usually deploy the military as the last line of defense when faced with an insurgency or revolt. The threat or use of military force is the ultimate arbiter in allaying disturbances that threaten state stability or the security of citizens, as seen in Nigeria, where the deployment of the military in the framework for internal security operations has grown considerably since 1999.

In South Africa, the military was recently deployed to counter gang violence on the Cape Flats and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In all of these cases, there are concerns about its effectiveness in these roles.

In South Africa, so far, the deployment of army troops to assist the police has created a precarious calm. But what South Africans are seeing is negative peace – where some degree of normalcy returns, but in which the underlying causes of the conflict remain.

Read more: The army is used to fight the Cape Town gangs. Why is this a bad idea

The military can help create a more stable and secure environment, curb violence and unrest in the short term, but this is unlikely to translate into lasting and lasting peace. The cultural and structural issues underlying violence must be addressed. These relate to inequalities and injustices embedded in the structure of society.

The military is not a quick fix.

Concerns about the deployment of the army

There are many concerns about the use of the military internally in domestic operations within the borders of one’s own country.

The first concerns the government’s use of the military against its own citizens. As seen in Nigeria and South Africa, the military is generally not trained or equipped to deal with civil unrest and has limited experience in riot control.

One of the risks is that communities will deliberately act to provoke soldiers, which could result in excessive use of force. This can affect trust in the military, affecting the legitimacy of the state. The South African government has already been criticized for its brutal and highly militarized approach during the first phase of lockdown in 2020. However, in general, the population has a much higher level of trust in the military than in others. state institutions.

The second risk concerns the importance given to the military in situations of civil unrest. Giving the military a leading role in political decision-making in the face of civil unrest can lead to a culture of militarism and militarization. This translates into political dependence and increased economic investment in the military to help solve societal problems.

This can undermine attempts to find more constructive approaches to conflict resolution.

All of Achilles

The army will inevitably be called in again to support the police. The big question is whether soldiers can provide this support given their limited capacity. Those who are deployed are mainly from the infantry, of which there are only 14 battalions, which cannot all be deployed internally. Then there are the commitments to peacekeeping operations and the border, and now to Mozambique.

In its current form, the military cannot adequately respond to the threats the country faces internally and externally, due to the way it is structured, funded and trained. The army is structured for conventional warfare. This requires expensive equipment and training and does not allow sufficient flexibility to perform the functions it actually performs.

South Africa needs an army more capable of responding to all the challenges facing the country. These include a mixture of military and police functions. That would mean restructuring the military so that it can put more boots on the ground. What is needed are more infantry troops, trained and equipped for the tasks they have to perform. It is less costly than preparing for conventional war and using the military in collateral roles as is currently the case.

These changes would ensure that it could more effectively fulfill roles such as peacekeeping, border control, police support and the fight against terrorism.

Read more: South Africa is thinking about the future of its army to make it suitable for its needs

Beyond that, there is a need to address the current inefficiencies of the state security cluster. It is clear that there is a lack of visionary leadership, accountability and oversight, to enable these sectors to function more effectively.

The lack of effective intelligence meant that the army and police were unable to put in place preventive defensive measures to deal with the recent violence and looting, which left more than 330 dead.

A comprehensive approach

A more holistic approach to security is needed. As stated by Laetitia Olivier, an academic soldier, when it comes to gang violence, what is needed is a coordinated and comprehensive plan to meet the twin challenges of security and economic development.

Security and economic development are closely linked; one cannot be achieved without the other. To date, the government has failed on both counts, leading to the current crisis.

What is needed is a clear national security framework to reorient the military according to its most likely future roles, missions and objectives. These are the roles the military currently performs, but it does not have the most suitable design and force structure for the task.

Tough decisions must be made in terms of personnel, rejuvenation and equipping the military for its future roles and functions, given the current security threats facing South African citizens. This does not imply more investment in defense, but a better use of available resources.

More than ever, decisive leadership is needed from politicians, military leaders and civil society to move the South African National Defense Force in the right direction.

Lindy Heinecken does not work, consult, own stock, or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has not disclosed any relevant affiliation beyond her academic position.

By Lindy Heinecken, Chair of the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, University of Stellenbosch