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A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614020253515776 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | De Coning, Embla |
| author2 | Lamb, Guy |
| author_browse | De Coning, Embla Lamb, Guy |
| author_facet | Lamb, Guy De Coning, Embla |
| author_sort | De Coning, Embla |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134585 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:23.741Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134585 A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force De Coning, Embla Lamb, Guy Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. South Africa -- Armed Forces -- Reorganization South Africa -- Armed Forces -- Political aspects Military sociology -- South Africa Decolonization -- South Africa Civil-military relations -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. De Coning, E. 2025.A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/b639b1dc-78c6-4fd6-b9d8-fa1d7f03e51a ENGLISH 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 Western-centric 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. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is gesetel in die konteks van Suid-Afrika se unieke geskiedenis van kolonialisme en apartheid. Hierdie studie is 'n dekoloniale ontleding van die post-apartheid Veiligheidssektorhervormingsproses (VSH) binne bogenoemde raamwerk, met 'n spesifieke fokus op die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag (SANW). Die 1996 Suid-Afrikaanse Witskrif oor Verdediging het 'n getransformeerde en waarskynlik 'n 'gedekoloniseerde' SAW in die vooruitsig gestel. Die studie poog om die wyse waarop dekoloniale teorie nuwe insigte kan bied in die post-1994 hervorming en transformasie van die SANW, te ondersoek. Hierdie dekoloniale ontleding bevind dat die hervorming en transformasie van die SANW slegs gedeeltelik suksesvol was, omrede: Die transformasie koloniale- en apartheid-eramagsverhoudinge bevorder het; Dit grootliks gebaseer was op die strukture van die vorige apartheidsera Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag (SAW); Die ontwikkeling van 'n veranderende veiligheidslandskap gefaal het, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van 'n Eurosentriese benadering gebaseer op 'n liberale VSH. Die tesis het verder bevind dat dit te wyte was aan die gebrek aan 'n aktiewe koloniale benadering. Die studie dui aan wat so 'n dekoloniale transformasie kan bereik, asook die inisiëring en volhoubaarheid daarvan. Die tesis bevind dat suksesvolle dekolonisasie afhanklik is van verdedigingsmagte se fokus op die verandering en hervorming van hul institusionele kultuur, koloniale-gebaseerde institusionele strukture, asook die dekolonisasie van hul opvoedkundige leerplan. Alhoewel beleide soos geslagsinklusiwiteit en -verteenwoordiging aktief dekoloniaal is, vereis dit verdere konsekwente aandag en refleksie met betrekking tot die dekonstruksie van koloniale mag-, kennis- en wesenstrukture, met die klem op koloniale patriargie. Ten laaste is die dekonstruksie van koloniaal-gebaseerde kennis en aangenome Westerse universele wortels en oorsprong van kennisproduksie uiters belangrik vir die daarstelling van 'n dekoloniale verdedigingsmag. https://scholar.sun.ac.za vi Die tesis beklemtoon potensiële positiewe uitkomsgebaseerde resultate, indien die SANW 'n meer doelgerigte dekoloniale toenadering tot sy voortgaande evolusie sou toepas. Eerstens moedig dit 'n meer akkurate uitbeelding van Suid-Afrika se huidige veiligheidslandskap en verhouding met streeksbondgenote aan, asook die ondersteuningsrol met betrekking tot die VSH van ander lande in Afrika. Tweedens word 'n omgewing geskep waar werknemers en personeel meer direk betrokke is by die weermag, asook by die mede-vorming van begrip en funksionaliteit. Dus, dat dit geensins op 'n koloniale model van uitbuiting en/of koloniale standaarde en kriteria gebaseer word nie. Dit kan 'n verdedigingsmag wat meer in harmonie is met sy doelstellings en gehoor tot gevolg hê, in teenstelling met doelwitte en begrotings wat vaag is en nie 'n akkurate weerspieëling van die werklikheid is nie. Hierdie tesis lewer 'n bydrae tot die politieke wetenskap arena deur die aktiewe toepassing van dekoloniale teorie in praktyk, op die onderafdelings van verdedigings- en veiligheidsstudies en om sodoende die toepassing van dekolonialiteitsteorieë te gebruik in die ondersoek van verdedigings- en veiligheidsbeleid en -praktyk. Alhoewel daar wel 'n mate van 'n poging aangewend was om verdedigings- en veiligheidsstudies in Afrika te dekoloniseer, is dit steeds slegs in die beginfase. Masters 2025-12-15T09:55:25Z 2025-12-15T09:55:25Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134585 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 133 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | South Africa -- Armed Forces -- Reorganization South Africa -- Armed Forces -- Political aspects Military sociology -- South Africa Decolonization -- South Africa Civil-military relations -- South Africa UCTD De Coning, Embla A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force |
| title | A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force |
| title_full | A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force |
| title_fullStr | A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force |
| title_short | A Decolonial Analysis of the Reform and Transformation of the South African National Defence Force |
| title_sort | decolonial analysis of the reform and transformation of the south african national defence force |
| topic | South Africa -- Armed Forces -- Reorganization South Africa -- Armed Forces -- Political aspects Military sociology -- South Africa Decolonization -- South Africa Civil-military relations -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134585 |
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