COALITION FOR DEFENCE ALTERNATIVES

Introduction

Although apartheid left indelible marks on virtually all social and political institutions in South Africa, nowhere is its imprint more lasting than in matters of national security. The force required to impose apartheid on a largely unwilling nation necessitated the creation of a military trained and equipped for both domestic repression and regional aggression. The 1977 United Nations arms embargo and the subsequent intensification of South Africa's international isolation prompted the rapid expansion of weapons and other defence-related industries capable of supplying the apartheid's growing appetite for violence. When South Africa's first democratic government came to power five years ago, it was saddled with a military prepared to defend boundaries, not people. It also faced a bloated and powerful arms industry which thrived on its capacity to equip combatants and potential combatants--if not domestically, then abroad--without regard to the merits of the cause or the suffering it entailed.

One of the key challenges facing the South African government after 1994 has been the taming of these violent and often undisciplined forces and the transformation of the "defence" establishment into an effective agent for peace and human security. To date, much progress has been achieved in this regard, especially with respect to the restructuring and integration of the SANDF. However, a great deal more remains to be done if South Africa's security forces and defence-related industries are become facilitators of, rather than obstacles to, security and development in the nation and the region.

This briefing paper identifies some of the key issues affecting the progress of defence transformation. It also proposes specific strategies for the enhancement of genuine human security throughout the region. The paper has been prepared by the Coalition for Defence Alternatives, a network of religious and human rights organisations working for a just and sustainable peace. We hope that it can serve as the basis for an ongoing dialogue with the Ministry of Defence and other public officials as we struggle together to enable all South Africans to realise their aspirations for a secure and prosperous future.

Policy principles

Our discussion of these issues is predicated on the belief that all government institutions and officials--including the Department of Defence and its subordinate agencies--must: (1) protect the civil and human rights of those who dwell within the nation's borders (and refrain from infringing the rights of people living in other countries); and (2) promote improvements in the living standards of all citizens as equitably and as efficiently as possible given resource constraints.

With respect to defence and security, Section 198 of the Constitution clearly defines the principles that should shape policy. This says, in part:

"National security must reflect the resolve of South Africans, as individuals and as a nation, to live as equals, to live in peace and harmony, to be free from fear and want and to seek a better life."

This must be the yardstick by which all defence-related decisions are made. It must take precedence over the narrow or short-term interests of specific companies or public officials.

The Coalition for Defence Alternatives sees defence as a component of the wider concept of human security. The cost of weapon procurement, for example, must be weighed against the cost of diverting scarce resources from other areas of need, such as education. This diversion brings with it a greater risk for human security than the non-procurement of weapons.

Furthermore, there must be a clear sense of the purpose of the defence force. Collateral applications can often be accomplished better through alternative (non-military) mechanisms. The preference should be for non-military options wherever possible.

Within the framework of these general principles, this document examines more closely four key concerns:

• Conversion and redevelopment of redundant military bases;
• Alternatives to the proposed rearmament of the military;
• Curbing dependence on and involvement in weapons production and international marketing; and
• Promoting peace and security throughout the region and the continent.