New security thinking: defence and societal transformation in South Africa

Abstract

English: New security thinking, with its specific focus on human security, is different from earlier perspectives, which focused primarily on state security. In South Africa, state security is no longer threatened by conventional threats. With new challenges such as global poverty, unemployment and economic decline, the needs of people are addressed as much as those of the state or military strategy. An expansive approach to the concept of human security has been infused in all domestic policies. Human security includes the satisfaction of the basic needs of life, and encompasses the creation of the social, political, economic, military, environmental and cultural conditions necessary for survival, human rights and good governance.

Afrikaans: Nuwe denke oor sekuriteit, met die fokus spesifiek op menslike sekuriteit, verskil van vorige uitgangspunte wat hoofsaaklik op staatsekuriteit gefokus het. In Suid-Afrika word staatsekuriteit nie meer bedreig deur konvensionele gevare nie. Met nuwe uitdagings soos wêreldwye armoede, werkloosheid en ekonomiese agteruitgang word die behoeftes van mense, net soos behoeftes van die staat en militêre strategie, in ag geneem. ’n Uitgebreide benadering tot die konsep menslike sekuriteit is ingebed in alle interne beleidstukke. Menslike sekuriteit sluit in die bevrediging van basiese lewensbehoeftes en dit omvat die skepping van die sosiale, politieke, ekonomiese, militêre, omgewings- en kulturele toestande wat nodig is vir oorlewing, menseregte en goeie regering.