PUB2602 Assignment 3
(October/November) Semester
2 Memo (COMPLETE
ANSWERS) Due 16 October
2025
For assistance contact
Email:
, QUESTION 1: Role and Functions of the SANDF in National Security 🛡️
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) plays a critical and multi-faceted role in
ensuring the national security of South Africa, primarily by safeguarding its sovereignty,
territorial integrity, and national interests against both external and internal threats. Its functions,
as enshrined in the Constitution and the Defence Act (No. 42 of 2002), extend beyond traditional
warfare to include peace support operations, humanitarian aid, and support to civil authorities.
The SANDF's operations are instrumental in maintaining stability and protecting the state's
security and prosperity.
Constitutional Mandate and Core Functions
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, establishes the SANDF as the
country's ultimate protector, outlining its primary role in defending and protecting the Republic,
its territorial integrity, and its people. This mandate is further detailed in the Defence Review
2015, which serves as the principal policy guide for the defence force. The Review identifies
four key defence imperatives:
Defend and Protect: The core function of deterring and repelling external aggression.
Shape: Contributing to a stable regional and continental environment through diplomacy
and military cooperation.
Respond: The ability to react swiftly to internal and external crises, including natural
disasters and non-traditional threats.
Co-operate: Partnering with other government departments and international bodies to
achieve common security objectives.
The SANDF's operational structure is divided into the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Military
Health Service, each contributing to the overall defence posture. For instance, the South African
Navy patrols the country's extensive coastline to combat piracy, illegal fishing, and smuggling,
while the South African Air Force secures the country's airspace and provides transport and
reconnaissance support for ground operations.
Safeguarding National Interests and Responding to Threats
The SANDF contributes to safeguarding national interests through a range of operations that
address diverse threats. Its operations are broadly categorized as either external or internal.
Responding to External Threats
(October/November) Semester
2 Memo (COMPLETE
ANSWERS) Due 16 October
2025
For assistance contact
Email:
, QUESTION 1: Role and Functions of the SANDF in National Security 🛡️
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) plays a critical and multi-faceted role in
ensuring the national security of South Africa, primarily by safeguarding its sovereignty,
territorial integrity, and national interests against both external and internal threats. Its functions,
as enshrined in the Constitution and the Defence Act (No. 42 of 2002), extend beyond traditional
warfare to include peace support operations, humanitarian aid, and support to civil authorities.
The SANDF's operations are instrumental in maintaining stability and protecting the state's
security and prosperity.
Constitutional Mandate and Core Functions
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, establishes the SANDF as the
country's ultimate protector, outlining its primary role in defending and protecting the Republic,
its territorial integrity, and its people. This mandate is further detailed in the Defence Review
2015, which serves as the principal policy guide for the defence force. The Review identifies
four key defence imperatives:
Defend and Protect: The core function of deterring and repelling external aggression.
Shape: Contributing to a stable regional and continental environment through diplomacy
and military cooperation.
Respond: The ability to react swiftly to internal and external crises, including natural
disasters and non-traditional threats.
Co-operate: Partnering with other government departments and international bodies to
achieve common security objectives.
The SANDF's operational structure is divided into the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Military
Health Service, each contributing to the overall defence posture. For instance, the South African
Navy patrols the country's extensive coastline to combat piracy, illegal fishing, and smuggling,
while the South African Air Force secures the country's airspace and provides transport and
reconnaissance support for ground operations.
Safeguarding National Interests and Responding to Threats
The SANDF contributes to safeguarding national interests through a range of operations that
address diverse threats. Its operations are broadly categorized as either external or internal.
Responding to External Threats
