PUB2602 Assignment 3
(October/November)
Semester 2 | Due 16 October
2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the company name]
,Exam (elaborations)
PUB2602 Assignment 3 (October/November)
Semester 2 Memo | Due 16 October 2025
Course
Protection Services (PUB2602)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
INSTRUCTIONS You must base your responses on Lesson 6: Protection
Services in the National Sphere of Government of the study material.
However, you are also required to consult additional sources, such as articles
published in accredited academic journals, government reports and policy
documents, to support and complement your answers. Refer to page 2 for
additional instructions. QUESTION 1 Analyse the role and functions of the
South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the provision of national
security. Discuss how its operations contribute to safeguarding national
interests and responding to internal and external threats. Support your
answer with examples and references to relevant legislation and policy. (50)
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is the cornerstone of South Africa's
national security architecture. As the nation's sole military force, its role and functions are
meticulously defined by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, and subsequent
legislation, providing a robust, democratically accountable framework for its operations. The
SANDF’s mandate extends beyond conventional military defence, encompassing a broad
spectrum of responsibilities that are vital for safeguarding national interests and responding to a
complex mix of internal and external threats.
The primary object of the SANDF, as articulated in Section 200(2) of the Constitution, is “to
defend and protect the Republic, its territorial integrity and its people in accordance with the
Constitution and the principles of international law regulating the use of force.” This
foundational principle is further elaborated by the Defence Act, 2002 (Act No. 42 of 2002),
which provides the legal basis for the SANDF's employment. The Act specifies that the SANDF
can be deployed for various purposes, including the defence of the Republic, compliance with
international obligations, the preservation of life and property, and the upholding of law and
order in cooperation with the South African Police Service (SAPS). This dual mandate—to
defend against external aggression while also supporting domestic stability—is crucial to South
Africa's comprehensive approach to security.
The SANDF's operations directly contribute to safeguarding national interests by addressing both
conventional and non-conventional threats. In the external domain, while South Africa does not
face an immediate conventional military threat, the SANDF maintains a "core combat capability"
as outlined in the South African Defence Review 2015 to deter potential aggressors and ensure
readiness. Furthermore, the SANDF is a key instrument of South Africa's foreign policy through
its participation in peace support operations, particularly under the African Union (AU) and
, Southern African Development Community (SADC). For example, the SANDF’s involvement in
the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) contributes to regional
stability, a critical national interest that impacts trade, diplomacy, and security.
Internally, the SANDF's contributions are equally significant and often in a supporting role to
civil authorities. One of its most consistent domestic operations is Operation Corona, a border
safeguarding mission aimed at curbing illegal activities such as smuggling, human trafficking,
and illicit trade. This directly secures the nation's borders and intangible sovereignty. The
SANDF is also frequently deployed to assist the SAPS in maintaining law and order, as seen
during Operation Prosper, and has been tasked with protecting critical national infrastructure,
such as Eskom power stations, against criminal sabotage. Lastly, the SANDF's role in
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, such as during the devastating KwaZulu-Natal floods,
highlights its vital function in protecting the lives and property of citizens, thereby reinforcing
national resilience and stability. These diverse operations illustrate the SANDF's adaptability and
essential role in addressing the multi-dimensional threats to South Africa's security and
development.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is the country's primary instrument for
safeguarding national security. Its role and functions are explicitly defined by the Constitution
and relevant legislation, which outline its responsibilities in addressing both internal and external
threats. The SANDF's operations are crucial for protecting South Africa's territorial integrity,
upholding its international obligations, and providing support to other state departments in times
of crisis.
Constitutional and Legal Framework
The foundation of the SANDF's role is laid out in the Constitution of the Republic of South
Africa, 1996, particularly in Section 200(2), which states that the "primary object of the defence
force is to defend and protect the Republic, its territorial integrity and its people in accordance
with the Constitution and the principles of international law regulating the use of force." This is
further elaborated in the Defence Act, 42 of 2002, and the South African Defence Review
2015, which serve as the key policy documents guiding the force's operations. The Defence
Review emphasizes that the SANDF's main purpose is to deter external aggression while also
possessing the capability to undertake a range of secondary functions.
Safeguarding National Interests and Responding to Threats
The SANDF's operations can be categorized into two main areas: responding to external threats
and contributing to internal security.
(October/November)
Semester 2 | Due 16 October
2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Pick the date]
[Type the company name]
,Exam (elaborations)
PUB2602 Assignment 3 (October/November)
Semester 2 Memo | Due 16 October 2025
Course
Protection Services (PUB2602)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
INSTRUCTIONS You must base your responses on Lesson 6: Protection
Services in the National Sphere of Government of the study material.
However, you are also required to consult additional sources, such as articles
published in accredited academic journals, government reports and policy
documents, to support and complement your answers. Refer to page 2 for
additional instructions. QUESTION 1 Analyse the role and functions of the
South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the provision of national
security. Discuss how its operations contribute to safeguarding national
interests and responding to internal and external threats. Support your
answer with examples and references to relevant legislation and policy. (50)
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is the cornerstone of South Africa's
national security architecture. As the nation's sole military force, its role and functions are
meticulously defined by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, and subsequent
legislation, providing a robust, democratically accountable framework for its operations. The
SANDF’s mandate extends beyond conventional military defence, encompassing a broad
spectrum of responsibilities that are vital for safeguarding national interests and responding to a
complex mix of internal and external threats.
The primary object of the SANDF, as articulated in Section 200(2) of the Constitution, is “to
defend and protect the Republic, its territorial integrity and its people in accordance with the
Constitution and the principles of international law regulating the use of force.” This
foundational principle is further elaborated by the Defence Act, 2002 (Act No. 42 of 2002),
which provides the legal basis for the SANDF's employment. The Act specifies that the SANDF
can be deployed for various purposes, including the defence of the Republic, compliance with
international obligations, the preservation of life and property, and the upholding of law and
order in cooperation with the South African Police Service (SAPS). This dual mandate—to
defend against external aggression while also supporting domestic stability—is crucial to South
Africa's comprehensive approach to security.
The SANDF's operations directly contribute to safeguarding national interests by addressing both
conventional and non-conventional threats. In the external domain, while South Africa does not
face an immediate conventional military threat, the SANDF maintains a "core combat capability"
as outlined in the South African Defence Review 2015 to deter potential aggressors and ensure
readiness. Furthermore, the SANDF is a key instrument of South Africa's foreign policy through
its participation in peace support operations, particularly under the African Union (AU) and
, Southern African Development Community (SADC). For example, the SANDF’s involvement in
the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) contributes to regional
stability, a critical national interest that impacts trade, diplomacy, and security.
Internally, the SANDF's contributions are equally significant and often in a supporting role to
civil authorities. One of its most consistent domestic operations is Operation Corona, a border
safeguarding mission aimed at curbing illegal activities such as smuggling, human trafficking,
and illicit trade. This directly secures the nation's borders and intangible sovereignty. The
SANDF is also frequently deployed to assist the SAPS in maintaining law and order, as seen
during Operation Prosper, and has been tasked with protecting critical national infrastructure,
such as Eskom power stations, against criminal sabotage. Lastly, the SANDF's role in
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, such as during the devastating KwaZulu-Natal floods,
highlights its vital function in protecting the lives and property of citizens, thereby reinforcing
national resilience and stability. These diverse operations illustrate the SANDF's adaptability and
essential role in addressing the multi-dimensional threats to South Africa's security and
development.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is the country's primary instrument for
safeguarding national security. Its role and functions are explicitly defined by the Constitution
and relevant legislation, which outline its responsibilities in addressing both internal and external
threats. The SANDF's operations are crucial for protecting South Africa's territorial integrity,
upholding its international obligations, and providing support to other state departments in times
of crisis.
Constitutional and Legal Framework
The foundation of the SANDF's role is laid out in the Constitution of the Republic of South
Africa, 1996, particularly in Section 200(2), which states that the "primary object of the defence
force is to defend and protect the Republic, its territorial integrity and its people in accordance
with the Constitution and the principles of international law regulating the use of force." This is
further elaborated in the Defence Act, 42 of 2002, and the South African Defence Review
2015, which serve as the key policy documents guiding the force's operations. The Defence
Review emphasizes that the SANDF's main purpose is to deter external aggression while also
possessing the capability to undertake a range of secondary functions.
Safeguarding National Interests and Responding to Threats
The SANDF's operations can be categorized into two main areas: responding to external threats
and contributing to internal security.
