by Joan Swart | Aug 8, 2026 | Defence Policy and Strategy, National Security - Nasionale Veiligheid, South Africa, STRATEGIC STUDIES
Abstract: Recurring disruptions in the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz have restored the strategic importance of the Cape Sea Route. Yet South Africa continues to treat its maritime position primarily as a transport issue rather than a strategic national asset. This...
by Joan Swart | Jul 24, 2026 | Defence Policy and Strategy, Energy Security, National Security - Nasionale Veiligheid, South Africa, STRATEGIC STUDIES
Abstract: South Africa’s draft Strategic Petroleum Stocks Policy is about far more than fuel security. It signals a renewed appreciation that national resilience cannot be left entirely to market forces, and that strategic endurance requires deliberate...
by Joan Swart | Jul 17, 2026 | Defence Policy and Strategy, National Security - Nasionale Veiligheid, South Africa, STARLINK, Strategic communication, Strategic Interconnectivity, STRATEGIC STUDIES
Abstract: Amazon’s planned entry into South Africa’s satellite internet market fundamentally shifts the Starlink debate from individual companies to the governance of strategic digital infrastructure. As communications infrastructure becomes increasingly...
by Joan Swart | Jul 10, 2026 | Defence Policy and Strategy, Diplomacy, Military strategy, Strategic communication, STRATEGIC STUDIES
Abstract: The funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demonstrates how states can employ ritual, symbolism and mass mobilisation as instruments of strategic communication before military force is ever employed. Recognising and correctly interpreting such signals is an...
by Joan Swart | Jul 2, 2026 | Defence Policy and Strategy, CSIR, Military Academy Stellenbosch, R&D, SANDF, South Africa, Strategic Interconnectivity
Abstract: Defence research is about far more than technology. It is the mechanism through which a defence establishment learns, adapts and remains strategically relevant. This article argues that the real challenge is not simply increasing R&D expenditure, but...
