POST-CONFLICT MILITARY INTEGRATION MODELS: A CASE STUDY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE (SANDF)

Abstract

This article seeks to examine the processes and procedures undertaken by the South African political and military negotiators, and the military integration model which was followed in order to achieve a peaceful and successful integration of the various military regimes existing in the country pre-1994 to form the 'national defence force', the SANDF. This is an explorative article which draws its data from an extensive literature review on existing military integration models. This article seeks to recommend a model which South Africa (SA) used during its military integration process. In the South African situation, the Truth and Reconciliation model was used after the first democratic elections in 1994 as a way to foster peace and reconciliation amongst the victims and perpetrators from the apartheid era. This model is recommended for use by countries undergoing similar integration processes elsewhere in the world.