THE RELEVANCE OF STRATEGIC CULTURE FOR SOUTHERN AFRICAN SECURITY IN THE 1990s

This article explores the relevance of the concept of "strategic culture" for understanding the security dynamics of Southern Africa in the 1990s, a period of profound transformation following the end of apartheid. It defines strategic culture as the shared beliefs, attitudes, and norms within a state or region that shape how security is conceived and pursued. The study analyzes the legacy of the apartheid-era strategic culture, which was dominated by a militarized, confrontational, and racially-defined worldview. The research then examines the challenges and opportunities for forging a new, cooperative security culture in the post-apartheid era, centered on the newly democratic South Africa and regional institutions like the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The paper argues that a shift from a conflictual to a cooperative strategic culture is essential for addressing the region's common security challenges, such as economic underdevelopment and internal instability. The analysis concludes by assessing the prospects for the emergence of such a new regional strategic culture.

The end of apartheid and the birth of a democratic South Africa in 1994 fundamentally reshaped the security landscape of Southern Africa. This paper applies the concept of "strategic culture" to analyze this transformation. The study begins by providing a theoretical overview of strategic culture, arguing that it is a crucial variable for explaining why different states and regions approach security issues in systematically different ways. The core of the article is a contrast between the old and the new strategic cultures of Southern Africa. The "old" strategic culture of the apartheid era is analyzed in detail. It is characterized as a "garrison state" mentality, based on military dominance, racial ideology, and a policy of regional destabilization against the Frontline States. The paper then explores the difficult process of constructing a "new" strategic culture for the 1990s. It examines the efforts, led by the new South Africa under Nelson Mandela, to build a regional security community based on the principles of common security, mutual trust, and cooperation. The role of the SADC and its Organ on Politics, Defence and Security is critically assessed as the primary institutional vehicle for fostering this new culture. The findings suggest that while the legacy of decades of conflict and mistrust could not be overcome overnight, a fundamental and positive shift in the region's strategic culture was underway, creating new possibilities for a more peaceful and cooperative future.