As we kick-start our Women's Month focus, the struggle to create a non-sexist democratic South Africa found expression at the CODESA negotiations, resulting in the constitutional recognition of women's rights, and later the creation of the National Gender Machinery to ensure gender mainstreaming across all areas of society.
National security is the protection of the country's sovereignty, its citizens, borders and economy. During apartheid the state's interest was to protect the minority at the expense of all its citizens, but the post-apartheid government sought to transform its approach to embrace the new democratic culture. However, while South Africa is generally a peaceful and stable country, over the years the state intelligence agency has not been immune to political developments that compromised its effectivenes.