AIDS as a national security issue in South Africa : 1998-2009

Abstract

The main research problem that was addressed in the study was whether HIV/Aids has already reached the level of a national security threat in South Africa based on the available data and literature. The concept of national security was dealt with broadly by firstly discussing traditional views on national security. This was followed by a discussion on post-Cold War views that represent a paradigm shift in national security thinking, including the broadening of the national security agenda to include non-military threats; threats to the individual; and the problem of securitising a myriad of threats in the name of national security. The criteria for determining threats to national security including the threat threshold concept, were also presented. Having discussed these criteria, an overview of the extent and global impact of HIV/Aids, was provided with specific reference to the sub-Saharan region. Official South African national security views were subsequently broadly described. It is evident that that security thinking has broadened in line with post-Cold war views of security, to include aspects such as socio-economic challenges. Following this was a study of the extent of HIV/Aids in South Africa and some reference to the extent in the Southern African region. Subsequently an examination of the causes of HIV/Aids in the sub-Saharan region and the Southern African region with a particular focus on South Africa, was undertaken. The implications of HIV/Aids for South Africa were dealt with in detail by discussing its impact on various sectors in South Africa. These included the socio-economic impact which was further divided into health, education, human rights, industries and labour, markets, and the impact on the South African military establishment. The examination of the military establishment was done with a view to assess its readiness to perform its core functions in view of the rate of HIV infection in the military. Official South African responses to HIV/Aids during the period 1999 – 2002; the government’s policy shift on HIV/Aids from 2003 onwards; South African National Aids Council’s (SANAC) new leadership from 2005 to 2009; and perceptions created by official responses to HIV/Aids, were finally addressed. From the study it emerged that security and insecurity should no longer be considered as geopolitics and military strength only but includes threats such as diseases. A nation that lacks a healthy population is a vulnerable nation. Lack of good health in the form of pandemic diseases like HIV/Aids in South Africa also has a potential to threaten posterity. AFRIKAANS : Die belangrikste navorsingsprobleem wat in die studie aangespreek is, is of MIV/Vigs reeds die vlak van ‘n nasionale veiligheidsbedreiging in Suid-Afrika bereik het. Die nasionale veiligheidskonsep is in die breë behandel deur eers tradisionele beskouings daaroor te bespreek. Dit is gevolg deur ‘n bespreking van na-Koue Oorlogse sienings wat ‘n paradigmaverskuiwing in denke oor nasionale veiligheid verteenwoordig en die verbreding van die nasionale veiligheidsagenda om nie-militêre bedreigings, en bedreigings vir die individu in te sluit, behels. Die maatstawwe vir die bepaling van bedreigings vir nasionale veiligheid insluitende die bedreigingsdrumpelkonsep is ook bespreek. Na ‘n bespreking van hierdie maatstawwe is ‘n oorsig van die omvang en effek van MIV/Vigs met spesifieke verwysing na die sub-Saharastreek, gegee. Amptelike Suid-Afrikaanse nasionale veiligheidsbeskouings is daarna in breë trekke beskryf. Dit is duidelik dat veiligheidsdenke verbreed het ooreenkomstig na-Koue Oorlogse sienings oor veiligheid om aspekte soos sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings in te sluit. ‘n Studie van die omvang van MIV/Vigs in Suid-Afrika en verwysings na die omvang daarvan in Suider-Afrika het daarop gevolg. ‘n Ondersoek na die oorsake van MIV/Vigs in die sub-Saharastreek en in Suider-Afrika is daarna gedoen, met spesifieke fokus op Suid-Afrika. Die implikasies van MIV/Vigs vir Suid-Afrika is in besonderhede behandel deur die uitwerking daarvan op verskeie sektore in Suid-Afrika te bespreek. Hierdie sektore het die sosio-ekonomiese uitwerking, wat verder verdeel is in gesondheid, onderwys, menseregte, nywerhede en arbeid, markte, en die uitwerking op die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag ingesluit. Die Weermag is ondersoek met die oog daarop om sy gereedheid om kernfunksies te vervul in die lig van die omvang van MIV-infeksies in die militêre omgewing te evalueer. Amptelike Suid-Afrikaanse reaksies op MIV/Vigs gedurende die 1999-2000 tydperk; die regering se beleidsverandering vanaf 2003; die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Vigsraad se nuwe leierskap van 2005 tot 2009; en reaksies en waarnemings van die burgerlike samelewing wat deur amptelike standpunte oor MIV/Vigs geskep is, is ten slotte aangespreek. Die studie het getoon dat veiligheid en onveiligheid nie langer beskou moet word as beperk tot geopolitiek en militêre mag nie, maar dat dit bedreigings soos siektes insluit. ‘n Nasie sonder ‘n gesonde bevolking is ‘n kwesbare nasie. ‘n Gebrek aan goeie gesondheid in die vorm van siektes soos MIV/Vigs in Suid-Afrika kan ook die nageslag bedreig.