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Undoubtedly, stock theft increased in most South African provinces during the lockdown period, thus, the objectives of this study were to provide a systematic discourse using news aggregators and seminal authors on this subject to showcase stock theft realities, and to establish the contributory factors thereof. The non-empirical research design: Systematic review methodology was used to analyse grey literature and primary research studies peer-reviewed and published, restricted from 2019-2020, as the Coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) pandemic swept South Africa by an elusive heavy storm, with 1998-2022 directed studies on this scourge, however, none sequential preference was adopted. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Critical Appraisal Skill Programme (CASP) were employed to ensure the trustworthiness of the findings of this study. This study establishes that the current nature of policing in South Africa is regarded as one of the notable root causes of the stock theft problem and this crime will continue to hike during the lockdown and post-lockdown periods if concerted steps are not taken urgently by the top echelons of the South African Police Service (SAPS), their actions against this practice is currently compromised or emasculated, and the consequences are clear to see. This study recommends that to effectively respond to the identified study themes; an active discourse relating to the contributory of stock theft during lockdown should be prioritised by the South African government. This multi-agency approach should include reporting of this crime, brand-marking and tattooing of livestock, embracing technological advancements to combat it effectively.

With the recent surge of mob justice in South Africa, this paper investigates whether recourse to mob justice serves a legitimate purpose and especially whether it serves justice or falls within the conceptual meaning of justice. In so doing, the paper undertook a literature review in view first to identify the possible causes of mob justice and whether or not mob justice serves a legitimate purpose in society. The literature reveals that mob justice aims to ensure security and maintain social order due to state inefficiency to provide security to its citizens. Mob justice becomes a mechanism of social control, policing, and society’s expression that the criminal justice system has failed. However, the paper could not find any related literature on the question whether mob justice falls within the philosophical concept of justice. It finds that the current discourse on mob justice literature focuses on the social and economic aspects of mob justice, delving into the possible reasons behind the attacks, or the legal aspects of mob justice. The paper is therefore relevant as its objective is to determine whether mob justice meets the conceptual meaning of justice and if there is a place for such conduct within a constitutional society. The paper found that mob justice falls short of the philosophical understanding of justice and is no more than injustice. It recommends a policy shift in the form of community involvement in policing.

Cable theft is a severe problem affecting South Africa, the loss of signal due to theft causes trains and all other forms of transportation to derail or collide, and many innocent lives and livelihoods are lost and this also affects the free flow of traffic. It disrupts the movement of people, goods and costs of the South African economy. The inability of law enforcement agencies to combat cable theft is a significant problem in South Africa and more should be done to counteract this problem as to a greater extent cases of cable theft are reported daily. This article focused on the impact of cable theft on the free flow of traffic in South Africa. The article is based on a qualitatively rooted methodology including a wide range of primary and secondary sources. The article further draws on the findings from the world on the impact of cable theft on the free flow of traffic and formulate steps to counteract the problem. The research-based key steps lead to the prevention of cable theft in South Africa. The first step related to capacitating law enforcement agencies with resources to combat cable theft; strengthening partnerships between law enforcement agencies, the business community, and all other significant stakeholders; Increasing the visibility of traffic officials to ensure the free flow of traffic.

Murders and attacks against women and youth are rising in rural South Africa. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) enables chiefs and headmen to maintain peace and order; however, violence suggests that traditional authorities and professional law enforcement rarely operate in tandem. This study examines the challenges and provides recommendations on how traditional leadership can foster sustainable crime prevention in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape Province. A qualitative study design was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with fifteen (15) chiefs, headmen, and ward committee members from varied rural communities in the district. Thematic analysis identified leadership engagement, community participation, and local crime-fighting strategies. Traditional leaders play a crucial role in rural administration, possessing moral and cultural authority that can be leveraged for social control and early intervention. However, insufficient cooperation with the South African Police Service (SAPS), limited resources, and a lack of institutional recognition for community safety initiatives, such as village night patrols and Community Policing Forums, limit their capacity. When urban migrants return home for holidays, crime rates, notably violent assaults and gender-based violence, climb, showing that social dislocation and alcohol consumption worsen tensions. The Chiefs agreed to work with SAPS on community awareness, customary punishments, and CPF reactivation. The study found that rural safety requires a hybrid crime prevention paradigm that combines state and customary authority. Integrating COGTA's governance structure with community-based policing could boost rural resilience, trust, and accountability. The study highlights indigenous governance as a social sustainability mechanism in rural South Africa, supporting Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

The parole system in South Africa is an essential component of the correctional framework, aimed at reconciling the dual goals of criminal rehabilitation and public safety. Although rooted in the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998, the White Paper on Corrections (2005), and international human rights norms, its efficacy is still debated. This article aims to critically assess the degree to which the South African parole system facilitates rehabilitation while ensuring community safety. The research employs a qualitative, doctrinal methodology, focussing on the examination of statutory provisions, policy frameworks, judicial rulings, and contemporary academic literature regarding parole and criminal reintegration. Additional insights are derived from comparative penological viewpoints and reports from oversight entities like the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services. Research demonstrates that while parole theoretically aligns with rehabilitative and restorative justice principles, its execution is compromised by prison overcrowding, resource constraints, insufficient post-release assistance, and erratic risk evaluations. These elements foster public distrust and occasional shortcomings in preventing recidivism, particularly in prominent cases. However, evidence indicates that structured monitoring and rehabilitative programs under parole can diminish recidivism when sufficiently resourced and supported. The paper asserts that the South African parole system necessitates comprehensive reform, incorporating the use of evidence-based risk assessment instruments, fortified community corrections, and improved reintegration assistance. Its contribution to penological studies emphasises the dichotomy of parole as both a rehabilitative instrument and a contentious arena of public safety, providing avenues for realigning parole practices with constitutional and restorative justice objectives.

Murders and attacks against women and youth are rising in rural South Africa. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) enables chiefs and headmen to maintain peace and order; however, violence suggests that traditional authorities and professional law enforcement rarely operate in tandem. This study examines the challenges and provides recommendations on how traditional leadership can foster sustainable crime prevention in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape Province. A qualitative study design was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with fifteen (15) chiefs, headmen, and ward committee members from varied rural communities in the district. Thematic analysis identified leadership engagement, community participation, and local crime-fighting strategies. Traditional leaders play a crucial role in rural administration, possessing moral and cultural authority that can be leveraged for social control and early intervention. However, insufficient cooperation with the South African Police Service (SAPS), limited resources, and a lack of institutional recognition for community safety initiatives, such as village night patrols and Community Policing Forums, limit their capacity. When urban migrants return home for holidays, crime rates, notably violent assaults and gender-based violence, climb, showing that social dislocation and alcohol consumption worsen tensions. The Chiefs agreed to work with SAPS on community awareness, customary punishments, and CPF reactivation. The study found that rural safety requires a hybrid crime prevention paradigm that combines state and customary authority. Integrating COGTA's governance structure with community-based policing could boost rural resilience, trust, and accountability. The study highlights indigenous governance as a social sustainability mechanism in rural South Africa, supporting Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

The parole system in South Africa is an essential component of the correctional framework, aimed at reconciling the dual goals of criminal rehabilitation and public safety. Although rooted in the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998, the White Paper on Corrections (2005), and international human rights norms, its efficacy is still debated. This article aims to critically assess the degree to which the South African parole system facilitates rehabilitation while ensuring community safety. The research employs a qualitative, doctrinal methodology, focussing on the examination of statutory provisions, policy frameworks, judicial rulings, and contemporary academic literature regarding parole and criminal reintegration. Additional insights are derived from comparative penological viewpoints and reports from oversight entities like the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services. Research demonstrates that while parole theoretically aligns with rehabilitative and restorative justice principles, its execution is compromised by prison overcrowding, resource constraints, insufficient post-release assistance, and erratic risk evaluations. These elements foster public distrust and occasional shortcomings in preventing recidivism, particularly in prominent cases. However, evidence indicates that structured monitoring and rehabilitative programs under parole can diminish recidivism when sufficiently resourced and supported. The paper asserts that the South African parole system necessitates comprehensive reform, incorporating the use of evidence-based risk assessment instruments, fortified community corrections, and improved reintegration assistance. Its contribution to penological studies emphasises the dichotomy of parole as both a rehabilitative instrument and a contentious arena of public safety, providing avenues for realigning parole practices with constitutional and restorative justice objectives.

This study examines the ideological impact of international prison inspectorates on national correctional systems, concentrating on how these bodies influence the balance between rehabilitative and retributive penological philosophies. While their primary mandate is to monitor prison conditions and prevent ill-treatment, inspectorates such as the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) subtly shape penal ideologies through their engagement and recommendations. The research sets out three objectives: to identify the penological philosophies promoted by selected international inspectorates, to analyse their rhetorical and strategic approaches in influencing prison systems, and to assess the tangible impact of these efforts on national policies and prison practices. A qualitative, comparative case study method is used, incorporating content analysis of inspectorate reports and communications, national legislation, and interviews with key stakeholders. Preliminary findings reveal a consistent promotion of rehabilitative and human rights-based approaches by these bodies. The CPT emphasizes normalization and reintegration, OPCAT NPMs focus increasingly on conditions supporting rehabilitation, and the ICRC advocates humane treatment, which underpins rehabilitative ideals. Impacts include legislative reforms, the introduction of rehabilitation programs, and shifts in official discourse. However, these changes vary across countries and are often limited by political, economic, and cultural barriers. The study concludes that international inspectorates, though often operating subtly, contribute significantly to shifting correctional ideologies toward more balanced, rehabilitative models. It adds to penological scholarship by illuminating the mechanisms through which global oversight fosters internal penal reform.

Correctional officers’ attitudes and perceptions about the treatment of offenders can affect an inmate’s experience within a correctional institution. Correctional officers meet offenders daily, and their influence on how offenders experience their detention cannot be overestimated. The perception of correctional officers towards the rehabilitation of offenders needs to be investigated for the benefit of the department, community, and offenders. The study aimed to determine correctional officers' perceptions toward rehabilitating offenders. The study used a quantitative research approach. A probability purposive sampling approach was used to select the participants. The study found that correctional officers are key in communicating with offenders and providing trustworthy advice to improve their lives. Correctional officers working in correctional centres may assist in rehabilitating offenders by communicating needs and risks to parole officers, parole boards, judges, or probation officers. Offenders should be punished for the crime/s they have committed. Increasing the severity of punishment does little to deter crime. The study recommends that basic training of correctional officers should include issues of the rehabilitation of offenders. Correctional officers who engage offenders in rehabilitation should receive performance management bonuses. Moreover, correctional officers should be briefed on the content of the programmes offered by custodial therapists.

Within the largely rural OR Tambo District Municipality (ORTDM), a significant number of community members continue to experience victimization annually. Crime continues to be a persistent issue for both individuals and society at large, with no resolution or justice achieved in its wake. The prevalence of crime in society significantly impacts individuals' behavior, residential choices, and decisions regarding their social activities, including the selection of locations and timing. Typically, individuals tend to experience an increase in fear of becoming a victim of crime, rather than a decrease. This article is characterized by its qualitative approach and use non-probability sampling methodologies. The study aimed to investigate the involvement of traditional leaders in safeguarding women, children, and the elderly from being victimized within the ORTDM community, encompassing the local municipalities of KSD, Ingquza Hill, Mhlontlo, Nyandeni, and Port St. Johns. The primary objective of this discussion paper was to ascertain the specific categories of criminal activities occurring within the territories governed by traditional leaders. This study further demonstrates the significance of examining rural crime and uncovers obstacles that hinder crime prevention in the ORDM. Fifty-eight traditional leaders were interviewed as crucial informants and custodians of the customs of different groups. Traditional leaders, research participants, and community members shared accounts of rape and murder during Imbizos. These incidents involved school-going youngsters and older individuals, including those as old as 95 years. A number of individuals in the neighborhood had paralysis, while others were deprived of their retirement benefits. Traditional leaders argue that, despite this circumstance, the criminal justice system does not give priority to the rights of the victims. The findings together indicate that traditional leaders are involved in the creation, implementation, and monitoring of crime prevention strategies. Nevertheless, the absence of financial support from the government hinders the implementation of crime prevention activities within its jurisdiction. The analysis confirms that crime prevention is an enduring objective. Investing in traditional leaders has the potential to enhance the overall societal well-being.