| Publication |
2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
South Africa has embraced the notion of a democracy in the early 1990s. Accepting democracy as a form of government also implied the embracement of military professionalism and international acceptable norms of behaviour for the South African military. The professional behaviour of the military in contemporary democracies is rooted in the acceptance of democratic values and the primacy of the citizen-soldier. Over time, democracies have developed and established certain ground rules for a 'fair' fight and, as far as possible, avoid involvement in protracted wars. The notions of jus ad bellum, jus in bello and, more recently, also the notion of jus post bellum are, in essence, the creation of modern democratic states. Because of these ground rules, democracies tend to emphasise the use of symmetrical forces aimed at delivering a decisive outcome in war. More important, though, is the development of a military ethos that is conducive to strategic effect in the conventional domain in general and military professionalism in particular.
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