The universal quest for peace, safety, and security aptly captured in The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, approved by all United Nations Member States in 2015, serves as a collective outline for peace and prosperity for all citizens globally. Equally entrenched in the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals is Goal 16, which promotes Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. Yet the pursuit of Goal 16 is inadvertently hampered by social, economic, and political power struggles in the era of neoliberal globalisation. These struggles are experienced on a global scale but evidentially concentrated in Africa. This book, mainly based on empirical data, provides fascinating insights into the situation in Africa. The insights related to intra-national conflicts, civil strife, and peacekeeping initiatives, as well as explanations for gender-based violence, xenophobia, food security, cyber security, student insecurities, and hostel violence. The insights captured in individual chapters are primarily from early career academics, supported by more seasoned peers and colleagues. The trajectory in the culmination of this publication lasted almost painstakingly fruitful 24 months. The data and analyses presented in each chapter are nuanced but embrace the golden thread of Peace and Security in Africa. The fascination with the book is further enriched by the individual lenses through which each narrative is captured. The vastness of topics introduces fresh insights and perspectives to the orthodox understanding of Peace and Security.

The onset of democracy in South Africa provided South Africans with the opportunity to build a truly democratic, non-racial, non-sexist society in which there would be opportunity for all to make material, social and intellectual progress. This vision was enshrined in a Constitution intent on deepening democracy by treating people with dignity and ensuring that democratic participation was not restricted to a trip to the voting booth once every five years. To give democracy real meaning, the Constitution declared that municipalities, in particular, must facilitate public participation for true legitimacy in its development endeavours. Various mechanisms have been put in place to achieve this objective, but the process has not been without its impediments and difficulties. This book reviews the context, approaches and challenges to the public participation process using international comparisons.