This monograph is a study of the security sector in six Southern African countries, namely Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. It highlights the strengths and challenges of the various institutions that make up the security sector, including defence, police, prisons, intelligence, private security, oversight bodies and the policy and legal frameworks under which they operate. The monograph represents an attempt to provide baseline data on the security institutions in the region so that we can better determine where security sector reform measures are needed. The functioning of national security institutions is enhanced by the their harmonization at a regional level. The monograph therefore begins with an overview of SADC's Organ of Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.