Security Initiative for Africa (SIA)
Independent · African-led · Evidence-based
Building African solutions for Africa's security challenges.
SIA is an independent African association of security practitioners, researchers, policy advisers and criminal justice experts, translating evidence into measurable operational outcomes for governments and partners across the continent.
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Pilot project
Pollinator Security, Research and Food Security Initiative
Protecting pollinators, securing food systems and building climate resilience across South Africa.
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New this week · Issue 04 28 September 2026
Gateway under Pressure: Assessing Senegal’s Exposure to the West African Cocaine Economy
International criticism mounts over Dakar’s maritime vulnerabilities as criminal syndicates transform West African ports into major logistics hubs for European-bound narcotics.
What we do
A comprehensive portfolio of professional services
Policy Advice
Legislation, national strategies and implementation plans that strengthen institutions.
Capacity Development
Specialised training and mentoring to enhance professional performance and resilience.
Technical Assistance
Embedded experts and advisory support for institutional effectiveness and accountability.
Research & Analysis
Applied research and strategic analysis that informs evidence-based policy and design.
Our approach
Five principles guide every engagement.
Evidence-Based
Every intervention begins with rigorous research.
African Ownership
Designed with local institutions for sustainability.
Partnership
Collaboration across governments and civil society.
Measurable Impact
Success measured through lasting institutional change.
Innovation
Practical, adaptive approaches to evolving challenges.
Partner on a joint operation or fund a programme.
We collaborate with unions, governments, development partners and peer organisations.
Latest publications
SIA Flash Alert · 18 October 2026
South Africa’s Clandestine Drug Laboratories: The Real Question Is Where the Drugs Go
The discovery of yet another suspected drug laboratory in Soweto raises questions that go well beyond the success of a police operation.
SIA Flash Alert · 2 October 2026
Human Trafficking: South Africa’s Hidden Regional Crime Threat
Human trafficking is one of South Africa’s less visible organised crime threats.
SIA Spotlight · 28 September 2026
Gateway under Pressure: Assessing Senegal’s Exposure to the West African Cocaine Economy
International criticism mounts over Dakar’s maritime vulnerabilities as criminal syndicates transform West African ports into major logistics hubs for European-bound narcotics.
SIA Flash Alert · 25 September 2026
Nigeria’s Meth Lab Reveals Growing Internationalisation of Africa’s Drug Trade
A clandestine methamphetamine laboratory has been dismantled by Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the Nigerian state of Enugu.
SIA Spotlight · 17 September 2026
The Nomadic Threat: When Insurgents Outrun Regional Borders
A targeted strike in Niassa proves that modern militant networks no longer need territory to project cross-border terror and challenge state authority.
SIA Flash Alert · 15 September 2026
South Africa’s FATF Exit: From Compliance to Confronting the Criminal Economy
South Africa’s removal from the FATF grey list is a significant achievement, but monitoring is continuous and the central challenge now extends beyond compliance to sustained operational results.
SIA Spotlight · 10 September 2026
From Transit to Synthesis: Cartel Expertise Hits South Africa
The repeated discovery of multi-billion rand laboratories exposes a fundamental shift in criminal architecture, requiring an intelligence pivot from street seizures to financial dismantlement.
SIA Flash Alert · 4 September 2026
US Sahel Re-Engagement and the Limits of External Security Models
Washington’s proposed Mali Security Partnership and Counterterrorism Act signals a vital recognition that the Sahelian crisis cannot be resolved through kinetic force alone.
About
About SIA
An independent African organisation for peace, security and justice.
The Security Initiative for Africa (SIA) is an independent African association of security practitioners, researchers, policymakers and criminal justice experts committed to strengthening peace, security and justice across the African continent.
SIA was established in response to the increasingly complex security environment confronting Africa, where transnational organised crime, violent extremism, terrorism, illicit trafficking, cybercrime, environmental crime and corruption increasingly intersect. Addressing these threats requires more than traditional law enforcement approaches, it demands evidence-based policy, integrated institutions, regional cooperation and sustainable local ownership.
We provide governments, regional organisations, international partners and development agencies with practical solutions that translate research into measurable operational outcomes, combining strategic research, policy advice, institutional strengthening, operational capacity development and programme implementation.
Our Vision
An Africa where security institutions are resilient, accountable and proactive in addressing complex challenges while upholding the rule of law, human rights and accountable governance.
Our Mission
To strengthen Africa's security and criminal justice institutions through evidence-based research, policy development, institutional capacity building and strategic partnerships that enable sustainable responses to emerging threats.
Our Purpose
To bridge the gap between research, policy and operational practice, developing practical, locally owned solutions that strengthen institutional resilience and improve public safety.
Strategic objectives
01 Support governments in developing responsive, evidence-based security policies.
02 Strengthen criminal justice responses to organised crime, terrorism and emerging threats.
03 Enhance institutional capacity through specialised training and professional development.
04 Promote inter-agency cooperation and whole-of-government approaches.
05 Improve regional cooperation against transnational organised crime.
06 Strengthen evidence-based decision-making through research and strategic analysis.
07 Integrate governance diagnostics and institutional reform into resilient state structures.
08 Promote security responses that respect human rights and the rule of law.
Geographic focus
SIA operates throughout Africa, supporting national, regional and continental initiatives while tailoring every intervention to local contexts.
Our commitment
To strengthen secure, resilient and accountable institutions, contributing to safer communities, stronger institutions and sustainable development across the continent.
Expertise
Areas of expertise
Technical assistance across the security and governance spectrum.
SIA provides deep, practitioner-led expertise across six interconnected domains of security and criminal justice.
01
Serious & Transnational Organised Crime
Drug trafficking · Human trafficking & smuggling · Firearms trafficking · Wildlife & environmental crime · Maritime crime · Financial crime & money laundering · GBV & hate crimes · CBRNE control
02
Counter-Terrorism & P/CVE
National strategies · Risk assessments · Community resilience · Rehabilitation & reintegration · Intelligence-led policing · Community policing
03
Criminal Justice Reform
Police reform · Prosecutorial development · Judicial strengthening · Correctional services · Financial investigations · Digital evidence · Criminal intelligence
04
Border & Maritime Security
Border security · Integrated border management · Port security · Customs cooperation · Maritime domain awareness · Cross-border intelligence
05
Governance & Institutional Reform
Policy design · Legislative reviews · Strategic planning · Institutional diagnostics · Organisational development · Monitoring & evaluation · Integrity systems
06
Research & Strategic Analysis
Baseline studies · Threat assessments · Organised crime mapping · National security assessments · Policy analysis · Programme M&E · Data analytics
Services
Our services
A comprehensive portfolio of professional services.
From policy to implementation, SIA supports the full lifecycle of security and governance reform.
01
Policy Advice
Supporting governments in designing legislation, national strategies, operational frameworks and implementation plans that strengthen governance and security institutions.
02
Capacity Development
Designing and delivering specialised training, mentoring and institutional capacity-building programmes to enhance professional performance and resilience.
03
Technical Assistance
Providing embedded experts and advisory support to improve institutional effectiveness, operational delivery and accountability systems.
04
Research
Conducting applied research and strategic analysis that informs evidence-based policy, programme design and operational decision-making.
05
Programme Design & Implementation
Delivering the full programme cycle, from inception and planning through implementation, monitoring and adaptive learning, so donor-funded initiatives achieve sustainable outcomes.
06
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning
Developing results frameworks, conducting evaluations and applying adaptive learning to measure performance, strengthen accountability and ensure sustainable impact.
Approach
Our approach
Guided by five core principles.
Our methodology ensures that every intervention is realistic, measurable and sustainable.
1
Evidence-Based
Every intervention begins with rigorous research and institutional assessment.
2
African Ownership
Solutions are designed with local institutions and communities to ensure sustainability.
3
Partnership
We work collaboratively with governments, practitioners, civil society and international partners.
4
Innovation
We promote practical, adaptive approaches to evolving security and governance challenges.
5
Measurable Impact
Success is measured through institutional change and long-term sustainability.
Why partner with SIA?
A distinctive combination of technical expertise, operational experience and strategic insight.
✓ African-led expertise with international experience.
✓ Extensive practitioner networks across the continent.
✓ Deep understanding of African security environments.
✓ Independent and evidence-based analysis.
✓ Cost-effective delivery through a lean operational model.
✓ Strong emphasis on local ownership and sustainability.
✓ Ability to bridge policy development with operational implementation.
✓ Long-term partnerships focused on measurable impact.
Partner & Funding
Partner & funding
Partner on joint operations. Fund a programme.
SIA works with donors and development partners, including unions and bilateral agencies, to design and deliver donor-funded initiatives, and collaborates with governments and peer organisations on joint operations. We combine a lean operational model with practitioner-grade delivery for cost-effective, measurable impact.
We seek partnerships with
National governments
Regional economic communities
Unions
International organisations
Development partners
Law enforcement agencies
Criminal justice institutions
Civil society organisations
Private sector partners
Let's discuss a partnership or programme.
Share your objectives and we'll respond with how SIA can support delivery.
Team
Decades of combined experience across the continent.
SIA was founded by Anneli Botha, Willem Els and Richard Chelin, bringing together internationally recognised expertise in research, strategic policy, operational law enforcement, technical assistance and executive training, having worked with governments, regional organisations and development partners throughout Africa.
Anneli Botha, PhD
Founder & Director
Dr Botha is an internationally recognised security and justice expert with more than three decades of experience supporting governments, regional organisations, the United Nations and development partners in strengthening responses to transnational organised crime, illicit trafficking, terrorism, violent extremism and criminal justice reform across Africa.
She has led research, institutional assessments and capacity-building programmes in more than thirty African countries, and served as an international consultant to UNODC, UNOCT, UNDP, SADC, the ISS and IOM. Most recently she led UNODC's regional assessments of synthetic drug threats across twelve Member States, informing policy dialogue at national and continental levels.
Dr Botha holds a PhD in Political Studies and Governance from the University of the Free State and is an Extraordinary Professor at North-West University. She previously spent thirteen years as a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies and served in the SAPS Crime Intelligence Division.
Willem Els
Founder & Director
Willem Els is a senior security and law enforcement specialist with more than four decades of operational, research and capacity-development experience in counter-terrorism, transnational organised crime and criminal justice reform across Africa. He previously served as Senior Training Coordinator for the ENACT Programme at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and is now an independent consultant to the ISS.
Before joining the ISS in 2012, he completed a 28-year career with the South African Police Service, including Commander of the Pretoria Explosives Unit and Training Commander for the SAPS Explosives Unit, serving across VIP Protection, Anti-Hijacking, Crime Intelligence and Explosives.
Over the past decade he has designed and delivered specialised training across Central, East, West and Southern Africa, spanning counter-terrorism, P/CVE, organised crime investigations, criminal intelligence, border security, CBRNE risk management and bomb disposal.
Richard Chelin
Founder & Director
Richard Chelin is a governance and security specialist with over a decade of experience working with governments, regional organisations and civil society across Africa. He has served as Senior Governance Adviser to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and as Senior Researcher at the ISS and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.
His expertise spans governance diagnostics, institutional reform, gender and security integration and risk management. He has designed and evaluated donor-funded programmes and contributed to regional dialogues on security, resilience and institutional accountability.
Richard has worked extensively with FCDO, World Bank and UN frameworks, adapting international toolkits to African realities, emphasising African ownership, partnership, innovation and measurable impact. Fluent in French, he works across Francophone and Anglophone contexts, engaging partners and institutions in both languages.
Sanet Els
Administrative Manager
Sanet serves as Administrative and Project Manager for the Security Initiative for Africa, where she oversees organisational operations, project coordination and stakeholder engagement across the continent. Her role encompasses managing complex multi-country initiatives, coordinating with international partners, and ensuring operational excellence across all SIA programmes and administrative functions.
Prior to joining SIA, Sanet served as Project and Administrative Manager for major commercial and residential developments, where she successfully coordinated multiple high-value projects from inception to completion. During this period she simultaneously owned and managed a boutique guest house, developing strong skills in client relations, logistics management and operational oversight. This dual-role experience equipped her with the ability to manage diverse stakeholders, navigate complex regulatory environments, and maintain exceptional standards across multiple concurrent operations.
Sanet brings extensive experience in project management, financial administration, compliance coordination and strategic planning to the organisation. Her comprehensive skill set includes stakeholder engagement, budget management, logistics coordination and operational systems development. Her background in both corporate project management and entrepreneurial hospitality ventures provides SIA with a unique combination of administrative rigour and adaptive problem-solving capabilities essential for operating across Africa's diverse operational landscapes.
Research & Publications
SIA Spotlight
SIA Spotlight · 28 September 2026
Gateway under Pressure: Assessing Senegal’s Exposure to the West African Cocaine Economy
International criticism mounts over Dakar’s maritime vulnerabilities as criminal syndicates transform West African ports into major logistics hubs for European-bound narcotics.
SIA Spotlight · 17 September 2026
The Nomadic Threat: When Insurgents Outrun Regional Borders
A targeted strike in Niassa proves that modern militant networks no longer need territory to project cross-border terror and challenge state authority.
SIA Spotlight · 10 September 2026
From Transit to Synthesis: Cartel Expertise Hits South Africa
The repeated discovery of multi-billion rand laboratories exposes a fundamental shift in criminal architecture, requiring an intelligence pivot from street seizures to financial dismantlement.
SIA Spotlight · 1 September 2026
Beyond the Roadblock: When Syndicates Challenge State Authority
When criminal syndicates deploy military-grade weapons to execute daylight armed rescues of detained suspects, the security threat transcends traditional policing and challenges state authority itself.
SIA Flash Alert
SIA Flash Alert · 18 October 2026
South Africa’s Clandestine Drug Laboratories: The Real Question Is Where the Drugs Go
The discovery of yet another suspected drug laboratory in Soweto raises questions that go well beyond the success of a police operation.
SIA Flash Alert · 2 October 2026
Human Trafficking: South Africa’s Hidden Regional Crime Threat
Human trafficking is one of South Africa’s less visible organised crime threats.
SIA Flash Alert · 25 September 2026
Nigeria’s Meth Lab Reveals Growing Internationalisation of Africa’s Drug Trade
A clandestine methamphetamine laboratory has been dismantled by Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the Nigerian state of Enugu.
SIA Flash Alert · 15 September 2026
South Africa’s FATF Exit: From Compliance to Confronting the Criminal Economy
South Africa’s removal from the FATF grey list is a significant achievement, but monitoring is continuous and the central challenge now extends beyond compliance to sustained operational results.
SIA Flash Alert · 4 September 2026
US Sahel Re-Engagement and the Limits of External Security Models
Washington’s proposed Mali Security Partnership and Counterterrorism Act signals a vital recognition that the Sahelian crisis cannot be resolved through kinetic force alone.
SIA Flash Alert · 6 August 2026
Africa’s Evolving Terrorist Financing Threat: The Convergence of Terrorism, Organised Crime and Illicit Financial Flows
The evolving financial networks of Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State in Somalia (IS-S) present a profound warning for the entire African continent. These terrorist organisations adeptly exploit transnational organised crime, targeting flaws in governance, informal financial systems, and criminal economies.
SIA Governance Brief
SIA Governance Brief · 2 September 2026
From Reactive Policing to Shared Prevention
Somaliland is at an important stage in the development of its National Crime Prevention Strategy. Rather than approaching crime prevention primarily as a law-enforcement responsibility, the process, initiated by the Ministry of Justice, has sought to involve government institutions, police, criminal justice actors, civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders, and local communities.
SIA In The Media
Expert commentary, broadcast appearances and podcast discussions analyzing regional security developments.
BizNews (video interview) · 1 November 2026
The NdB Sunday Show – Willem Els: Mkhwanazi & O’Sullivan, Johnson & Khan, Agrizzi’s R1,66b "fine"
Chris Steyn and Willem Els of the Security Initiative for Africa (SIA) cover Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia’s plan to seek Cabinet approval for General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi as National Head of the Hawks and Paul O’Sullivan’s threatened court challenge; the arrests of former IDAC Chief Advocate Andrea Johnson and sacked Crime Intelligence Deputy Chief Major General Feroz Khan; a new charge against sacked Ekurhuleni Metro Police Chief Julius Mkhwanazi linked to the murder of Witness D; the SIU’s hunt for luxury vehicles allegedly hidden by Hungwani Morgan Maumela; and the Pretoria High Court order that Angelo Agrizzi pay the State R1,66 billion.
The Citizen · 30 October 2026
Defence expert calls for special units to tackle zama zamas
The Citizen reports on calls for specialised units to tackle illegal mining gangs (zama zamas), with comment from Willem Els of the Security Initiative for Africa.
Newzroom Afrika (video interview) · 29 October 2026
Mkhwanazi’s recommendation as Hawks head brings hope
Security Initiative For Africa co-founder Willem Els says the recommendation of KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for the position of Hawks head brings hope. He adds that Mkhwanazi will fuse the PKTT and Hawks while capacitating the Hawks with strong leadership.
The Citizen · 27 October 2026
Experts say policing alone not enough to curb gang violence
The Citizen reports on why experts say policing alone cannot curb gang violence, with comment from Willem Els of the Security Initiative for Africa.
NSN (video interview) · 9 October 2026
South Africa is sliding from drug transit country to drug production hub
In conversation with Linda van Tilburg, Willem Els says South Africa sits on the southern drug-smuggling route from Afghanistan and Pakistan down Africa’s east coast, but is no longer only a transit country: the quantity of drugs and the scale of clandestine labs, including recent discoveries in Swartruggens, Musina, Hartbeespoort and Krugersdorp, show it has become a manufacturer and exporter. He also discusses rising heroin addiction, new export routes to Australia, political killings ahead of the 4 November local elections, illegal-mining gang wars, state-embedded protection of syndicates, and the limits of deploying the SANDF.
Lowy Institute — The Interpreter · 7 October 2026
A new drug superhighway? Australia’s meth now runs via southern Africa
An op-ed by Isel van Zyl and Willem Els on Mexican cartels building industrial-scale methamphetamine production in southern Africa, including the May raid on a game-farm laboratory near Swartruggens, to supply Australia and New Zealand. The authors argue that this Indian Ocean route bypasses the Pacific corridor where Australia concentrates its policing, and call for Australian Federal Police cooperation with South African, Kenyan and Mozambican counterparts, shared precursor and cargo intelligence, and investigations that target financiers and corrupt facilitators.
SA Jewish Report · 17 September 2026
Mozambique kidnapping shows ISIS gaining ground
Islamic State Mozambique abducted about 20 workers, including a South African mechanic, during a 3 September raid on a hunting camp in Niassa Province. Willem Els says the alarming element is the group’s demonstrated ability to operate beyond Cabo Delgado, its stronghold since 2017 — the second such move into Niassa, again to ransack and stock up on provisions, with foreign abductees a "bonus". He does not read the raid as an escalation, since abduction for ransom has long been the group’s modus operandi, but says ISM is growing stronger because the Mozambican government lacks a strategy to counter it, and that fighters enter camps and villages to preach and recruit.
SA Jewish Report · 27 August 2026
SA under pressure to keep combatting terrorism
South Africa is tightening its counter-terrorism financing laws under FATF pressure to stay off the grey list (removed October 2025). Willem Els, a terrorism expert, takes an optimistic view: he says legal amendments have empowered the Hawks, and points to three ongoing cases (Sharia Law, Lichtenburg, Kliprivier) as proof the state is acting, though he concedes the fight is sometimes hindered "from the top." A second expert, Hussein Solomon, is more skeptical, citing weak implementation and political will.
News24 · 8 September 2025
Mitchells Plain residents pin hope on Pagad in fight against gang violence
News24 reports on the march by Pagad’s G-Force, the EFF and residents through Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, calling for an end to gangs, guns and drugs. Prof Anneli Botha, who has researched PAGAD’s origins and evolution, comments on why residents facing persistent gang violence turn to the movement, and on the line between community mobilisation and vigilantism.
SIA Book Publications
Books and book chapters authored by members of the SIA team.
Terrorism in Africa: New Trends and Frontiers
Edited by Glen Segell, Sergey Kostelyanets and Hussein Solomon
Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, and University of Haifa
2021
A collaborative volume examining how global and local factors interweave to form a distinct form of terrorism on the continent, with particular attention to Mozambique, and a critical evaluation of counterterrorism responses by African and other states.
- Chapter 4: Assessing the status and addressing violent extremism in East Africa — Anneli Botha, PhD
- Chapter 7: Mozambique, Cabo Delgado insurgency: extraordinary mineral resources and liquid natural gas, a blessing that may be a curse or are we missing the point? — Willem Els and Richard Chelin
Projects
Projects
Food security and resilience
Pollinator protection, agricultural resilience, rural livelihoods and community stability.
Pilot project
South Africa
Bees without Borders
Growing South Africa's future through the Pollinator Security, Research and Food Security Initiative: research, innovation, education and practical conservation with beekeepers, farmers, educators and government.
View the project
Pilot project · Bees without Borders
Growing South Africa's future through the Pollinator Security, Research and Food Security Initiative.
Protecting pollinators. Securing food systems. Building climate resilience.
SIA is establishing a collaborative platform that brings together researchers, beekeepers, farmers, educators, conservation organisations, business and government to protect pollinators through research, innovation, education and practical conservation. Rather than operating as a traditional bee removal service, the initiative will become a national centre of excellence dedicated to safeguarding pollinators and strengthening food security.
Financial contributions
Donate to our Initiative
Every contribution helps protect the ecosystems that sustain South Africa's food systems.
Banking details↓
Pay by SnapScan
Scan with your phone camera to donate to our initiative.
Protecting Pollinators
Research, conservation and humane relocation.
Securing Food Systems
Every third mouthful of food depends on pollinators.
Building Climate Resilience
Stronger habitats, livelihoods and rural economies.
Project overview
The materials below set out the project vision, the six integrated programmes, the food security and conflict prevention nexus, and the expected outcomes.
Financial contributions
Donate to our Initiative
Every contribution helps protect the ecosystems that sustain South Africa's food systems. Donations support bee rescue and relocation, school education programmes, pollinator gardens, habitat restoration and community apiaries. Please use your organisation name as the payment reference and email the proof of payment to admin@securityinitiativeafrica.org.
Account holder
Security Initiative for Africa NPC
Bank
First National Bank
Account number
6322 3953 240
Branch code
250051
Account type
Gold Business Account
SWIFT code
FIRNZAJJ
Registration
2026/502503/08
Investing in pollinators is investing in South Africa's future.
Partner with us on research, sponsorship or programme delivery.
Contact
Contact
Get in touch.
Whether you're exploring a partnership, a joint operation or programme funding, we'd welcome the conversation.
admin@securityinitiativeafrica.org
Telephone
+27 72 325 9301
Security Initiative for Africa
Location
Pretoria, South Africa
Registration
NPC · 2026/502503/08
Financial contributions
Banking details
Contributions may be made directly to the SIA account below. Please use your organisation name as the payment reference and email the proof of payment to admin@securityinitiativeafrica.org.
Account holder Security Initiative for Africa NPC
Bank First National Bank
Account type Gold Business Account
Account number 6322 3953 240
Branch code 250051
SWIFT code FIRNZAJJ
Pay by SnapScan
Scan with your phone camera to contribute.