The purpose of this study is to critically examine the institutional, governance, and accountability challenges facing the South African Police Service (SAPS), with specific reference to emerging findings from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The study further aims to propose a comprehensive reform framework focused on strengthening integrity, accountability, leadership depoliticisation, intelligence oversight, and democratic policing in South Africa. SAPS is experiencing a deep institutional crisis characterised by corruption vulnerabilities, organised crime infiltration, political interference, weak oversight mechanisms, and declining public trust. These challenges are compounded by high levels of violent crime and operational inefficiencies, which undermine the organisation’s constitutional mandate to ensure safety and security. Emerging evidence from the Madlanga Commission indicates systemic governance failures requiring urgent structural reform. The study adopts a qualitative, systematic literature review approach, drawing on secondary data sources including, Commission of Inquiry reports (Madlanga Commission), SAPS crime statistics reports, Government policy documents , Peer-reviewed literature on policing, governance, and intelligence oversight, Credible media reports and institutional publications, A thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns related to corruption, accountability failures, intelligence governance, and policing reform strategies. The study followed a structured four-stage process, Identification of literature on SAPS governance, corruption, and policing reform, Screening and selection of relevant policy documents, reports, and empirical studies , Thematic coding based on key reform areas (integrity, intelligence, leadership, accountability) , Synthesis of findings into a comprehensive reform framework aligned with Madlanga Commission insights, The study found that SAPS is affected by systemic corruption risks and organised crime infiltration vulnerabilities, Internal accountability and oversight mechanisms are weak and often ineffective, Political interference compromises operational independence and leadership integrity, Intelligence structures require urgent reform through civilian oversight models, Public trust in SAPS is declining due to inefficiency and legitimacy challenges, Digital transformation and performance management systems are insufficiently developed. The study concludes that SAPS is facing a structural governance crisis that cannot be resolved through incremental reforms alone. A comprehensive transformation strategy is required, including independent oversight mechanisms, depoliticised leadership, strengthened intelligence governance, digital accountability systems, and community-centred policing. Without such reforms, institutional decline, weakened legitimacy, and persistent crime challenges will continue to undermine democratic policing in South Africa.

This study aims to analyze the effect of average years of schooling, minimum wage, life expectancy, economic growth, and the open unemployment rate on poverty in districts/cities in Banten Province for the period 2010–2024. The method used is panel data regression analysis with the Fixed Effect Model (FEM) approach, as well as further analysis using spatial models and Panel Vector Autoregression (PVAR). The data used are secondary data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). The results show that average years of schooling and life expectancy have a negative effect on poverty, while the open unemployment rate has a positive and significant effect. Meanwhile, the minimum wage and economic growth show inconsistent effects on poverty. Spatial analysis indicates spillover effects between regions, and PVAR analysis indicates that education and unemployment are the most dominant factors explaining variations in poverty. Overall, the research findings confirm that poverty alleviation requires improving the quality of human resources, creating jobs, and more inclusive and equitable development policies across regions.

Urban regeneration of deteriorated fabrics remains one of the most pressing challenges in contemporary urban planning and architectural practice. This paper presents a systematic integrative review examining the nexus between housing empowerment strategies and social innovation frameworks in facilitating sustainable urban regeneration. Drawing upon 47 peer-reviewed articles published between 2009 and 2025, this study synthesizes evidence from diverse geographical contexts—including Europe, Africa, and the Middle East—to construct a comprehensive conceptual framework. The findings reveal that successful regeneration initiatives are contingent upon three interdependent pillars: (1) physical retrofitting of existing housing stock, (2) socially innovative governance mechanisms that foster resident participation, and (3) integrated policy instruments that bridge economic viability with social equity. The paper contributes to the theoretical discourse by proposing a multi-scalar empowerment model (MSEM) that operationalizes the transition from top-down renewal to participatory regeneration. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.

The 190 chiefdoms of Sierra Leone constitute the lowest level of governance where the majority of Sierra Leoneans reside, particularly outside Freetown and its surrounding rural areas. These chiefdoms are administered by Paramount Chiefs, supported by sub-chiefs and a range of chiefdom administrative officers. As integral components of district administration in Sierra Leone, chiefdoms represent the level of governance through which essential services are delivered to local populations. Paramount Chiefs serve as heads of chiefdom councils and oversee several key functions, including the collection of local taxes, mobilization of communal labour for socio-economic development initiatives, regulation of farming activities, and the arbitration and adjudication of local disputes. Bo District is one of the sixteen districts in the country and is located in the Southern Province. This study assessed the role of chiefdom councils in the district using a qualitative phenomenological research approach. In-depth personal interviews were conducted with key informants across the sixteen chiefdoms of Bo District. The data were analyzed using the constant comparative method, whereby information was systematically disaggregated into thematic categories for interpretation and reporting.