INTRODUCTIONThe struggle and struggles for power and dominance in the Southern African region are surprisingly not a new phenomenon. South Africa has thus positioned itself in a relatively suitable position as the region's benign hegemon. The country boasts of being a dominant force or state in the region in all aspects of development, both socio-economically and politically, given that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) far exceeds that of the other neighboring and advanced states. diplomatic relations it maintains with the developed world. Of course, in economic terms, South Africa is more industrialized than other states in the region. There is however a paradox in Southern Africa, and the paradox in this sense is that South Africa's silent diplomacy discredits its leadership in the region, but this is only an understanding and interpretation errors of hegemony. This is where the deep and central argument of this article arises. The central argument of this article is based on the premise that there is indeed a rationale for South Africa to be a hegemon in the Southern African region. This article moves away from the claim that South Africa's relatively quiet diplomacy discredits its hegemonic leadership, as has been argued in academic circles. The document is divided into five sections. The first section considers the theoretical framework, that is, it provides a detailed definition of the terms. The second part examines South Africa's position and influence in the two main regional programs of SACU and SADC. This is followed by a critical examination of South Africa's commitment to regional stability, an important aspect that has at times been used to dismiss or challenge South Africa's leadership role in the region. The ...... middle of document ......, which seeks to promote good governance and the reduction of corruption and conflict with increased aid and investment, also ensuring the reduction of trade barriers with the South Africa (Alden & Soko, 2005). Qobo (2009, p. 52) noted two things about the regional trade structure in Southern Africa and concluded that "the structure of trade in the region follows a mercantilist framework, where gains from trade are seen as generated solely by exports. , and because South Africa is structurally dominant, such an arrangement serves its interests. Secondly, it could mean that, despite the dominant mercantilist way in which trade relations between two or more countries are structured, South Africa is able to find markets for its products in the neighboring region, whereas it is not not the case due to supply-side constraints or structural limitations in other countries”.