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This policy brief by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) evaluates the progress made by the South African government in implementing the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (the Zondo Commission) as of July 2025. It analyzes reforms across seven key themes: the criminal justice system, public procurement, public administration, corporate accountability, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), parliamentary oversight, and whistleblowing. While noting some legislative progress, the brief highlights significant delays, incomplete reforms, and a lack of strategic focus on the broader criminal justice system.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), commissioned by the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC), provides an independent assessment of the South African government's progress in implementing 60 presidential commitments made in response to the State Capture Commission (SCC) recommendations. The assessment evaluates progress across individual accountability and systemic institutional and policy reforms, highlighting significant delays in legislative updates and a persistent lack of accountability for members of the Executive.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) produced a scorecard evaluating South African political parties' policies on basic income grants (BIG) ahead of the 2024 election. The report assesses parties against evidence-based principles, including the expansion of the social protection floor, adequate grant values tied to poverty lines, and the removal of conditionalities.

This report, produced by the Civil Society Working Group on State Capture (CSWG), provides a collective reflection on the findings and recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (the Zondo Commission). It evaluates the Commission's successes and failures, critiques the South African executive's response to the findings, and proposes specific legislative and institutional reforms to prevent future state capture and ensure accountability for corrupt actors.

This research paper examines the dynamics of synthetic drug markets in West Africa, using tramadol as a primary case study to analyze how criminal networks adapt to supply-side disruptions. The report highlights that law enforcement and regulatory efforts often lead to market displacement, increased prices, and the emergence of more dangerous synthetic substitutes rather than the total disruption of the trade.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) evaluates the progress made by the South African executive and legislature in implementing the institutional and systemic reform recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (Zondo Commission) as of 2024.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the effectiveness of African Union (AU) mechanisms, specifically the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the Africa Governance Report (AGR), in improving governance across Africa. The author concludes that governance standards have generally remained static or declined since 1996, and that while APRM membership correlates with better performance, the review process itself does not guarantee improvement.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) evaluates whether the current South African model for providing basic municipal services—electricity, water, and sanitation—reduces poverty or entrenches inequality. It concludes that the cost-recovery model is a 'lose-lose' system that impoverishes low-income households by forcing them to sacrifice food expenditure to pay for services, while simultaneously failing to ensure the financial viability of municipalities.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Western Cape Government examines the impact of South Africa's 2020 COVID-19 lockdown on violence and policing, specifically focusing on 11 police areas in Cape Town. Using murder data, interviews, and a survey of over 5,000 residents, the study identifies a strong correlation between alcohol bans and the reduction of sharp-object murders and fatal violence against women, while finding that firearm-related murders remained largely unaffected by lockdown restrictions.

This policy brief evaluates the African Union's (AU) 2017 theme, 'Harnessing the Demographic Dividend Through Investments in Youth.' While acknowledging the existence of frameworks like the African Youth Charter and initiatives such as the YouthConnekt Africa Summit, the authors argue that significant gaps remain in the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of youth policies. The paper emphasizes that the AU lacks the power to enforce policies on member states, making the domestication of regional instruments into national law essential for meaningful youth empowerment and political inclusion.

This report analyzes the effectiveness of peer learning and peer pressure within three Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs): the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the Open Government Partnership (OGP), and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). It evaluates how these initiatives use mutual dialogue, best practices, and sanctions to improve governance, transparency, and accountability among member states.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the integrity of South Africa's 2014 national and provincial elections. It examines the performance of the Electoral Commission (IEC), instances of political violence and intimidation, the use of state resources for campaigning, and the role of media coverage in informing voters.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) evaluates South Africa's third African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) National Programme of Action (NPoA) implementation report (SAIR3), launched in January 2014. While the author notes significant improvements in the quality, honesty, and consultative nature of the reporting compared to previous efforts, the briefing concludes that the APRM remains largely a foreign policy tool with minimal domestic impact due to a lack of integration into national planning and persistent governance challenges.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the 50-year trajectory of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and its successor, the African Union (AU). It argues that while the AU has improved peace and security compared to the OAU, it struggles to implement democratic governance reforms and lacks the political will and resources to drive a sustainable developmental agenda across the continent.

This briefing describes the development and testing of a new methodology designed to evaluate the coherence and effectiveness of national implementation of clusters of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). Commissioned by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the methodology aims to streamline reporting and identify gaps in national capacities and resources.

This research paper evaluates the viability of the South African Customs Union (SACU) transitioning from a Common Monetary Area (CMA) to a full monetary union. Using Southern African Development Community (SADC) convergence criteria, the authors find that while there is strong convergence in inflation, debt, and reserves, significant fiscal deficits in Lesotho and Swaziland present a major hurdle. The paper suggests that a monetary union would be beneficial and that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) is well-positioned to lead the process.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Lesotho as of September 2011. Using the APRM Monitoring and Advocacy Template (AMAT), the study assesses 13 substantive issues across four themes: vulnerable groups, socio-economic issues, governance, and service delivery. The report finds that while Lesotho has established necessary legal and policy frameworks, actual implementation remains weak and is rarely linked to the APRM process, resulting in an overall rating of 'orange minus'.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), arguing that despite criticisms regarding its ability to hold heads of state accountable, the system has successfully institutionalized governance monitoring, spurred national reforms, and promoted peer learning across the continent.

This research paper summarizes a February 2010 roundtable discussion hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) regarding the progress and future prospects of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The discussion, featuring representatives from the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the APRM Secretariat, and civil society, evaluates the mechanism's achievements in promoting governance and accountability across Africa while identifying systemic failures in implementation, funding, and leadership.

This research paper examines the adoption and implementation of the Nairobi Protocol for the Prevention, Control and Reduction of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region and Horn of Africa. It analyzes the role of the Regional Centre for Small Arms (RECSA) in coordinating efforts across 12 signatory states and identifies significant gaps between regional political commitment and national-level execution.