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The document details technical improvements to the BWDSS, including the development of a PostgreSQL timeseries provider, the creation of maintenance scripts to optimize database size, and a guide for operationalizing FEFLOW groundwater models. It identifies performance bottlenecks in specific jobs and recommends the implementation of regular maintenance tasks and improved error handling in Python scripts to enhance system resilience.

The policy brief examines the historical marginalisation of black and coloured fishers in South Africa and the subsequent struggle for fishing rights. It highlights the transition from individual to collective rights under the 2012 Policy for the Small Scale Fisheries Sector (SSF policy) and the failures in the 2013 rights allocation process. The author argues that while transformation is necessary to address racially skewed ownership, it must be paired with procedural justice and effective law enforcement to combat poaching and restore trust in the sector.

The study applies second-generation social network analysis to a court case involving 'The Americans' gang in Cape Town, identifying a network of 46 nodes and 179 interactions. It finds that the network is characterized by high levels of violence and a low level of resilience, as a small number of key actors control a majority of the interactions and information flows. The authors argue that law enforcement often has an oversimplified view of such structures by focusing on violent 'dark nodes' while overlooking the 'grey nodes' that provide economic and political support.

The document analyzes protection racketeering in Cape Town, contrasting the sophisticated, networked rackets in the CBD with the more diverse and often opportunistic extortion on the Cape Flats. It argues that these rackets persist not only due to state capacity failures but also through the blurring of lines between legal private security and criminal enterprises, as well as systemic police corruption.

The report examines flooding in Cape Town's informal settlements, specifically in the Philippi area, highlighting how social dynamics, political conflict, and poor infrastructure exacerbate vulnerability. It argues for a shift from top-down, technocratic 'government' to a 'collaborative governance' approach that integrates community leadership and various city departments. Additionally, it addresses the long-term threat of sea level rise and storm surges, advocating for 'set back lines' and buffer zones over hard engineering solutions.

The study evaluates three methods for managing phosphate at the Cape Flats WWTW: high-grade struvite production, low-grade struvite production, and chemical precipitation. While chemical precipitation has the lowest initial capital expenditure, low-grade struvite production is identified as the most economically and ecologically sustainable option over a 20-year period, with a net present cost of R25.4 million compared to R51.2 million for chemical precipitation and R76.2 million for high-grade struvite. Despite these relative advantages, the study finds that struvite production is currently unprofitable due to low local market prices for phosphate fertilizers and high capital costs, suggesting a need for new policies that treat phosphate as a resource rather than a pollutant.

The Heroes Project, a collaboration between Natural Justice and the Law+Environment+Design Laboratory, aims to heal collective historical trauma in Khoi-San youth in South Africa. By creating graphic narratives based on Joseph Campbell's 'hero's journey' and Khoi-San mythology, the project seeks to provide positive role models and reconnect youth with their cultural identity. The initiative combines legal support with creative interventions, utilizing workshops in the Cape Flats to gather real-life stories and develop characters based on Jungian archetypes and spiritually significant animals.

The report analyses survey data from 74 respondents in Cape Town regarding their use of boreholes and views on groundwater management. Key findings indicate that while many citizens use or consider boreholes to reduce reliance on municipal water and mitigate drought risks, there is strong support for regulating groundwater to prevent over-abstraction. The document also identifies a significant gap in the availability of local groundwater quality data and recommends the creation of a public information dashboard, preferably via a web page, to provide data on water quality, abstraction amounts, and borehole registration.

The Table Mountain Water Source Partnership was established in 2020 following a severe drought (2017–2020) to coordinate groundwater management in Cape Town. The partnership, comprising government, private sector, academic, and civil society members, focuses on policy work, restoration of recharge areas, and the development of monitoring tools like groundwater dashboards. Cape Town is situated within two strategic water source areas: the surface-level Table Mountain Water Source Area and the Cape Flats-Cape Peninsula groundwater source area. The document highlights the risk posed by unmanaged private borehole abstraction and the increased likelihood of severe droughts due to the climate crisis.