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421 results
Strengthening climate resilience in African cities – A framework for working with informality
This document introduces a report by the African Centre for Cities and CDKN that provides a framework for climate compatible development in African cities, specifically addressing the challenges of informality and inequality.
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Document type: Report
The drug trade and governance in Cape Town
This research paper examines the intersection of the drug trade and 'criminal governance' in Cape Town, South Africa. It analyzes how historical apartheid policies, state institutional failure, and the development of organized crime networks have created parallel sources of authority, particularly in the Cape Flats, where criminal networks provide services and social control in the absence of effective state governance.
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Document type: Research paper
Crime networks and governance in Cape Town
This research paper examines "criminal governance" in Cape Town, where organised crime networks operate as parallel authorities in areas of weak state capacity. It argues that these networks are not merely parasitic but are embedded in a dysfunctional society shaped by apartheid-era spatial planning, high unemployment, and state inefficiency. The paper highlights the diversification of crime into property and cyber fraud and criticizes state responses for over-relying on repression rather than addressing the socioeconomic root causes.
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Document type: Research paper
The South African 2014 national and provincial elections
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.
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Document type: Policy brief
Premier Zille Announces WISP Achievement in Green Economy Speech - GreenCape
A statement by Premier Zille detailing the progress of the Western Cape's green economy initiatives, including investment figures, the establishment of the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP), and the attraction of foreign direct investment in renewable energy manufacturing.
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Document type: Statement
Strengthening climate resilience in African cities
This research paper by the African Centre for Cities and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network proposes a framework for 'climate compatible development' in African cities, specifically focusing on informal settlements. It argues that because a significant portion of Africa's urban growth occurs in slums, climate resilience must be integrated with poverty alleviation and in situ upgrading to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities.
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Document type: Research paper
South Africa – Fracking: another chip at our democracy
A statement from an anti-fracking coalition in South Africa criticizing the government's plan to proceed with shale gas exploration in the Karoo, arguing that the process is undemocratic and prioritizes elite profit over the needs and rights of local communities.
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Document type: Statement
Market Intelligence Report: Energy Efficiency
This 2014 Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape analyzes the energy efficiency sector in South Africa, focusing on standards, legislation, financial incentives, and specific markets including solar water heaters, energy-saving lighting, and embedded generation.
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Document type: Report
2014 Market Intelligence Report: Built Environment
The 2014 Market Intelligence Report: Built Environment by GreenCape provides an overview of the regulatory frameworks, market trends, and opportunities for green building in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape province. It details the transition toward energy-efficient construction standards, the role of alternative building technologies (ABTs), and the integration of green principles into social and commercial housing.
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Document type: Report
Greencape Market Intelligence Report 2014: Greening South African Buildings
The Greencape Market Intelligence Report 2014 examines the regulatory frameworks and market dynamics of the green building sector in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the transition toward energy-efficient standards, the adoption of alternative building technologies (ABTs), and the opportunities for greening both commercial and social housing sectors.
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Document type: Report
Greencape Market Intelligence Report 2014: Energy Efficiency
The Greencape Market Intelligence Report 2014: Energy Efficiency analyzes the state of energy efficiency in South Africa, focusing on legislative standards, financial incentives, and specific technology markets including solar water heaters (SWH), energy-saving lighting, and embedded generation.
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Document type: Report
Performance Based Contracts for Reducing Non-Revenue Water: Selected Lessons from International Experience
This research paper by GreenCape examines the use of Performance-Based Contracts (PBCs) to reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW), drawing on international experiences from countries such as Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, and Ireland. It outlines the technical, financial, and managerial challenges of NRW reduction and provides guidance on scoping, risk-reward balancing, and ensuring the sustainability of water savings for public utilities, with a particular focus on the South African context.
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Document type: Research paper
Sustainable Livelihoods and Marine Resources: How Does South Africa’s Policy for the Small-Scale Fisheries Sector Consider Current Challenges on the Ground?
This research paper evaluates the 2012 Policy for the Small Scale Fisheries Sector in South Africa, examining its ability to address the challenges of poverty alleviation and marine resource sustainability. Through a case study of the coastal community of Hamburg in the Eastern Cape, the author analyzes the failures of previous co-management attempts and the ongoing struggle of small-scale fishers to obtain commercial fishing rights.
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Document type: Research paper
RUSSIA–SOUTH AFRICA RELATIONS: BEYOND REVIVAL
This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyses the state of Russia–South Africa relations as of October 2013. It examines the historical development of bilateral ties, the mechanisms of political and economic cooperation, and the challenges hindering deeper engagement, such as weak civil society links and a lack of mutual knowledge.
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Document type: Policy brief
Highway or byway? The National Development Plan 2030
This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the feasibility of the economic and human development targets established in South Africa's National Development Plan 2030, arguing that the core growth targets are highly ambitious and require structural economic changes to be successful.
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Document type: Research paper
CAPE of STORMS
This report, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute, the African Centre for Cities, and the City of Cape Town, examines the risks posed by climate change and rising sea levels to the Cape Town coastline. It advocates for a shift from traditional 'hard' engineering solutions toward a 'no regrets' approach centered on nature conservation and social-institutional fixes, specifically through the implementation of a coastal setback line to manage development and protect vulnerable ecosystems.
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Document type: Report
Rising Waters
This report by the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town examines flooding risks in Cape Town's informal settlements, specifically in the Philippi area, and along its coastline. It highlights the intersection of apartheid-era spatial planning, poverty, and climate change, arguing that technical engineering solutions must be paired with collaborative governance and community participation to be effective.
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Document type: Report
An introduction to South Africa’s Water Source Areas
This 2013 report by WWF South Africa identifies and describes the country's Water Source Areas (WSAs), highlighting that a small fraction of land provides the majority of the nation's surface water. It emphasizes the interdependence between engineered water infrastructure and the ecological infrastructure (catchments, rivers, and aquifers) that feeds it, while detailing the threats facing these critical regions.
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Document type: Report
SUBMISSIONS REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), and the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA), submitted comments on August 22, 2012, regarding the review of the National Framework for Air Quality Management. The submission criticizes the lack of a systematic review of the 2007 Framework, the absence of a current State of the Air Report, and significant gaps in air quality monitoring and public access to information. The CER advocates for more stringent emission standards, mandatory reporting for data holders, and a more inclusive, transparent review process.
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Document type: Statement
Hillary Clinton in South Africa: Unpacking US-South Africa Relations
This report analyzes the multifaceted relationship between the United States and South Africa, highlighting economic cooperation through the US-South Africa Strategic Dialogue and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), as well as defense and nuclear collaboration. It also examines points of tension, specifically regarding sanctions on Iran and South Africa's role in the BRICS bloc.
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Document type: Report