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The report examines the financial and operational crisis facing South African municipal electricity distribution, characterized by rising bulk costs from Eskom and a massive infrastructure maintenance backlog. It proposes that municipalities leverage the growing amount of behind-the-meter rooftop solar PV—estimated at 3,495 MWp as of December 2024—to reduce reliance on expensive bulk purchases. By purchasing curtailed excess power and deploying leased BESS for peak demand arbitrage, municipalities could significantly increase operating surpluses to fund infrastructure renewal. The report specifically analyzes the City of Johannesburg, arguing that rooftop solar is not the primary cause of its revenue decline—which is instead driven by high technical and non-technical losses—and warns that punitive policies toward solar owners may accelerate grid defection.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) argues that South Africa's Public Procurement Act (2024), specifically sections 30 and 31, provides a statutory mandate for civil society to monitor procurement. To translate this into practice, PARI proposes piloting civic observers for high-risk contracts, expanding community-led social audits for local service delivery, and adopting the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) for machine-readable transparency. The paper emphasizes that these measures shift oversight from retrospective audits to real-time risk mitigation and suggests that National Treasury can begin implementation using existing powers under the PFMA and MFMA even while the new Act is challenged in court.

The report evaluates how national, provincial, city, and corporate entities in South Africa incorporate social justice into their net zero commitments. It finds significant disparities in ambition and implementation, with wealthy urban centres leading and less affluent provinces lagging. While the financial sector and some state-owned enterprises show strong just transition frameworks, many private companies and multinational corporations rely on vague offsetting strategies with limited socio-economic integration.

The document identifies systemic weaknesses in South African municipal performance management, specifically the lack of effective systems, misalignment with planning tools like the IDP and SDBIP, and insufficient community involvement. It outlines the legislative framework—including the Constitution, Municipal Systems Act, and Municipal Finance Management Act—and proposes the adoption of Citizen-Based Monitoring (CBM) and other participatory practices to strengthen transparency and accountability.

The policy brief examines the devastating socioeconomic and financial impacts of load shedding in South Africa, highlighting a cumulative 15 percentage point loss in GDP growth from 2020 to 2023. It argues that the current reliance on Eskom's aging coal fleet and proposed nuclear projects is insufficient and too costly. Instead, it advocates for municipalities to leverage solar PV and battery energy storage systems (BESS), which are significantly cheaper and faster to deploy, to increase electricity supply and reduce bulk purchase costs.

The author argues that the South African government has neglected urban land reform in favor of agricultural land distribution, leaving urban youth and the poor in precarious informal settlements. The letter calls for the adoption of an urban land policy and the signing of the Expropriation Bill to unlock idle land and provide secure housing and economic opportunities for the youth.

A summary of a High Court of South Africa judgment where the City of Ekurhuleni Municipality successfully obtained an interdict against New Star Technology CC and Zhibing Yuan for operating a waste recycling facility without required environmental authorisations.

The Declaration of the Conference for Democratic Renewal and Change, adopted on 2 July 2022, asserts that South Africa's constitutional democracy is under threat from corruption and state capture. It proposes a 'new politics' based on social and climate justice and outlines a programme of action focusing on electoral reform, public service professionalisation, and the implementation of the Zondo Commission's recommendations. The document resolves to transform the 'Defend our Democracy Campaign' into a popular movement to oversee these goals.

A collective of South African organisations expresses grave concern over the targeting of migrants in homes and workplaces, warning that political calls for forced removals could trigger widespread xenophobic violence similar to the 2008 events. The statement argues that migrants are used as scapegoats for systemic issues like corruption, state failure, and pandemic-exacerbated unemployment. It calls for the South African Police Services to act against vigilantism, the government to initiate a national dialogue, and the implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. The authors note that anti-migrant sentiment is a global phenomenon and highlight that climate change and political instability will necessitate a human-rights-based approach to migration.

The report analyzes the South African urban water market, highlighting a critical funding gap of approximately R33 billion per annum for water and sanitation infrastructure. It identifies three primary investment opportunities: reducing non-revenue water (NRW), implementing non-sewered sanitation systems (NSSS), and wastewater sludge beneficiation. While the Western Cape has planned sufficient supply projects to ensure a surplus, the national context remains water-stressed, with a projected 10% gap between supply and demand by 2030. Key barriers to investment include municipal financial insolvency, lack of technical capacity, and a lack of locally demonstrated technologies.

The GGT2030 plan targets the development of ten high-growth sectors in Gauteng through significant infrastructure investment, the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and the digitalization of government services. Key goals include spending R60 billion on infrastructure by 2025 to create 100,000 jobs and investing R1.3 trillion by 2030 across water, energy, and transport sectors. The strategy emphasizes inclusive growth via township-based business support, the 'Welfare-to-Work' programme for 100,000 young women, and the creation of a 'silicon valley of Africa' through high-tech SEZs and universal broadband in townships.

The report examines the South African urban water sector, highlighting a projected 17% gap between water supply and demand by 2030. It identifies significant investment opportunities in the agri-processing sector (estimated at R6 billion) and the municipal sector, including wastewater reuse (theoretical potential of R50 billion) and biogas/energy efficiency projects. The document details the regulatory landscape, including the National Water Act and municipal by-laws, and discusses barriers such as low water tariffs, capacity constraints in municipalities, and public perception of reclaimed water.

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) expresses alarm over violence and vandalism in Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni targeting people from other African countries. The organization argues that migrants contribute positively to job creation and innovation, and urges political leaders to cease rhetoric that singles out 'the other' as the cause of domestic socio-economic problems. SAIIA advocates for the prosecution of criminals, the restoration of order, and the implementation of civic education based on common humanity.

The report finds that granting Eskom's requests for non-compliance with Minimum Emission Standards would lead to significant excess emissions of SO2, NOx, particulate matter, and mercury, resulting in an estimated 16,000 avoidable premature deaths across South Africa, with 3,100 of those in the Gauteng region.

The O.R Tambo Children's Declaration outlines a youth-led vision for Southern Africa, focusing on the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It calls for a transition to renewable energy, the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices to combat food insecurity and climate change, and the expansion of quality education and healthcare, particularly in rural areas. The declaration also emphasizes social justice, gender equality, and the need for improved basic infrastructure to ensure human dignity.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argues that the draft mid-term review (MTR) of the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) is methodologically flawed, outdated, and fails to demonstrate progress toward its goals. The CER highlights widespread non-compliance with national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), a deteriorating monitoring network, and significant data gaps in industrial emissions reporting. It specifically criticizes the lack of functional monitoring stations and the failure of key industrial facilities to reduce emissions, concluding that the overall objective of achieving NAAQS compliance in the HPA is not being met.

The review finds that ambient air quality in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) has not shown significant improvement since 2012, with frequent exceedances of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Industrial sources remain the dominant contributors of SO2 and NOx, while mining is the primary source of PM10. An audit of the AQMP implementation reveals that less than 50% of interventions have been fully achieved, with significant deficiencies in vehicle emissions, waste management, and low-income settlement interventions. While government organizational capacity and awareness have improved, the report recommends a revised plan with SMART goals and strengthened cooperative governance across national departments.

The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) of South Africa responded to a request from the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) to develop regulations for the implementation of the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). The DEA declined this request, stating that the AQMP is a collaborative plan rather than a regulation and that existing air quality management tools are sufficient. The document also provides a detailed response to the 'Broken Promises' report, outlining progress in air quality governance, monitoring, and intergovernmental cooperation within the HPA.

This document contains the Applicant's Heads of Argument and Practice Note filed by the City of Cape Town in the High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Pretoria). The City is seeking a declaratory order regarding the interpretation of section 34 of the Electricity Regulation Act 4 of 2006 (ERA), arguing that a ministerial determination is not required for an independent power producer (IPP) to establish a new power plant and supply electricity to the City. The City contends that the current interpretation held by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) and the Minister of Energy is either legally incorrect or unconstitutional as it infringes upon the autonomy of local government.

The report examines land governance in the Ekurhuleni Municipality, highlighting the complexities of managing land across multiple government spheres and the persistent challenge of informal settlements. It details the roles of municipal departments, the impact of dolomitic land on development, and the influence of civil society organisations in mediating between the state and the urban poor. The document also outlines strategies for land acquisition, the Rapid Land Release Programme, and the use of reblocking to manage informal dwellings.