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This report provides an overview of the South African electricity market, focusing on the energy services (ES) value chain, which comprises rooftop solar PV, energy storage, and energy efficiency. It details the drivers of market growth—including rolling blackouts and rising electricity costs—the roles of key industry players, and the regulatory framework governing the sector.

The 2023 Energy Services Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape analyzes the growth of South Africa's energy services market, driven by load shedding and rising electricity costs. Key opportunities include rooftop solar PV (projected 10 GWp by 2035), battery storage (projected R32.5 billion by 2035), and smart meters (projected R40 billion by 2035). While technology costs are falling and financing is becoming more accessible, the market faces barriers such as port inefficiencies and a shortage of technical skills.

The 2023 Water Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape identifies significant investment opportunities in South Africa's public wastewater infrastructure, specifically focusing on metropolitan municipalities. The report highlights a critical state of existing infrastructure, the potential for circular economy solutions through sludge beneficiation, and the need for energy efficiency and renewable energy interventions to combat rising costs and energy insecurity.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute provides a summary of the findings and recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (the Zondo Commission). The Commission investigated systemic corruption in South Africa between January 2018 and June 2022, focusing on how private actors, specifically the Gupta enterprise, collaborated with state officials to redirect public resources for private gain.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) and a coalition of civic organisations issued statements condemning hate speech, cyberbullying, and threats of violence directed at the South African Informal Traders Forum (SAITF) and the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI). The actions are attributed to Councillor Nkululeko Mbundu of ActionSA, the MMC for Economic Development in the City of Johannesburg, following a court victory by SERI and SAITF against illegal evictions.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines how green and transition bonds can facilitate South Africa's shift from a coal-dependent energy system to a low-carbon economy. It analyzes the specific challenges of the South African market, the roles of major emitters like Eskom and Sasol, and provides frameworks for credible transition finance to avoid greenwashing.

This report analyzes how the Covid-19 pandemic exposed and worsened systemic vulnerabilities in South Africa's waste and recycling sector. It highlights the devastating impact on informal waste reclaimers, who were initially excluded from essential services, and the economic pressure caused by plummeting oil prices making virgin plastic cheaper than recyclate. The author argues for the urgent and inclusive implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations to ensure the sector's resilience and support the transition to a circular economy.

This report by WWF South Africa examines the potential and progress of renewable energy (RE) in South Africa, focusing on the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REI4P) and the challenges posed by the state utility Eskom's dominance and the country's historical dependence on coal.

The Centre for Environmental Rights submitted a formal request to the City of Johannesburg on 28 July 2016 seeking detailed records regarding the ownership, water supply, and electricity agreements associated with the Kelvin Power Station.

The 2015 Shadow Report by the Promotion of Access to Information Civil Society Network (PAIA CSN) evaluates the implementation of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) in South Africa between 1 August 2014 and 31 July 2015. The report finds that while the right to access information is constitutionally enshrined, public bodies frequently undermine this right through non-compliance with statutory timeframes, failure to provide legitimate grounds for refusal, and poor record-keeping. The report highlights a contrast between the relatively better compliance of private bodies and the systemic failures of various state departments, while advocating for the urgent appointment of an independent Information Regulator to provide an alternative to costly litigation.

The report analyzes the crisis in South Africa's municipal water and sanitation services, finding that while infrastructure access has expanded, functional service delivery is hampered by a critical shortage of basic operational skills (e.g., plumbers, electricians). This 'hollowing out' of the local state is attributed to a historical low valuation of technical trades and 'managerialist' reforms that prioritized high-paid senior management over essential technical staff.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the compliance of local councillors in South Africa with financial disclosure regulations. It highlights significant variations in compliance rates across municipalities, identifies systemic challenges such as ambiguous legislation and poor data quality, and provides recommendations to strengthen the oversight process to better detect conflicts of interest.

This research paper examines corruption within South Africa's Metropolitan Police Departments (MPDs), highlighting a high prevalence of bribery in traffic enforcement. It compares the anti-corruption strategies of six major MPDs, noting that while some (like Johannesburg) have adopted tracking technology and hotlines, systemic issues persist. These include the use of inadequate general council disciplinary codes instead of police-specific codes, limited investigative and entrapment powers compared to the national SAPS, and a tendency for management to rationalize corruption as being driven by the public's willingness to pay bribes.

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.

This guide outlines the criteria and risk assessments for mining activities within high-importance biodiversity priority areas. It establishes a rigorous set of filters and a risk-averse approach to determine if mining is an optimal land use compared to the preservation of critical ecosystems and water resources.

This reference guide by GreenCape provides water and wastewater businesses and investors with a framework for entering the South African public water sector. It details the institutional landscape, planned infrastructure spending in metropolitan and Western Cape municipalities, procurement legislation, and platforms for technology trialling.

This briefing by GreenCape explores the potential of using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae to convert organic waste into frass, a nutrient-rich excrement that can be processed into organic fertilisers and bio-stimulants for regenerative horticulture in South Africa.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the Military Veterans Act of 2011 in South Africa, analyzing the gap between the legislative promises of benefits for former combatants and the practical capacity of the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) to implement them.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the failure of South Africa to provide equitable and affordable access to sufficient water, despite constitutional guarantees. It argues that the state has substituted a comprehensive human-rights definition of access with a narrow focus on physical infrastructure, while ignoring affordability and water quality. The report highlights the inadequacy of the Free Basic Water (FBW) policy and the systemic contradiction between municipal financial sustainability and the human right to water.