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returning-the-spark-7-c60b99c2a8965258.pdf
This case study examines the role of electronic waste (e-waste) repair and redistribution in South Africa, focusing on The Appliance Bank as a model for integrating circular economy principles with social upliftment. It highlights how diverting e-waste from landfills through refurbishment can create jobs for unemployed men and provide affordable technology to low-income communities.
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Document type: Case study
Research Paper No. 340 | Systemic exclusion from a South African social assistance transfer: Drivers, impacts, and who is most at risk
This research paper finds that approximately half of the target population for South Africa's Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is excluded, with an average of 76% of those excluded being eligible. The study identifies that rapid digitalization and automation, lacking transparency and oversight, create systemic barriers to application, verification, payment, and appeal. These barriers disproportionately affect those already marginalized by digital, financial, and spatial inequalities, leading to severe hardship and hunger.
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Document type: Research paper
Time to Act: Gender-Responsiveness and the Green Climate Fund
The briefing examines the Green Climate Fund's (GCF) potential to address the lack of gender-responsiveness and the bias toward large-scale mitigation in international climate finance. It highlights the specific vulnerabilities of poor rural women in Sub-Saharan Africa and calls for the GCF to implement operational modalities that ensure equitable access to funding and gender-disaggregated data for policy making.
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Document type: Briefing
2162 ISS Monograph 117 Mozambique.indd
The report examines the migration of Congolese nationals to South Africa, noting a transition from elite migration during the late apartheid era to a larger influx of middle-class, educated refugees fleeing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Despite high levels of human capital, these migrants face significant social dislocation, high unemployment, and systemic discrimination, often finding themselves in survivalist informal labor such as car guarding and hair cutting. The text highlights the role of ethnic 'tribes' as survival networks and the pervasive corruption within the Department of Home Affairs.
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Document type: Report
The management of and debate about the democratisation process
The report details the transition of South Africa from white minority rule to a multi-party democracy, highlighting the role of the African National Congress (ANC), the influence of the Harare Declaration, and the multi-party negotiations of CODESA. It describes the establishment of a government of national unity, the public participation process in drafting the final constitution, and the use of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to foster national healing.
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Document type: Report
South Africa: COSATU and the ANC national conference and Zuma Incorporated starts to emerge
The briefing details the growing divide within the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the African National Congress (ANC), noting how ideological shifts and perceived betrayals by President Jacob Zuma have weakened the tripartite alliance. It highlights internal COSATU factionalism and the rise of rival unions like AMCU. Additionally, it reports on the 'Zumaville' project and other non-profit enterprises linked to President Zuma, which have drawn accusations of cronyism and influence trading.
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Document type: Briefing
2162 ISS Monograph 117 Mozambique.indd
The provided text is a collection of 111 endnotes and citations from a research paper by Jonny Steinberg. These notes reference various studies, theses, and reports concerning the migration of Mozambicans to South Africa, their legal struggles, social integration in rural and urban areas (such as Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town), and the economic activities of African migrants in the informal sector. The citations cover topics including the UNHCR's voluntary repatriation programs, the impact of withholding legal status on employment, and the role of social networks in survival strategies for refugees.
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Document type: Research paper
Monograph_soccer_2010_for print.indd
The document examines how the 2010 FIFA World Cup created opportunities for corruption and conflicts of interest in South Africa. It details irregularities in stadium tenders in Johannesburg, Durban, and the Eastern Cape, and critiques the lack of transparency in FIFA's global operations and its relationship with exclusive suppliers like Match Event Services. The report argues that the pressure to meet FIFA's stringent requirements often led the South African government to prioritize the interests of the event organizers over the long-term public interest and developmental needs of the host cities.
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Document type: Report
The Illicit Market for Gold and Platinum
The report examines the theft of gold and platinum group metals (PGMs) in South Africa between 1994 and 1999. It highlights a significant gap between detected recoveries and estimated undetected losses, particularly for gold, where undetected theft is estimated at 35 tons per year. The document details the hierarchical structure of criminal syndicates, the challenges faced by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Diamond and Gold Branch—including resource shortages and corruption—and the economic threat to the mining industry's profitability and employment.
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Document type: Report
Non-Tariff Barrier Monitoring Mechanism
The SADC Non-Tariff Barrier (NTB) Monitoring Mechanism allows private sector actors to report trade barriers via an online database, but the resolution of these barriers is often ineffective. NTBs affect products accounting for $3.3 billion, or 20%, of regional trade, with transport-related barriers being the most persistent. Resolution is hampered by inefficient National Monitoring Committees, a lack of technical expertise, and a political preference for cooperative rather than litigious dispute settlement. The document argues that resolution depends on political will, as some states maintain barriers to protect local industry or revenue. Proposed solutions include strengthening business membership organisations, capacitating national focal points, and creating forums for facilitated dialogue between the private sector and government.
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Document type: Case study
Private Sector Gains from Logistics Development: Walvis Bay and its Adjacent Corridors
The document examines Namibia's strategy to position the Port of Walvis Bay as a competitive alternative to other SADC ports. It details the role of the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) in expanding infrastructure and improving trade facilitation. Key developments include a new container terminal funded largely by the African Development Bank and the conceptual SADC Gateway Port. While the port benefits from strategic location and political stability, it faces challenges in human capital and administrative bureaucracy.
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Document type: Case study
Microsoft Word - MNM_bvote_may_2011.docx
A budget vote speech delivered by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, to the National Assembly on 31 May 2011. The speech outlines South Africa's foreign policy priorities, its role in regional and global governance, and the operational goals of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
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Document type: Statement
Exploring the role of a TVET hybrid CoS for the GHE
The paper assesses the South African TVET system's capacity to support a green transition, specifically focusing on the Green Hydrogen Economy. It evaluates the existing Centres of Specialisation (CoS) model and pilot programmes from Bambili Advisory and the National Business Initiative (NBI) to recommend a flexible, demand-led approach to green skills development. The authors argue for a 'capabilities approach' over narrow occupational competencies to ensure a just transition for youth.
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Document type: Research paper
The Cost of Non-tariff Barriers to Business along the North–South Corridor (South Africa–Zimbabwe) via Beit Bridge: A Preliminary Study and Working Paper
The study identifies Zimbabwe's foreign exchange controls as the most costly non-tariff barrier (NTB) affecting bilateral trade between South Africa and Zimbabwe across multiple sectors. Other significant costs include administrative delays at the Beit Bridge border crossing and high freight costs resulting from a dysfunctional regional rail network. The paper also highlights congestion at Durban Port and specific sectoral barriers, such as South Africa's ban on second-hand vehicles traveling on its roads and two-stage conversion requirements for Zimbabwean textiles.
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Document type: Research paper
TITLE OF THE REPORT TO GO HERE
The document examines South Africa's nascent green hydrogen economy, positioning the country in the 'technological readiness' phase of market development. It argues that while some input manufacturing is emerging, there is a critical need for coordinated industrial and energy policies—including capital grants and electricity tax exemptions—to drive commercial production. A central focus is the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, where the author identifies a 'wide chasm' between graduates and employment. The paper advocates for a shift toward 'anticipatory governance' and 'skills foresight' to better align vocational training with the evolving demands of the green hydrogen value chain, ensuring a just transition for workers displaced from the coal industry.
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Document type: Research paper
Assessing Non-Annex I Pledges
The document addresses the lack of transparency and clarity in climate mitigation pledges from both Annex I and non-Annex I Parties under the Cancun Agreements. It argues that while Annex I Parties can resolve these issues through common accounting rules, non-Annex I Parties require a specific clarification process for their diverse nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) to enable progress tracking and the assessment of global emissions reductions.
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Document type: Research paper
Climate change exacerbated rainfall causing devastating flooding in Eastern South Africa
The study concludes that human-induced climate change approximately doubled the probability of the April 2022 extreme rainfall event in Eastern South Africa and increased its intensity by 4-8%. While the event had a return time of about 20 years in the current climate, it would have been rarer in a 1.2°C cooler world. The disaster's impact was severely exacerbated by structural vulnerabilities, including the legacy of apartheid spatial planning and the prevalence of informal settlements in high-risk areas.
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Document type: Research paper
Our essential travellers’ kit
The document offers a 'travellers’ kit' of practical advice for sustainable tourism in South Africa, focusing on green planning, responsible behavior, sustainable shopping, and waste reduction. It highlights specific WWF tools, such as the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) and the Conservation Champion Wine Farm Guide, to help consumers make eco-friendly choices.
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Document type: Guide