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The report documents a systemic 'environment of fear' in South Africa's mining regions, where activists facing environmental and social harms from mining are targeted with physical violence, death threats, and legal harassment. It highlights the failure of the South African government to protect these defenders and the role of municipalities in imposing extra-legal restrictions on peaceful assembly. The document also details the use of SLAPP suits and social media attacks by mining companies to silence opposition, while noting the severe environmental and health costs of mining, including water pollution and respiratory diseases.

The briefing outlines the systemic failures of traditional municipal service delivery in South Africa, where over 7.32 million households in approximately 4,298 informal settlements face severe constraints. It proposes Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) as a paradigm shift based on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), emphasizing decentralization and public-private partnerships. The document establishes a framework of technical, social, and financial 'best practice norms' to ensure sustainability and community ownership. Through case studies like Peco Power (energy), Kaloola (sanitation), Regenize (waste), and Gcwalisa (food/waste), it demonstrates how off-grid and community-led solutions can provide interim services while working toward long-term goals. It concludes by recommending a systems approach to integrate ASD into provincial planning and calling for flexible policy and funding mechanisms.

The document details a pilot project in Buffalo City, South Africa, where a partnership between government, a producer responsibility organisation (Polyco), and a business chamber created hybrid recycling facilities. These sites combine free community drop-offs with paid buyback centres for waste reclaimers using a cashless voucher system. While only two of four planned sites (Southernwood and Commercial Road) were established by late 2021 due to COVID-19 delays, the project created 10 jobs and diverted significant tonnage from landfills, demonstrating a replicable model for extended producer responsibility.

PepsiCo is implementing a water stewardship approach to build resilience against climatic extremes, specifically at its Parow site in Cape Town. The company has achieved a total annual water saving of 147,892 m³ through various site-specific projects, including a R27.9 million investment in advanced batch peeling technology that reduced fresh water usage by 1.06m³/hr and increased annual revenue by R1.4 million. Beyond its facility, PepsiCo aims to be Net Water Positive by 2030 and has invested R29.8 million over five years in the Greater Cape Town Water Fund to restore ecosystems and remove invasive species. Additionally, the PepsiCo Foundation invested R6 million in safe water and sanitation projects across the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Limpopo.

This document is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) issued by GreenCape for a service provider to conduct project close-out evaluations for an intervention titled "Active climate change citizenship for a just transition in South Africa." The project, co-financed by the European Union, aims to empower citizens, women, and youth to participate in democratic processes regarding climate mitigation and adaptation, specifically within the renewable energy sector.

Mpumalanga is positioned as a strategic hub for South Africa's renewable energy transition due to its significant grid capacity and proximity to industrial demand. However, developers face substantial hurdles, including a lack of a public mining cadastre and delays in Section 53 land-use applications under the Mineral and Petroleum Resource Development Act. Environmental risks, specifically the lack of precise data on endangered bird flight paths, create uncertainty for wind projects. The document suggests short-term mitigations like the Energy One Stop Shop and Strategic Infrastructure Project registration, while advocating for long-term solutions such as a public mining rights database and comprehensive bird monitoring studies.

This case study, written by Busisiwe Mgangxela of Bafo and Busi Organic Farming (Pty) Ltd, details the systemic challenges faced by small-scale farmers on the Hillview farm, a PLAS farm in East London. The account highlights severe mal-administration, corruption within the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), and the failure of the state to provide necessary infrastructure and producer support.

This joint submission by the Center for Economic and Social Rights, the Institute for Economic Justice, and SECTION27 argues that South Africa is implementing retrogressive austerity measures that threaten economic, social, and cultural rights. The authors contend that the government's focus on debt reduction is based on exaggerated concerns and that resources could be maximized through progressive tax reform and the eradication of corruption and 'state capture'. The document details how budget cuts and inefficient resourcing are severely undermining the public health and basic education systems, leading to critical staff shortages, infrastructure backlogs, and poor learner outcomes.

The fact sheet analyzes the funding of basic education in South Africa, highlighting a real-terms decline in per-learner spending from R17,822 in 2010 to R16,435 in 2017. It identifies critical underfunding in school infrastructure, sanitation, and special needs education, while noting that provincial mismanagement and inaccurate data collection further exacerbate the crisis. The authors call for an end to budget austerity and the implementation of a rights-based funding model to ensure all learners have access to essential resources and safe facilities.

The document argues that a just transition in South Africa must move beyond simple decarbonization to address structural inequalities rooted in the minerals-energy complex (MEC). It proposes a 'transformative resilience' framework based on three pillars: a green decent work agenda, expanded social protection (such as a universal basic income guarantee), and radical land reform. The essays detail specific vulnerabilities, including the marginalization of women in ecosystem-based adaptation, the mental health burdens of climate change on Black communities, and the precariousness of informal waste pickers. Sectoral analyses emphasize the need for inclusive food systems, urban drought resilience in cities like Cape Town, and the integration of renewable energy to support agricultural productivity and rural development.

The report provides a critical scan of South Africa's renewable energy policies, highlighting a tension between the rapid liberalisation of the electricity market to solve the energy crisis and the goal of achieving a 'just transition'. While the country has expanded its solar and wind capacity and introduced frameworks like the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), the authors argue that inconsistent application of local content requirements and a lack of enforceable decent work standards have undermined industrial localisation and equitable employment. The analysis emphasizes that the current shift toward private investment risks creating 'low-carbon poverty' if not coupled with targeted support for SMMEs, women, and vulnerable rural communities facing energy poverty.

The document contrasts the 2007 and 2012 ANC National Conferences, arguing that internal politics have shifted from ideological coherence to patronage. It highlights the failure of the state to recover funds from fraudulent contracts involving politically connected individuals and notes the erosion of the ANC's moral authority due to corruption.

The analysis uses the International Futures (IFs) model and 2011 National Census data to simulate three population scenarios for South Africa by 2030 based on varying levels of in-migration: 64.4 million (rapidly declining), 66.4 million (stable), and 68.8 million (rapidly increasing). These projections are higher and exhibit greater variance than those in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030. Extended analysis to 2050 indicates further increasing uncertainty for national planners. Provincial forecasts using the IFs Base Case also exceed NDP figures, particularly in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape, with implications for public policy in healthcare, education, employment, and service delivery.

The document traces the evolution of restorative justice in South Africa, starting with the first victim-offender mediation (VOM) projects in 1992. It details the roles of various NGOs, such as NICRO and the Restorative Justice Centre, and the influence of international models from the US, New Zealand, and Canada. The text also explores 'non-state justice' initiatives like community courts and peace committees in the Western and Eastern Cape, as well as the South African government's theoretical openness to restorative justice and its integration into child justice and professional training.

The report examines the challenges faced by former South African National Defence Force (SANDF) personnel and combatants from non-statutory forces (such as MK and APLA) as they transition to civilian life. Based on a survey of 307 former soldiers, it finds high unemployment rates, particularly among the youth, and a significant mismatch between the military skills of demobilised personnel and the demands of the South African labour market. The document argues that the demobilisation process was often dysfunctional for individuals, leading to poverty and disillusionment. It recommends a policy shift toward targeted reskilling, public-private partnerships, and the creation of specific Citizen Force units to provide sustainable employment and social reintegration.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes voter participation and the outcomes of South Africa's May 2014 national and provincial elections. It highlights a steady decline in electoral participation since 1994, particularly among youth and rural populations, and examines the shifting political landscape as the African National Congress (ANC) faces reduced majorities in urban centers like Gauteng.

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.

The Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) Toolkit is a guide for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Southern Africa to navigate the legal and practical aspects of sharing genetic resources and Traditional Knowledge. It explains the ABS process, the role of Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) in asserting rights, and the requirements for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The document details the South African legal framework, including the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act of 2004 (NEMBA) and the BABS Regulations, while highlighting the importance of sustainable stewardship and the risks of biopiracy.

The Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) Toolkit is a resource for community members and traditional leaders in Southern Africa to manage the use of their biological resources and Traditional Knowledge by external users. It explains the ABS process, where providers (communities) and users (industry or researchers) negotiate terms for access and the sharing of monetary or non-monetary benefits. The document emphasizes the use of Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) to establish community rules and identity, and details the requirement for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). It outlines the legal frameworks governing these processes, including the international Nagoya Protocol and South Africa's National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act of 2004 (NEMBA). The toolkit also addresses intellectual property rights, conservation strategies, and the specific case of the Buchu plant in South Africa.

The report documents a conference hosted by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) focused on the systemic nature of state capture in South Africa. It details the erosion of institutions like SARS and the PIC, discusses the role of commissions of inquiry (Zondo, Nugent, and PIC), and explores strategies for recovery including 'lawfare', parliamentary oversight, and public advocacy. The document culminates in a Civil Society Charter that outlines a comprehensive program for institutional reform, whistleblower protection, and the pursuit of accountability for those implicated in state capture.