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127 results
A lethal cocktail
The report examines how corruption, poor oversight, and political interference hinder HIV/AIDS services in South Africa despite significant increases in funding. It identifies systemic vulnerabilities in budget tracking, donor fund management, and pharmaceutical procurement, while documenting specific cases of fund misappropriation and the promotion of unproven alternative remedies. The study argues that a combination of weak institutional structures and a lack of political will creates a 'lethal cocktail' that disproportionately affects the poor and marginalised.
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Document type: Report
CHARTING PROGRESS, MAPPING THE FUTURE
The report identifies a fragmented landscape of restorative justice in South Africa, where significant activity exists in pockets—particularly within probation services and specific NGOs like NICRO—but is severely hampered by inconsistent funding and a lack of systemic integration. While the authors argue that restorative justice is a philosophy rather than a specific program, they find that implementation varies widely by province, with some regions showing stronger collaboration between traditional leaders and the formal judiciary. The document concludes that the state should act as an enabler, resourcer, and guarantor of quality, while civil society should lead direct service delivery to ensure community accountability and democratic empowerment.
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Document type: Report
DIVISION OF THE REPUBLIC INTO REGIONS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, 2002 (ACT NO. 28 OF 2002)
This government notice, published on 30 April 2004 by the Minister of Minerals and Energy, defines the regional divisions of South Africa and its adjacent sea for the purposes of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002.
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Document type: Statement
Diversion in South Africa
The document examines the evolution of diversion in South Africa, moving from disjointed, discretionary practices in the 1990s toward a regulated system under the Child Justice Bill. It details the Bill's mechanisms for expanding diversion, such as compulsory assessments and preliminary inquiries, and categorizes diversion options into three levels based on offence severity. The paper also analyzes the role of the National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders (NICRO) as a primary provider and presents cost-benefit analyses suggesting that increased diversion spending would lead to overall government savings by reducing child detention. Evaluation studies of specific programmes like SAYStOP and DIME generally show positive outcomes in reducing recidivism and improving child well-being.
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Document type: Research paper
Gripes or Grievances? What the Independent Complaints Directorate statistics tell us (or not)
The research paper argues that statistics from the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) are not reliable indicators of overall police brutality in South Africa. While the ICD was established to deter human rights abuses by the South African Police Service (SAPS), the majority of its cases consist of public dissatisfaction with policing services rather than reports of brutality. The author notes that victims of non-fatal police violence are underrepresented in ICD data due to factors such as poverty, marginalization, and police intimidation. Furthermore, significant provincial discrepancies exist, with some offices, such as KwaZulu-Natal, recording far fewer assaults than independent pilot projects in the same region.
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Document type: Research paper
Crime and Policing in South Africa's rural areas
The report finds that rural South Africans are victimised at rates similar to urban residents, with stock theft and burglary being the most common crimes. Policing in these areas is described as predominantly reactive and severely hampered by geographic isolation, lack of infrastructure, and resource constraints. The author argues that short-to-medium term safety improvements should focus on enhancing the investigative and reactive capacities of local police stations rather than implementing complex participatory crime prevention programmes common in urban areas.
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Document type: Report
NOISE CONTROL REGULATIONS IN TERMS OF SECTION 25 OF THE ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION ACT, 1989 (ACT NO. 73 OF 1989)
The Noise Control Regulations, issued under Section 25 of the Environment Conservation Act, 1989, establish a legal framework for managing noise pollution in South Africa. The regulations define 'disturbing noise' and 'noise nuisance,' grant local authorities broad enforcement powers, and set specific decibel limits for vehicles and buildings in 'controlled areas.' They also prohibit certain noise-generating activities in residential areas during specific times and outline penalties for non-compliance.
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Document type: Report
CONSERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES ACT 43 OF 1983
The Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 43 of 1983 (and its associated regulations) provides a legal framework for the protection of agricultural resources in South Africa. It establishes mandatory control measures to prevent soil erosion, waterlogging, and salination, regulates the use of veld and the management of veld fires, and creates a classification system for combating weeds and invader plants. The document also outlines the administrative functions of conservation committees and the technical specifications for soil conservation beacons.
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Document type: Guide
NATURE CONSERVATION ORDINANCE 8 of 1969
The Nature Conservation Ordinance 8 of 1969 establishes the legal framework for protecting fauna and flora in the Orange Free State. It regulates the hunting of protected and ordinary game, prohibits specific hunting methods (such as poisoning and trapping), controls the trade and conveyance of wild animals and indigenous plants, and provides for the management of nature reserves. The ordinance grants the Administrator power to issue permits and establishes significant penalties, including fines up to R100,000 and imprisonment up to 10 years for serious contraventions.
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Document type: Report
120824-derelict-and-ownerless-mines-fc83b8d63591aa41.pdf
This document is a written reply from the Minister of Mineral Resources to a question from the National Assembly regarding the rehabilitation of abandoned mining sites.
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Document type: Briefing
KMBT_C554e-20151214224449
This document is a draft reply from the South African Department of Water and Sanitation to a National Assembly question (No. 4253) regarding the number and qualifications of 'Blue Scorpions' (Environmental Management Inspectors) within its Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement unit.
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Document type: Briefing
181030mandates-539bf707550ad7ef.pdf
This document consists of negotiating mandates and reports from several South African provincial legislatures—Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West, and Western Cape—regarding the Marine Spatial Planning Bill [B 9D-2017]. The provinces generally support the Bill, which aims to establish a framework for marine spatial planning, coordinate ocean use across multiple sectors, and promote a sustainable ocean economy, while proposing various amendments related to governance, definitions, and inclusivity.
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Document type: Report
2011-dafs-worth-q365-the-construction-of-new-dams-in-the-free-state-51f210f14880339d.pdf
This document is a draft written reply from the South African Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs to a question posed by Mr. D A Worth (DA-FS) in the National Council of Provinces regarding the construction of new dams in the Free State.
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Document type: Briefing
5-f4c76b48d4628256.pdf
This report identifies and maps National Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) across South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland, defining them as areas that supply a disproportionate amount of mean annual runoff relative to their land area. The document evaluates the ecological condition, protection levels, and threats to these areas—including land cover modification and mining—while also providing an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine in Mpumalanga.
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Document type: Report
ael_lethabo-april-2015-06bae8eaa33819d7.pdf
This document is an Atmospheric Emissions Licence (AEL) issued by the Fezile Dabi District Municipality to Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd for the Lethabo Power Station. Issued on 1 April 2015 and valid until 31 March 2020, the licence regulates emissions from solid fuel combustion and the storage of petroleum products, specifying minimum emission standards for pollutants and reporting requirements within the Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area.
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Document type: Statement
APPEAL PURSUANT TO SECTION 43(1A) OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT, 1998 AGAINST THE DECISION RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION GRANTED TO TETRA4 (PTY) LTD ON 13 JULY 2023
The Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa (MEJCON-SA) and Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) have appealed a decision by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to grant environmental authorisation (EA) to Tetra4 (Pty) Ltd for the Cluster 2 Virginia Gas Production Project. The appellants argue that the decision is unlawful and unreasonable due to flawed groundwater and climate change assessments, inadequate public participation, a failure to consider renewable energy alternatives, and the state's lack of capacity to monitor gas operations.
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Document type: Statement
APPEAL PURSUANT TO SECTION 43(1A) OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT, 1998 AGAINST THE DECISION RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION GRANTED TO TETRA4 (PTY) LTD ON 09 MAY 2025
The Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa (MEJCON-SA) and Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) have lodged an appeal to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to set aside an environmental authorisation (EA) granted by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on 09 May 2025 to Tetra4 (Pty) Ltd. The EA allows Tetra4 to extend its production right to incorporate 18 additional wells across 80 farm portions in the Free State Province. The appellants argue that Tetra4 used a Basic Assessment Report (BAR) process under section 102 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) to circumvent a previous ministerial order from 01 August 2024, which had set aside a larger 'Cluster 2' expansion due to inadequate climate and groundwater assessments.
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Document type: Statement
annexure-j_lethabo-enforcement-letter-2014-confirming-closure-of-precompliance-notice-4cf1207afd9a320e.pdf
A 2014 letter from the South African Department of Environmental Affairs to the manager of Lethabo Power Station confirming the closure of a pre-compliance notice following the resolution of several environmental non-compliances identified during a 2009 inspection.
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Document type: Statement
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT AT MINES: THE DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY’S PERFORMANCE DURING THE FINANCIAL YEARS 2017 TO 31 MARCH 2019
The report finds that the DMRE's capacity for environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement at mines remains 'woefully inadequate', with a severe shortage of qualified inspectors relative to the number of operating mines. Analysis of data from 2017 to 2019 reveals a decrease in inspections in six of nine provinces and significant discrepancies between the DMRE's annual reports and information provided via PAIA requests. The document highlights a lack of transparency, noting that the DMRE does not publish a comprehensive results report similar to the National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report (NECER). Criminal enforcement is described as inconsistent, with some provinces recording no activity and others showing a steep drop-off between arrests and successful prosecutions.
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Document type: Report
doc-1.1-g-brd-ses-eskom-env-perf-comp-and-risks-29-may-17-69117be3be1f45a5.pdf
This briefing document, submitted to Eskom's Board Social, Ethics and Sustainability Committee on 29 May 2017, provides an update on the organization's environmental performance, compliance status, and risk management for the 2016/17 financial year. It details emissions and water usage metrics, legal contraventions, the progress of air quality improvement and offset projects, and the implementation of biodiversity and bird mitigation strategies.
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Document type: Briefing