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A community guide published by Natural Justice in January 2026 regarding Motuoane Energy (Pty) Ltd's application to convert a portion of its existing Exploration Right (ER315) into a Production Right (PR) for helium and methane gas extraction in the Free State province of 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.

COMPACT is a European Union co-funded programme implemented by PARI, SALGA, and Integrity Action to enhance the responsiveness of South African local government. The initiative focuses on deepening democracy by increasing community participation in Integrated Development Planning (IDP) processes, specifically regarding water and sanitation services, and improving the oversight of municipal service delivery across 12 municipalities.

The document details citizen engagement workshops held in 12 South African municipalities as part of the COMPACT project's second phase of action research. With 262 participants, the workshops identified significant failures in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) participation process and a lack of communication between municipal leadership and communities. These findings are being used to develop a COMPACT Toolbox and individual municipal reports to establish a baseline for improving public participation.

The report investigates the captive predator breeding industry in South Africa, specifically focusing on lions. It challenges industry claims of economic significance and conservation value, arguing that the industry relies on deceptive marketing to attract volunteer tourists and supplies the 'canned hunting' and lion bone trades. The author contends that the industry lacks scientific grounding, suffers from genetic inbreeding, and may facilitate organised crime through the legal export of lion skeletons to Asia. The paper suggests that the opportunity costs—including damage to South Africa's tourism brand and the loss of potential jobs from ethical ecotourism—outweigh the industry's private returns, recommending a move toward a zero export quota for lion derivatives.

The Northern Drakensberg Collaborative (NDC), formalised in May 2023, is a partnership aimed at addressing water insecurity and unequal water access in the Northern Drakensberg Strategic Water Source Area. This region, covering approximately 10,000 km2, is critical for water supply to four South African provinces, including providing up to 30% of the water used in Gauteng. The NDC focuses on the upper uThukela catchment, seeking to improve the stewardship of water and natural resources while enhancing food security and resilience to climate change for local impoverished communities. The partnership includes traditional authorities, NGOs, research institutions, and the private sector, operating across strategic pillars of governance, networking, research, implementation, and resourcing.

The document examines the role of fossil gas in South Africa, detailing its current use in power generation and chemical feedstock, while arguing against its use as a 'bridge fuel'. It highlights the high global warming potential of methane leaks, the risk of stranded assets, and the availability of cheaper renewable alternatives combined with energy storage. The author concludes that South Africa should avoid new gas exploration and infrastructure to align with the 1.5°C warming limit and its own 2050 net-zero target.