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The report details five dialogues focused on state capacity in South Africa, specifically addressing the energy transition, freight and public transport, the criminal justice system, and water security, concluding with a synthesis on public sector professionalization. A recurring theme is the detrimental impact of state capture and political interference on institutional memory and technical expertise. The document argues that state capability requires not just administrative skills but the agency to 'reach into society' and coordinate complex projects. Key recommendations include reforming senior appointment processes to insulate the public service from politics, creating a single administration to reduce fragmentation, and rethinking the municipal fiscal framework to ensure the viability of basic service delivery.

The COMPACT Local Government Collaboration Model is a catalytic tool developed by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) to foster collaboration among municipal administrations, councillors, and the local community. The model employs a five-step process—Purpose, Making Sense of the Challenge, Vision and Hope, Implementing and Adapting, and Reflection and Learning—to move beyond traditional problem-solving. The model was piloted in 2025 in the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality (focusing on the Pearston water crisis) and the Newcastle Local Municipality (focusing on tuckshop regulation and local economic development). A subsequent train-the-trainer workshop was held in August 2025 in Gauteng to refine facilitation materials and guide representatives from SALGA, PARI, and the pilot municipalities.

The report examines land governance in the Ekurhuleni Municipality, highlighting the complexities of managing land across multiple government spheres and the persistent challenge of informal settlements. It details the roles of municipal departments, the impact of dolomitic land on development, and the influence of civil society organisations in mediating between the state and the urban poor. The document also outlines strategies for land acquisition, the Rapid Land Release Programme, and the use of reblocking to manage informal dwellings.

This case study examines the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), a hybrid public-private partnership established in 2000 to facilitate trade and infrastructure development in Namibia and neighboring SADC countries. The WBCG coordinates a network of roads and rail—including the Trans-Kalahari, Trans-Caprivi, Trans-Cunene, and Trans-Oranje corridors—to connect the Port of Walvis Bay and the Port of Lüderitz to landlocked markets.

The research paper outlines a strategic framework to align South Africa's TVET system with the needs of a future green hydrogen economy. Using foresight tools like the Three Horizons Framework and scenario planning, it identifies systemic failures in the current TVET model—such as misalignment with industry needs and funding deficits—and proposes a shift toward 'economic wellbeing' rather than just job placement. The framework suggests sustained innovations, such as scaling Centres of Specialisation (CoS), and disruptive innovations, including nano/micro-credentialing and the use of AR/VR toolkits, to ensure a just labour transition by 2050.

The Sustainable Landscape Finance Coalition Survey 1 results indicate that a plurality of conservation stakeholders face significant funding shortages, with 44.44% reporting insufficient financing. Key barriers include a reliance on short-term donor cycles and limited access to diverse funding streams. Respondents emphasized the importance of stakeholder collaboration and the integration of community needs to achieve long-term financial and environmental sustainability.

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 outlines a collaborative effort between Mondi, WWF, the National Business Initiative (NBI), and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to manage water resources in the uMhlathuze river catchment. Central to this is the uMhlathuze Water Stewardship Partnership (uWASP), established in 2016, which coordinates stakeholders across six sectors to address water security. Key achievements include the development of real-time monitoring tools (FlowTracker and Inwards Lite), the implementation of an Alien Invasive Plant (AIP) Strategy, and improvements in irrigation governance and wetland rehabilitation. The document highlights the critical nature of Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) in South Africa and notes that water demand in the uMhlathuze catchment is projected to rise due to population growth and climate change, with Richards Bay expected to require 20 mcm/a by 2025.

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.