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This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes provincial murder trends in South Africa from 2011/12 to 2022/23. It argues that national murder statistics are misleading because trends vary significantly by province, with a small number of populous provinces driving the overall increase in the national murder rate.

This report summarizes a two-day conference held in October 2023 by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC). The event focused on the implementation of recommendations from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (the Zondo Commission) to hold perpetrators accountable and reform state institutions to prevent future state capture in South Africa.

A summary of a High Court of South Africa judgment where the City of Ekurhuleni Municipality successfully obtained an interdict against New Star Technology CC and Zhibing Yuan for operating a waste recycling facility without required environmental authorisations.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) and a coalition of civic organisations issued statements condemning hate speech, cyberbullying, and threats of violence directed at the South African Informal Traders Forum (SAITF) and the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI). The actions are attributed to Councillor Nkululeko Mbundu of ActionSA, the MMC for Economic Development in the City of Johannesburg, following a court victory by SERI and SAITF against illegal evictions.

The Declaration of the Conference for Democratic Renewal and Change, adopted on 2 July 2022, is a statement by over 300 individuals and representatives from more than 100 civil society, labour, business, and faith-based organisations. The document asserts that South Africa's constitutional democracy is under threat from corruption and state capture, and it outlines a programme of action to reclaim democratic integrity, reform the electoral system, and professionalise the public service.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the complex relationship between climate change and violent conflict in Africa. It argues that while climate change acts as a 'risk multiplier' that can exacerbate existing political, social, and economic tensions, the link to violence is indirect and highly contextual. The document emphasizes the need for conflict-sensitive climate adaptation strategies, particularly in fragile contexts, and calls for the Global North to fulfill climate finance commitments to support the Global South.

This report argues that political instability and violent protests in South Africa are primarily driven by unmanageable elite contestation within the African National Congress (ANC) rather than spontaneous socio-economic grievances. Using data modelling and artificial intelligence, the authors demonstrate a strong correlation between ANC internal conflicts and protest spikes, particularly from 2018 onwards, while finding a low correlation with service delivery or unemployment trends.

This op-ed argues that universal access to electricity is a critical prerequisite for ending poverty and driving socioeconomic development in South Africa. The author contends that the South African government incorrectly defines 'access' as mere physical connection to the grid, ignoring the essential components of affordability and reliability. This narrow focus, combined with an inadequate Free Basic Electricity policy and a cost-recovery model, traps low-income households and small enterprises in poverty by making the electricity needed for economic growth unaffordable.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes political scenarios for South Africa leading up to 2029, focusing on the internal divisions of the African National Congress (ANC) and their impact on economic growth and national security.

This research paper examines the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems used to track violence-prevention interventions in South Africa, specifically focusing on the interface between the Department of Social Development (DSD) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The author argues that current M&E practices are driven by financial compliance and audit requirements rather than a desire to measure long-term policy effectiveness or community impact.

This document is an appeal response report filed by groundWork and Earthlife Africa, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights, challenging decisions made by the National Air Quality Officer (NAQO) regarding Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. The appellants argue that granting postponements and suspensions of compliance with Minimum Emission Standards (MES) for several coal-fired power stations in the Highveld Priority Area is unlawful and violates environmental laws and constitutional rights to health.

This briefing memorandum, written by Danjelle Midgley of the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), outlines the legislative process, key role-players, and estimated timeframes for the National Climate Change Bill following its introduction to the South African Parliament on 11 October 2021.

This report by the Centre for Environmental Rights, authored by Robert Scholes and Francois Engelbrecht of the Global Change Institute, details the human-caused climate impacts affecting southern Africa. It highlights the region's status as a climate 'hotspot' where warming is occurring at twice the global average rate, leading to severe risks for agriculture, water security, human health, and biodiversity. The document emphasizes that the severity of these impacts depends on global mitigation efforts, with warming above 2°C posing catastrophic risks to staple crops and livestock.

This final synthesis report by the Centre for Environmental Rights provides strategic and technical guidance on managing sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from old solid fuel combustion plants in South Africa, specifically focusing on Eskom and Sasol facilities. The report utilizes a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to recommend minimum emission standards (MES) based on plant lifetime and economic viability, concluding that reducing SO2 emissions is technologically feasible and provides significant net societal benefits through improved public health and macroeconomic growth.

This market brief, prepared by GreenCape for the City of Cape Town, evaluates green technologies and practices to sustainably intensify urban and peri-urban food production. It classifies interventions into three levels based on a modified Gliessman framework: increasing efficiency of current practices, substituting alternative practices, and re-establishing production through novel growing systems. The document provides financial viability assessments for hydroponics, aquaponics, and complete Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems, while also identifying specific investment opportunities for different farm scales in Cape Town.

This statement, submitted in April 2021 by the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA), the South African Medical Association, and Amref Health Africa, provides recommendations for South Africa's updated draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The authors argue that the draft's emission reduction targets are insufficient to protect public health and urge the government to align targets with a 2°C goal. The document emphasizes the critical link between climate action and health outcomes, proposing a 'One Health' approach and a policy roadmap focusing on energy, food and agriculture, and transportation to maximize health and equity co-benefits.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork, Earthlife Africa, and the Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa, submitted formal objections to the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (EMSEZ). The CER argues that the EIA is fatally flawed due to procedural unfairness, inadequate public participation, and significant gaps in specialist studies regarding climate change, water scarcity, air quality, and human health. The document asserts that the project's high negative environmental impacts likely outweigh its projected socio-economic benefits and that an environmental authorisation should be denied.

A summary of the High Court judgment in Featherbrooke Homeowners Association NPC v Mogale City Local Municipality & Others, where the court found that state entities failed in their duty to manage stormwater, infringing on the constitutional right to a healthy and safe environment.

This research paper examines non-compliance within South African local government, arguing that mainstream explanations—which focus on technical capacity and unethical behavior—are insufficient. Through ethnographic research, the author proposes that officials often follow 'uncodified rules' (informal norms, political pressures, and social justice perceptions) rather than 'codified rules' (legislation and regulations). The paper advocates for the 'logics of appropriateness' (LOA) framework to better understand how institutional culture and multiple identities influence bureaucratic decision-making.

This document is a practice note filed on 7 August 2020 by the legal representatives of Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd (the Second Respondent) in the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria. It outlines the Second Respondent's position regarding a special appeal brought by the Endangered Wildlife Trust and the Federation for a Sustainable Environment against a Water Tribunal decision that confirmed the granting of a Water Use License for the Underground Yzermyn Coalmining Project.