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The report finds that granting Eskom's requests for non-compliance with Minimum Emission Standards would lead to significant excess emissions of SO2, NOx, particulate matter, and mercury, resulting in an estimated 16,000 avoidable premature deaths across South Africa, with 3,100 of those in the Gauteng region.

A formal submission by the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA) and groundWork (gW) objecting to ArcelorMittal South Africa's (AMSA) application for postponements and alternative emission standards at its Vanderbijlpark Works facility.

The document argues that AMSA's requests for emission standard postponements and alternative limits for hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and hydrochloric acid (HCl) are unlawful and should be denied. The authors contend that the Vanderbijlpark Works is located in a non-compliant air quality priority area, that AMSA has failed to provide sufficient technical or economic justification for its requests, and that the company's history of non-compliance renders it unfit to receive such concessions.

This case study details a legal challenge by The Black Eagle Project Roodekrans against the MEC for the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Gauteng Provincial Government, regarding land use exemptions and environmental authorisations near the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden.

The report examines the economic, political, and environmental risks associated with a potential decline in South African coal production, drawing on stakeholder workshops and interviews to identify the institutional arrangements and policy mechanisms required for a just transition.

A petition submitted by eight civil society organisations, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), seeking intervener status in an appeal by the Practice Group (Pty) Ltd on behalf of Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd. The appeal concerns a land-use change application for Portion 1 of Yzermyn 96 HT in the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality, Mpumalanga, to transition the land from agriculture to mining.

The Mpumalanga Provincial Spatial Development Framework proposes a polycentric growth management model to address apartheid-era spatial imbalances and promote sustainable economic diversification. It identifies five key economic growth and innovation centres—Mbombela, Emalahleni, Middleburg, Secunda, and Ermelo—and a network of alternative growth centres to decentralise economic activity. The framework emphasises enhancing connectivity via the N4 Maputo Corridor and other strategic routes, protecting high-potential agricultural land and biodiversity, and transitioning the province's coal-dependent economy toward low-carbon and climate-resilient alternatives. It also outlines strategies for urban densification, the development of sustainable human settlements, and the creation of Rural Economic Zones (REZ) to transform rural livelihoods.

The document argues for the alignment of provincial conservation laws with national legislation, the clarification of welfare mandates between government departments, and the standardisation of permitting processes to ensure the well-being of wild animals in South Africa.

The document details the establishment of the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC), a national accredited Solar PV Service Technician qualification, and the PV GreenCard voluntary quality assurance mechanism. It highlights the importance of local partnerships, international expertise (particularly from Germany), and proactive timing in addressing skills gaps to support both utility-scale and small-scale solar PV deployment in South Africa.

The report examines South Africa's nascent electric vehicle (EV) market, highlighting a strong existing automotive manufacturing base that could be leveraged for EV production. While global EV sales are growing exponentially, South Africa faces significant barriers including high import duties, lack of policy certainty, and a lack of affordable products for the middle class. Key opportunities are identified in electric bus manufacturing, lithium-ion battery production, and passenger vehicle exports. The document also details the role of the Western Cape as a greentech hub and outlines the transition from the Automotive Production & Development Programme (APDP) to the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM) 2021-2035.

The South African waste sector is transitioning toward a resource-efficient economy driven by legislative changes and increasing landfill costs. While disposal remains dominant—with 90% of waste landfilled according to 2011 data—significant opportunities exist in the Western Cape for the beneficiation of organics, e-waste, plastics, and builder's rubble. The report highlights the City of Cape Town as a primary hub for these opportunities due to its high waste generation and the highest landfill gate fees in the country. Key drivers include the implementation of Industry Waste Management Plans (IndWMPs) and provincial organic waste diversion targets, while barriers include low household separation rates and the high cost of hazardous waste licensing.

The report identifies significant investment opportunities in South Africa's urban water sector across four markets: commercial and industrial, residential, new property developments, and municipalities. It highlights a projected 17% gap between water supply and demand by 2030, with severe shortages expected in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape. In the Berg River management area, this deficit could cost the region over R146 billion and 650,000 jobs per year by 2040. Key opportunities include water-efficient technologies, wastewater reuse, desalination, and non-revenue water reduction. The report also details the regulatory environment, including the National Water Act and municipal by-laws, and emphasizes the Western Cape's role as a greentech hub.

The document analyzes the disparity between South Africa's private and public healthcare systems, noting that while public spending has increased since 1994, austerity measures and underfunding have led to severe staffing shortages and declining standards. It highlights a critical gap in per capita spending and a surge in medico-legal claims, arguing that the current funding model is insufficient to implement the National Health Insurance (NHI) or meet the Abuja Declaration targets.

The document analyzes the disparity between South Africa's private and public healthcare systems, noting that while public spending has increased since 1994, austerity measures and underfunding have led to severe staffing shortages and declining standards. It highlights a significant gap in per capita spending and a surge in medico-legal claims, ultimately calling for tax reform and the doubling of public health expenditure by 2025 to support the National Health Insurance (NHI) transition.

The report details how South Africa's food system contributes to biodiversity loss and climate change while failing to address widespread hunger and malnutrition. It highlights a dualistic agrarian structure and market concentration that marginalizes smallholder farmers. To feed a growing population by 2050, the document advocates for five transformative areas: inclusive regenerative farming, optimal water use, responsible sourcing, reducing food waste, and a dietary shift toward more plants and less meat.

A formal objection submitted by a coalition of eight civil society organisations, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights, against the Mpumalanga MEC's proposal to exclude specific properties from the Mabola Protected Environment (MPE) to facilitate coal mining.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argues that the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) has failed to improve air quality since its 2007 declaration, leaving residents in breach of their constitutional right to a healthy environment. The CER highlights that the 2012 Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) remains a mere guideline due to a lack of implementing regulations and the granting of 'rolling postponements' for minimum emission standards to major polluters like Eskom and Sasol. The CER demands the publication of enforcement regulations, a final Mid-Term Review of the AQMP, and a cessation of emission standard postponements to meet the 2020 goal of reducing industrial emissions.

South Africa's Low-Emission Development Strategy (SA LEDS) 2050 establishes a framework to place the country on a low-carbon trajectory while ensuring socio-economic development. The strategy focuses on a 'peak, plateau and decline' (PPD) emissions trajectory, with a peak projected between 2020 and 2025. Key interventions span the energy sector (diversifying the electricity mix via the Integrated Resource Plan and REIPPP), industry (energy efficiency and carbon taxes), AFOLU (conservation agriculture and afforestation), and waste (waste-to-energy and recycling). The document emphasizes a 'Just Transition' to protect vulnerable workers and communities, supported by research into hydrogen, fuel cells, and carbon capture and storage. Implementation relies on a combination of domestic funding and international climate finance.

The report analyzes Mpumalanga's spatial status, identifying a resource-rich province dominated by coal mining and agriculture but facing severe environmental degradation and infrastructure backlogs. Key findings highlight that while the province is a national energy hub, it suffers from poor air quality in the Highveld, critical water scarcity, and significant housing shortages. The analysis emphasizes the need for urban restructuring, agrarian transformation in rural areas, and the protection of strategic water source areas and biodiversity corridors against mining encroachment.

The document identifies systemic obstacles to local procurement in South Africa, including exclusionary tender specifications, inadequate tracking of imports, and weaknesses in BBBEE certification. It proposes that both public and private entities record the share of imports in their procurement, reform public sector budget processes to allow local producers to match import prices, and create a dti-managed fund to cover cost differences for local products that support industrial deepening and job creation.