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The report documents a pervasive 'environment of fear' in South Africa's mining communities, where activists face physical attacks, death threats, and state-led harassment. It details how local municipalities impose extra-legal restrictions on protests, police use excessive force and arbitrary arrests, and mining companies employ SLAPP suits and social media campaigns to silence opposition. The document argues that these actions violate South African constitutional and international human rights obligations regarding freedom of expression, assembly, and the right to a healthy environment.

The document details a conflict over the construction of a tailings dam on the farm Blinkwater 820 LR by Potgietersrust Platinums Ltd (PPL). It highlights failures in public participation, as the decision to use the land was authorized in 2003 under the Minerals Act 50 of 1991 before community consultations began in 2005. The case raises critical issues regarding the adequacy of compensation paid to the Sekuruwe community, the transparency of negotiations, and the legal relationship between the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) and the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argues that South African local governments must be empowered to procure renewable energy to meet constitutional obligations under Section 24 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to a healthy environment. The CER contends that the current reliance on Eskom's coal-fired power stations causes significant health crises, including thousands of premature deaths and high greenhouse gas emissions. It asserts that renewable energy is now the most cost-effective option and that interpreting the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA) to allow municipal procurement is essential for a just energy transition and the realization of sustainable development.

The document describes a legal case where the Thabantsho Beneficiaries Association (TBA) successfully sued the Bakgaga Ba-Kopa Traditional Authority and trustees of the Bakgaga Ba-Kopa Motheo Trust. The dispute centered on the administration of trust monies, specifically monthly rentals of approximately R116,000 paid by Blue Ridge Platinum (Pty) Ltd for mining operations on community land. The court ordered the respondents to submit all trust records to the Master of the North Gauteng High Court and prohibited the use of trust funds until an audit was completed.

The report documents a systemic 'environment of fear' in South Africa's mining regions, where activists facing environmental and social harms from mining are targeted with physical violence, death threats, and legal harassment. It highlights the failure of the South African government to protect these defenders and the role of municipalities in imposing extra-legal restrictions on peaceful assembly. The document also details the use of SLAPP suits and social media attacks by mining companies to silence opposition, while noting the severe environmental and health costs of mining, including water pollution and respiratory diseases.

The briefing outlines the systemic failures of traditional municipal service delivery in South Africa, where over 7.32 million households in approximately 4,298 informal settlements face severe constraints. It proposes Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) as a paradigm shift based on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), emphasizing decentralization and public-private partnerships. The document establishes a framework of technical, social, and financial 'best practice norms' to ensure sustainability and community ownership. Through case studies like Peco Power (energy), Kaloola (sanitation), Regenize (waste), and Gcwalisa (food/waste), it demonstrates how off-grid and community-led solutions can provide interim services while working toward long-term goals. It concludes by recommending a systems approach to integrate ASD into provincial planning and calling for flexible policy and funding mechanisms.

PepsiCo is implementing a water stewardship approach to build resilience against climatic extremes, specifically at its Parow site in Cape Town. The company has achieved a total annual water saving of 147,892 m³ through various site-specific projects, including a R27.9 million investment in advanced batch peeling technology that reduced fresh water usage by 1.06m³/hr and increased annual revenue by R1.4 million. Beyond its facility, PepsiCo aims to be Net Water Positive by 2030 and has invested R29.8 million over five years in the Greater Cape Town Water Fund to restore ecosystems and remove invasive species. Additionally, the PepsiCo Foundation invested R6 million in safe water and sanitation projects across the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Limpopo.

The guideline outlines a three-step process for farmers to achieve energy resilience: conducting energy audits to identify efficiencies, evaluating alternative energy technologies based on specific production needs, and navigating the financial and quality assurance aspects of implementation. It highlights the critical role of energy efficiency as a prerequisite to reducing the capital requirements of renewable systems and provides detailed comparisons of technologies such as solar PV, biogas, and battery storage, alongside various South African financing mechanisms and tax incentives.

Climate change is projected to increase temperatures in South Africa at double the global average, leading to water scarcity, reduced crop yields for staples like maize and wheat, and increased risks for small-scale farmers and marginalized communities. The document argues that a market-led response will exacerbate inequality and instead advocates for a just transition involving resource redistribution, agro-ecological practices, and a universal basic income grant to build resilience.

Climate change in South Africa is projected to increase temperatures by up to 3.5°C over 40 years, leading to water scarcity, yield pressure for maize and wheat, and increased vulnerability for smallholder farmers and marginalized groups. The document argues that a market-led response will intensify inequality and instead advocates for a just transition involving resource redistribution, agroecology, and social support systems.

This joint submission by the Center for Economic and Social Rights, the Institute for Economic Justice, and SECTION27 argues that South Africa is implementing retrogressive austerity measures that threaten economic, social, and cultural rights. The authors contend that the government's focus on debt reduction is based on exaggerated concerns and that resources could be maximized through progressive tax reform and the eradication of corruption and 'state capture'. The document details how budget cuts and inefficient resourcing are severely undermining the public health and basic education systems, leading to critical staff shortages, infrastructure backlogs, and poor learner outcomes.

The fact sheet analyzes the funding of basic education in South Africa, highlighting a real-terms decline in per-learner spending from R17,822 in 2010 to R16,435 in 2017. It identifies critical underfunding in school infrastructure, sanitation, and special needs education, while noting that provincial mismanagement and inaccurate data collection further exacerbate the crisis. The authors call for an end to budget austerity and the implementation of a rights-based funding model to ensure all learners have access to essential resources and safe facilities.

The document outlines how climate change threatens South African agriculture through rising temperatures, water scarcity, and extreme weather, disproportionately affecting small-scale farmers and vulnerable groups. It warns that commercial expansion into grasslands and wetlands could increase greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. To mitigate these risks, the author advocates for a just transition of the food system, prioritizing food rights, equitable resource distribution, and agroecological practices over market-led solutions.

The document outlines the vulnerability of South Africa's agricultural sector to climate change, highlighting risks such as increased temperatures, water scarcity, and extreme weather events. It details the specific threats to livestock, crops, and biodiversity, particularly in the eastern Mpumalanga and Limpopo regions and the Highveld. The report emphasizes that small-scale and subsistence farmers, women, children, and the elderly are most at risk. To address these challenges, it advocates for a transition toward agroecology, the redistribution of land and water, and the protection of grasslands and forests to maintain carbon sinks and ecosystem services.

The document outlines how climate change threatens South African agriculture through rising temperatures, water scarcity, and extreme weather, disproportionately affecting small-scale farmers, women, and children. It warns of ecological degradation, including soil erosion and loss of biodiversity, and predicts food price increases. To mitigate these risks, the author advocates for nature-aligned farming, equitable redistribution of land and water, and a transition away from greenhouse gas-intensive production, particularly in livestock and transport.

The document argues that a just transition in South Africa must move beyond simple decarbonization to address structural inequalities rooted in the minerals-energy complex (MEC). It proposes a 'transformative resilience' framework based on three pillars: a green decent work agenda, expanded social protection (such as a universal basic income guarantee), and radical land reform. The essays detail specific vulnerabilities, including the marginalization of women in ecosystem-based adaptation, the mental health burdens of climate change on Black communities, and the precariousness of informal waste pickers. Sectoral analyses emphasize the need for inclusive food systems, urban drought resilience in cities like Cape Town, and the integration of renewable energy to support agricultural productivity and rural development.

The briefing analyzes a four-day ANC policy conference, concluding that the party avoided definitive positions on corruption, education, and the 'Second Transition' to maintain political unity and economic stability ahead of the Mangaung national conference. While the ANC rejected constitutional amendments for land reform and full nationalisation of strategic resources, it resolved to abandon the 'willing buyer, willing seller' principle and increase the state's role in strategic mineral projects.

The report examines the challenges faced by former South African National Defence Force (SANDF) personnel and combatants from non-statutory forces (such as MK and APLA) as they transition to civilian life. Based on a survey of 307 former soldiers, it finds high unemployment rates, particularly among the youth, and a significant mismatch between the military skills of demobilised personnel and the demands of the South African labour market. The document argues that the demobilisation process was often dysfunctional for individuals, leading to poverty and disillusionment. It recommends a policy shift toward targeted reskilling, public-private partnerships, and the creation of specific Citizen Force units to provide sustainable employment and social reintegration.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes voter participation and the outcomes of South Africa's May 2014 national and provincial elections. It highlights a steady decline in electoral participation since 1994, particularly among youth and rural populations, and examines the shifting political landscape as the African National Congress (ANC) faces reduced majorities in urban centers like Gauteng.

The Kukula Traditional Health Practitioners Association, comprising over 350 healers in South Africa's Bushbuckridge area, has established this protocol to protect their traditional knowledge and ensure the sustainable use of medicinal plants. The association highlights threats to their livelihoods, including biodiversity loss, lack of benefit-sharing from researchers, and discrimination. They advocate for secured access to medicinal plants in communal and protected areas, calling for partnerships with conservation agencies like SANParks. The protocol mandates that any access to their knowledge or biological resources by researchers or commercial bioprospectors must be approved by their Executive Committee through a process of prior informed consent, community deliberation, and ancestral consultation, adhering to both customary and South African domestic law.