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The document analyzes three case studies where digital tools—ranging from free Wi-Fi hotspots and custom apps to SMS and voice technology—are used to bridge the digital divide in mining regions. It highlights that while these programs may not always be designed exclusively for women, they often result in significant female participation and empowerment by providing access to education, employment opportunities, and human rights information. The report emphasizes the importance of co-design, digital literacy training, and multi-stakeholder partnerships in ensuring the sustainability and inclusivity of these technological interventions.

The research examines a period of extreme instability in the Mogalakwena Local Municipality following the violent return of ousted mayor Tlhalefi Mashamaite in November 2014. Using a Foucauldian framework, the author argues that the new leadership employed 'regimes of visibility, exclusion, and truth' to discipline and co-opt municipal officials who had been loyal to the previous municipal manager, Willy Kekana. The study details how techniques such as strategic surveillance, irregular HR practices, and forced public narratives were used to create a toxic environment of fear and uncertainty, effectively subjugating the professional bureaucracy to the new political regime.

The research examines the role of 'paperwork powerplays' in the Mogalakwena Local Municipality, where opposing political factions used official reports, agendas, and forensic audits to legitimise their actions and delegitimise rivals. It highlights how the language of 'good governance' and the perceived objectivity of auditing firms like KPMG were weaponised to frame complex political feuds as binary struggles between integrity and corruption. The study concludes that documents serve as critical resources for state power and calls for greater public access to state archives to ensure democratic accountability.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of Earthlife Africa and groundWork, submitted comments on September 20, 2018, objecting to the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) application for the proposed Thabametsi coal-fired power station. The CER argues that the project should be refused because it is located in an air quality priority area already in non-compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and is predicted to cause further non-compliance, specifically regarding sulphur dioxide (SO2). The CER claims the Atmospheric Impact Report (AIR) is fatally flawed due to gross miscalculations of emissions, missing modelling data, and a failure to adequately assess cumulative and health impacts.

The report examines the Mogalakwena Local Municipality as a site of 'perpetual instability' driven by cyclical factionalism within the ANC at local, regional, and provincial levels. It details how political battles over the appointment of the Municipal Manager (MM) and other senior officials led to a breakdown of the party-state interface, resulting in a complete municipal shutdown in 2014, the diversion of public funds toward 'lawfare' and private security, and a severe halt in basic service delivery. The study argues that the municipality's collapse reflects broader institutional fragility within the South African state under the Zuma administration.

A coalition of civil society organisations condemns the South African Minister of Mineral Resources for prioritising corporate interests over the rights and health of mining-affected communities. The statement highlights widespread protests across multiple provinces due to pollution, socio-economic hardship, and the exclusion of communities from the legislative process regarding the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA). The coalition warns that rushing the Amendment Bill without genuine consultation will lead to further instability and constitutional challenges, while also noting the impact of illicit financial flows by multinational mining companies.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted comments to the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources regarding the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill, 2013. The CER criticizes the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) for failing to meaningfully consult civil society and mining-affected communities, identifies numerous drafting errors in the Bill, and provides detailed legal objections to proposed changes concerning environmental authorizations, penalty regimes, and the granting of mining rights.

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 report assesses how communities in South Africa have used litigation, protest, and media coverage to combat the impacts of coal and platinum mining. It identifies significant failures in the regulatory governance of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), noting a 'compliance and enforcement deficit' caused by legislative loopholes and conflicts of interest. While litigation is the most frequent strategy, the report argues that a multi-pronged approach combining legal action with community mobilisation is most effective. It highlights severe impacts including water pollution, displacement, and health crises like silicosis and black lung disease.