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This document is a formal appeal submitted by the Centre for Environmental Rights on behalf of Earthlife Africa and groundWork to the Minister of Environmental Affairs. The appeal seeks to set aside an Environmental Authorisation granted on 15 March 2019 to the Department of Water and Sanitation for Phase 2A of the Mokolo and Crocodile River (West) Augmentation Project (MCWAP-2A). The appellants argue that the project is unnecessary, environmentally damaging, and based on outdated energy demand assumptions.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) wrote to the Municipal Manager of the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality on 15 March 2019 to request the status of a land-use change application for Portion 1 of Yzermyn 96 HT, following reports that a previous outcome was communicated erroneously.

The document analyzes the energy partnership between Russia and South Africa, noting that while a $76-billion nuclear deal was declared unlawful and abandoned, both nations maintain a strategic need for cooperation. Russia seeks to diversify its export markets through a 'Pivot to the East' to reduce vulnerability to global commodity shocks, while South Africa seeks to resolve a chronic electricity crisis. Current cooperation has shifted toward smaller-scale projects, such as an agreement between Rosatom and the South African government to build mini hydropower plants in Mpumalanga to power rural areas.

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.

The report examines the risks associated with the potential significant decline of South Africa's coal production over the next five to ten years. It highlights the high concentration of coal assets in Mpumalanga province and the resulting vulnerability of local employment and municipal revenues. The authors argue that a 'just transition' requires moving beyond technical energy models to address local-level impacts, including labor redeployment, economic diversification, and the remediation of environmental legacies. It identifies gaps in current governance, such as the conflict of interest within the Department of Mineral Resources, and suggests that existing mechanisms like Social and Labour Plans need systemic improvement to be effective.

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.

A notice of appeal filed on 8 January 2019 by a mining company against a decision by the Dr. Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality's Joint Municipal Planning Tribunal. The Tribunal had dismissed the company's land use application on the grounds of lack of locus standi. The appellant argues that the decision ignored national law (SPLUMA) and violated procedural fairness under PAJA.

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 report asserts that "clean coal" is impossible, detailing the severe impacts of coal mining and combustion in South Africa. It examines technologies like HELE plants, CFB combustion, and CCS, concluding they fail to substantially reduce emissions or costs compared to renewables. It further notes that Eskom and Sasol have frequently sought postponements to comply with national air quality standards.

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 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.

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.

The Life After Coal Campaign urges the South African Minister of Finance to withhold guarantees for the Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired power stations. The campaign argues these projects fail 'value for money' tests, violate the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), and would cause irreversible harm to the climate and public health. They highlight that the projects are not part of a least-cost electricity plan and would increase greenhouse gas emissions by 205.7Mt CO2eq over 30 years, potentially exposing the National Treasury to liabilities between R25.2 billion and R225.2 billion.

The Pretoria High Court set aside a decision by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and the Minister of Mineral Resources to allow Atha-Africa Ventures 16 (Pty) Ltd to mine in the Mabola Protected Environment, citing procedural unfairness, lack of transparency, and failure to apply environmental management principles.

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 Life After Coal campaign, representing several environmental and community alliances, strongly objects to Eskom's request to postpone Minimum Emission Standards (MES) for 14 coal and liquid fuel-fired power stations. The submission argues that under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA) and the associated Framework, postponements are only permissible if ambient air quality standards in the area are in compliance, which is not the case for the Highveld Priority Area (HPA), Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area (VTAPA), and Waterberg-Bojanala Priority Area (WBPA). The document highlights severe health impacts, including thousands of premature deaths attributed to PM2.5 emissions, and criticizes Eskom's Background Information Document (BID) for being inaccurate and incomplete. The campaign demands the rejection of the applications, the cessation of 'rolling postponements', and a just transition toward renewable energy.

The Life After Coal Campaign, comprising the Centre for Environmental Rights, groundWork, and Earthlife Africa, urged the South African National Department of Health to participate in the WHO's First Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health (30 October - 1 November 2018). The letter asserts that air quality in South Africa frequently exceeds ambient air quality standards (AAQS), particularly in the Highveld, Mpumalanga, and Waterberg-Bojanala priority areas, and that the Vaal Triangle Airshed and Highveld Priority Areas remain at dangerous exposure levels despite being declared priority areas over a decade ago. The campaign notes that South African AAQS are significantly weaker than the WHO's 2005 guidelines. Citing a 2016 report by Dr Mike Holland, the letter states that PM2.5 emissions from Eskom's coal-fired power stations alone cause 2,239 deaths per year, including 1,110 from ischaemic heart disease and 157 from lung cancer, with total associated economic costs exceeding USD2 billion annually. The document identifies Eskom and Sasol as the country's largest emitters of regulated criteria pollutants.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) and a coalition of eight civil society organisations defend their legal opposition to a proposed coal mine by Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd. CER argues that the mine would threaten a Strategic Water Source Area and a protected environment, while asserting that coal mining in Mpumalanga has historically failed to alleviate poverty or provide sustainable local employment. The document clarifies that CER does not represent local farmers or WWF-SA and disputes claims that its actions are 'anti-development', citing the constitutional right to a healthy environment.

The Life After Coal Campaign (LAC) argues that new coal-fired power plants in South Africa are irrational, costly, and contrary to international climate obligations. The campaign highlights the severe water externalities of coal, the health risks associated with the proposed Khanyisa power station, and the financial risks of stranded assets as global investment shifts away from thermal coal. LAC advocates for a just transition that prioritizes renewable energy, protects workers' livelihoods, and ensures Eskom's active role in a sustainable energy system.