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This explanatory note details the proposed regulations for a carbon offset scheme under South Africa's Draft Carbon Tax Bill, 2015. It outlines the policy rationale, eligibility criteria for projects, the administrative framework led by the Department of Energy, and the procedures for taxpayers to use offsets to reduce their carbon tax liability.

This research paper explores the potential for establishing regional automotive value chains within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) by drawing lessons from the ASEAN Industrial Cooperation (AICO) scheme. It analyzes the current state of the automotive sector in Southern Africa, the barriers to integration, and potential strategies for enhancing regional competitiveness.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International marking the 5th anniversary of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, arguing that these principles have failed to stop corporate impunity or provide access to justice, and advocating for a binding UN treaty on business and human rights.

An executive summary detailing the barriers to agricultural growth in Tanzania, the challenges facing agro-processing, and the necessary policy and partnership frameworks to integrate smallholder farmers into larger markets.

This executive summary outlines a study on the potential of Global Value Chains (GVCs) to drive growth, diversification, and job creation within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) region, specifically focusing on increasing non-commodity exports and manufacturing value addition.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the role of Regional Value Chains (RVCs) and Global Value Chains (GVCs) in promoting sustainable development and regional integration in Southern Africa, highlighting South Africa's central role in providing intermediate goods to neighboring countries.

This case study examines how different sources of foreign direct investment (FDI)—specifically international versus regional—impact value chains, skill development, and local linkages within Lesotho's apparel sector.

This case study examines the capacity of natural resource exploitation to foster local and regional value chains in the construction industry, specifically focusing on the rail infrastructure developed for coal discoveries in Tete, Mozambique.

This report examines the expansion of South African and other SADC supermarket chains across Southern Africa, analyzing the drivers of this growth, the retail models used, and the resulting impacts on local suppliers and regional trade.

This report analyzes the maize value chain within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region to inform the Southern African Trade Hub’s (SATH) implementation strategy, focusing on production, trade, utilization, and the necessity of coherent regional policy.

This fact sheet provides a quantitative overview of the South African beef industry, detailing production distribution, supply chain integration, and international trade patterns including key import and export partners.

This case study examines GreenCape, a nonprofit sector development agency established in 2010 by the Western Cape Government in South Africa. The document details how GreenCape acts as an independent bridge between the public and private sectors to mobilize a local green economy, starting with a focus on renewable energy before expanding into water, waste, agriculture, and green finance. It highlights the agency's governance structure, its role in removing regulatory barriers, and its impact on investment and job creation in the region.

This research paper evaluates Africa's prospects for achieving universal access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) by 2030, as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, the authors compare a 'Current Path' (business-as-usual) against two alternative scenarios: 'Universal Access' (an aggressive push for 97% coverage) and 'Balancing WASH' (a moderate approach based on 2015 baselines). The analysis highlights the massive infrastructure investment required, the potential for significant economic and human development gains, and the risk of spending trade-offs that could undermine health and education goals.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) argues that South Africa is caught in a 'middle-income trap' characterized by sluggish growth, deep inequality, and declining government effectiveness. The authors advocate for a paradigm shift away from a state-led developmental model toward a more flexible, labour-intensive economy and a knowledge-based society driven by private sector partnerships and technological innovation.

This policy brief examines the misuse of electric shock equipment by law enforcement agencies in Africa, arguing that such tools often facilitate torture and ill-treatment in violation of international and regional human rights frameworks. It specifically analyzes the legal landscape of anti-torture commitments in Africa and provides a detailed case study on the South African Police Service (SAPS), recommending the prohibition of handheld and body-worn electric shock devices.

This policy brief examines the border dispute between Malawi and Tanzania over Lake Malawi, which escalated due to the discovery of potential oil reserves. It analyzes the failures of regional preventive diplomacy mechanisms, specifically within SADC and the AU, and argues for the empowerment of these institutions to resolve inter-state conflicts through legitimate, binding processes.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, provides recommendations to improve the scope of the Climate Change Impact Assessment (CCIA) and Palaeontological Impact Assessment Report (PIAR) for the proposed 1200MW Thabametsi coal-fired power station near Lephalale, Limpopo. The CER argues that the current scoping report is too narrow and fails to align with international best practices or South Africa's climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC).

A statement by 27 former Directors General of the South African government calling for an Independent Public Inquiry into 'state capture' by the Gupta family and associated companies.

An open letter from a coalition of civil society organisations to South Africa's Special Envoy on the Open Government Partnership (OGP), expressing dissatisfaction with the government's implementation of OGP goals and demanding the establishment of a permanent Multi-Stakeholder Public Dialogue Mechanism.

This research paper examines the role of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in advancing South Africa's developmental agenda and its strategic focus on the African continent. It analyzes the alignment between South Africa's normative goal of African primacy and its actual resource allocation, noting that while budgets face restrictions, strategic investment in African missions remains a priority to support economic diplomacy and the National Development Plan.