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This policy brief describes the revitalisation of the Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) forum meetings in the Western Cape, South Africa. In partnership with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the Department of Social Development (DSD) transitioned from conventional meetings to a participatory dialogue methodology to improve collaboration between government and NGO partners providing services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

This policy brief details a project in Touwsranten, South Africa, that combined four evidence-based parenting programmes with a community-led social activation process. The initiative used participatory action research to establish shared community values, resulting in a decrease in corporal punishment, a reduction in children's behavioural problems (up to 33%), and improved parent mental health. Key success factors included the partnership with the Seven Passes Initiative and the implementation of contextually relevant activities like community clean-ups and family events.

This monograph examines the use and misuse of less-lethal weapons (LLWs) within South African prisons and by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Public Order Police (POP) units during crowd management from 2013 to 2018. It analyzes the legal and regulatory frameworks of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and SAPS, highlighting systemic failures in accountability, the use of equipment as instruments of torture, and the lethal consequences of weapons marketed as 'less-lethal'.

This report reviews the status of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in South Africa, detailing the country's policy frameworks, institutional arrangements, and practical implementation of nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience.

This report evaluates the internal anti-corruption mechanisms of South Africa's three largest political parties: the African National Congress (ANC), the Democratic Alliance (DA), and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). It concludes that while formal policies exist, their practical application is often undermined by political considerations, hierarchical structures, and a preference for party solidarity over probity.

This policy brief examines the role of inter-sectoral collaboration and coordination in preventing violence in South Africa, using the Western Cape's After School Game Changer (ASGC) as a primary case study. It argues that violence prevention requires a holistic approach involving government, NGOs, and academic institutions to provide safe environments and life skills for youth, particularly in impoverished areas.

This report analyzes the failure of Section 139 interventions in South African municipalities between 1998 and 2019. It finds that interventions are typically initiated too late, are legally misclassified to avoid mandatory financial recovery processes, and rely on an unauthorized 'administrator model' that often exacerbates municipal collapse. The authors call for a standardized, non-political implementation framework with clear triggers and strengthened oversight.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) filed an appeal on July 9, 2019, against an integrated environmental authorisation (IEA) granted by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd (MSR). The authorisation allows MSR to extend mining operations at Tormin Mine, affecting ten beaches and inland areas on the Farm Geelwal Karoo 262 and other farms in the Varhynsdorp Magisterial District, Western Cape. The CER argues that the authorisation was granted through an unlawful circumvention of the mining right application process and fails to protect Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs).

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) filed an appeal on July 9, 2019, against an environmental authorisation granted by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd (MSR). The authorisation concerned the unlawful commencement of activities (Section 24G) at Tormin Mine on the Farm Geelwal Karoo 262 in the Western Cape. The CER argues that the authorisation is flawed due to a lack of practitioner independence and a failure to account for the site's location within critical biodiversity areas and a global biodiversity hotspot.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) filed an appeal on 9 July 2019 against an environmental authorisation granted by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd (MSR). The authorisation concerned the unlawful commencement of activities (Section 24G) on the Farm Geelwal Karoo 262 in the Western Cape, specifically regarding the Tormin Mine.

This integrated report, published by the Institute for Security Studies in July 2019, details multi-sectoral efforts in South Africa to prevent and reduce violence against children using the INSPIRE framework. Based on workshops with government departments, NGOs, researchers, and children, the report maps current activities across seven strategies and identifies systemic gaps, such as a lack of inter-sectoral trust and a critical shortage of therapeutic services.

This report is an appeal by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) against an integrated environmental authorisation (IEA) granted by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd (MSR). The appeal contests the expansion of mining operations at Tormin Mine, arguing that the authorisation was granted through an unlawful circumvention of the mining right application process and fails to adequately protect Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs).

A statement by a representative of Natural Justice detailing first-hand observations of the negative impacts of mining and large-scale infrastructure projects in South Africa and Kenya, arguing that current development models prioritize corporate interests over human rights and environmental sustainability.

The Draft National Spatial Development Framework (NSDF) 2019 is a long-term strategic planning instrument for South Africa, mandated by the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) and aligned with the National Development Plan (NDP). It aims to dismantle the spatial legacies of colonialism and apartheid by transitioning the country toward an integrated, inclusive, and sustainable national space economy by 2050.

This 2013 case study by Tracy Ledger examines the origins of South Africa's energy crisis, focusing on the role of the state utility Eskom and the systemic failures that led to widespread power cuts and load shedding starting in 2007.

The iShack project is a social enterprise in South Africa that provides pay-for-use solar power units to informal settlements, specifically in Enkanini, to improve living conditions, create local jobs, and reduce reliance on hazardous energy sources.

This case study examines Cape Town's response to a severe drought from 2015 to 2018, focusing on the collaborative partnerships established between public and private sectors to maintain economic resilience and avoid a jobs crisis.

This case study by GreenCape examines how the City of Cape Town and other South African municipalities have integrated small-scale embedded generation (SSEG), primarily rooftop solar PV, into their systems to build resilience against energy insecurity, load shedding, and rising electricity costs.

This case study describes how GreenCape, a not-for-profit organisation, provided support to water-intense industrial sectors in Cape Town during the severe drought of 2015-2018. The initiative aimed to help businesses reduce water consumption to maintain operations while adhering to a 45% water restriction.

This 2019 industry brief by GreenCape examines the challenges and options for managing brine—highly concentrated saline wastewater—produced when companies in Cape Town treat saline groundwater using technologies like reverse osmosis (RO). The document outlines direct discharge and treatment methods, noting that high costs and strict regulatory requirements often make these solutions financially unviable.