Search Climate Insights Directory

This report presents the consolidated findings of action research conducted between 2022 and 2024 across 12 local municipalities in South Africa as part of the COMPACT project. It evaluates the effectiveness of public participation in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) process, the functionality of ward committees, and the alignment of operational planning and performance management. The research identifies systemic failures, including the perception of public participation as a mere compliance exercise, severe communication gaps between municipalities and residents, and the negative impact of political interference and coalition instability on service delivery.

This policy brief examines the disconnect between water resource management and economic development planning in the Berg Water Management Area (WMA). It warns of severe economic losses and job deficits by 2040 due to water constraints and advocates for integrated planning, the potential creation of a regional water utility, and increased support from the Western Cape Government to help municipalities manage water augmentation and financing.

This document consists of appendices to a report by GreenCape, detailing stakeholder engagement records, workshop structures and outcomes, and technical data regarding water requirements and economic values in the Berg Water Management Area (WMA) of the Western Cape.

This industry brief by GreenCape examines the financial viability of using battery energy storage systems (BESS) for tariff arbitrage in the Western Cape, South Africa. It focuses on leveraging time-of-use (TOU) tariffs to reduce energy costs by charging batteries during off-peak periods and discharging during peak periods, particularly as the decline in loadshedding has left many existing BESS installations underutilised.

This industry brief by GreenCape reviews water and sanitation by-laws across municipalities in the Western Cape, South Africa. It evaluates the completeness and clarity of these local regulations against a 2005 model by-law, highlighting the implications for businesses—particularly water-intensive industries—regarding fees, audits, industrial effluent, and alternative water sources.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the failure of South Africa to provide equitable and affordable access to sufficient water, despite constitutional guarantees. It argues that the state has substituted a comprehensive human-rights definition of access with a narrow focus on physical infrastructure, while ignoring affordability and water quality. The report highlights the inadequacy of the Free Basic Water (FBW) policy and the systemic contradiction between municipal financial sustainability and the human right to water.

This fact sheet by WWF South Africa describes the Boland Groot Winterhoek Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSA) Collective, a multistakeholder platform established in 2022 to secure critical water-rich catchments in the Western Cape. The Collective coordinates efforts to rehabilitate ecological infrastructure, manage invasive alien plants, and align governance between national and local levels to ensure water security for millions of residents and regional agriculture.