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The document describes how the ANC government under Jacob Zuma shifted toward tyranny by disregarding the constitution and rule of law, driven by a perception that these frameworks hindered radical economic transformation. This environment enabled widespread state corruption, which in turn triggered a resurgence of civil society coalitions aimed at forcing the government to adhere to legal rules.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a formal response to the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs regarding the National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill [B14-2017], providing a table of proposed amendments and requesting an oral presentation at public hearings.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for groundWork and Earthlife Africa, submitted comments on April 19, 2018, regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) and Waste Management Licence (WML) Variation Application for the Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) Retrofit Project at Medupi Power Station. The CER argues that Eskom has adopted a 'piecemeal approach' to the environmental impact assessment (EIA), deferring critical issues such as water security, waste minimisation, and health impacts to separate processes to 'fast track' the project. The submission specifically challenges the rejection of inlet gas cooler technology, which could reduce water consumption by approximately 30%, and criticizes the plan to co-dispose of gypsum and ash, which would destroy the commercial value of the gypsum.

The paper examines the macadamia nut sectors in South Africa, Mozambique, and Malawi to identify opportunities for regional value chain development and smallholder inclusion. It highlights South Africa's position as a global production leader and potential value-adding partner, while noting that Malawi and Mozambique face challenges such as limited technical knowledge, poor infrastructure, and a lack of extension services. The document recommends establishing a regional industry body for SADC producers and improving economies of scale through collaboration and the creation of local markets for industrialized macadamia products.

On 19 April 2018, the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) conducted a workshop for over 50 Namibian MPs and staff. The event focused on integrating parliament into the APRM process, sharing lessons from other African nations, and aligning the mechanism with Namibia's national development plans. Discussions highlighted the importance of parliamentary oversight in implementing National Programmes of Action (NPoA) and the need for a formal parliamentary strategy and committee to manage APRM engagement.

The document highlights the gap between the resources required for African countries to meet their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the available public finance, arguing that private sector funding is essential. It focuses on financial instruments in Sub-Saharan Africa, including those backed by the UNFCCC and a specific national programme in South Africa, to explore how the public sector can most efficiently incentivise private investment in mitigation and adaptation.

The policy brief contends that climate risks are often 'borderless' and that treating adaptation as a local problem hinders global ambition. It advocates for a shared terminology and a transboundary framing of risk—recognizing how impacts in one country create risks in others via trade, migration, and ecosystems—to better utilize the Paris Agreement's mechanisms, such as the global stocktake and National Adaptation Plans, for collective resilience.

The Life After Coal Campaign and Greenpeace Africa have written to South Africa's Minister of Energy to express concerns that the updated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for electricity is being fast-tracked without sufficient public consultation. The authors argue that the IRP must be based on the least-cost technology combination, account for external costs to health and climate, and align with South Africa's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. They specifically oppose the continued inclusion of coal and nuclear power, citing the risk of stranded assets and the need for a just transition to renewable energy. The letter warns that failing to provide a transparent, fair process for public comment would make the final IRP vulnerable to legal challenges.

The Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, comprising the Centre for Environmental Rights, groundWork, Earthlife Africa, and Greenpeace Africa, submitted a letter to the Portfolio Committee on Energy on 16 April 2018. The campaign expressed concern that the updated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) might be published without further public consideration and comment, which they argue would make the plan "vulnerable to legal challenge". They requested that the Committee ask the Department of Energy whether further public consultation will be provided and urged the Department to consider evidence from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Meridian Economics, and the Frankfurt Institute, which they state "confirm that new coal-fired electricity is unnecessary and costly".

The report examines the Lephalale Local Municipality's struggle to establish local governance and self-sufficiency in the wake of the Medupi coal power station project. It analyzes how the municipality, historically dependent on corporations like Eskom and Exxaro, navigates the complexities of land ownership, basic service infrastructure, and the influence of private capital and party politics to realize its ambition of becoming a post-apartheid city.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for Earthlife Africa NPC and groundWork, submitted comments on 11 April 2018 regarding the draft Scoping Report for the Mokolo and Crocodile River (West) Water Augmentation Project (Phase 2) (MCWAP-2). The CER argues that the project is based on outdated assumptions regarding South Africa's energy needs and fails to adequately assess climate change, water reserves, and indirect environmental and health impacts.

This briefing, delivered by Richard Sizani, Chairperson of the Public Service Commission, addresses the tension between political and professional roles in South Africa's public administration. It advocates for a clear demarcation of roles to prevent service delivery breakdowns, proposes a structured professionalisation of the civil service and procurement functions, and suggests reforms to curb patronage and mismanagement in state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

This report evaluates civil society participation within the Open Government Partnership (OGP) across Georgia, South Africa, and Indonesia, highlighting the risk of "open-washing" where governments dominate initiatives and treat civil society involvement as tokenistic.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provides written submissions on the March 2018 Final Draft Report of Climate Change Mitigation Policies and Measures (PAMs). The CER supports the examination of policy effectiveness but identifies several gaps, including the need for better alignment between various government climate projects, the exclusion of certain greenhouse gases and externalities in socio-economic analyses, and a lack of rationale for prioritizing coal-to-liquid production through 2050. The CER emphasizes that the report's findings—specifically regarding the electricity sector as the key to decarbonization—should inform the revision of the Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity (IRP 2010).

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing Earthlife Africa and groundWork, submitted a formal letter to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on 4 April 2018. The letter follows a public hearing held on 27 March 2018 regarding generation licence applications for the Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired power stations, raising concerns about the hearing process and requesting further information on NERSA's procedural compliance.

The document requests four primary amendments to the Environmental Authorisation (EA) for the 1200MW Thabametsi Coal-Fired Power Station: extending the EA validity until 25 February 2023, switching the preferred power line to Alternative 2 for technical feasibility with Eskom, listing all affected properties, and incorporating conditions from a March 2016 Minister's Appeal Resolution. Specialist assessments conclude that these changes, particularly the power line shift, do not significantly increase ecological, heritage, or wetland impacts compared to the original plan, though Alternative 2 increases impacts on protected trees and some pan systems. The report argues that the technical necessity of connecting to the national grid outweighs the marginal environmental disadvantages.

The document highlights that while Cape Town's economy is less reliant on water-intense sectors than others, its massive scale makes it the region's primary water user and the area most affected by supply deficits. By 2040, the water deficit in Cape Town could cost approximately R100 billion in GVA and 403,877 jobs annually, representing 29% of the local economy.

The document introduces Pay As You Save (PAYS) as a financing model to accelerate the transition from diesel to electric buses in South Africa. By shifting the cost of batteries and charging infrastructure from the bus operator's balance sheet to a municipality-managed on-bill tariff, PAYS removes the primary barrier of high upfront capital costs. The model benefits bus service providers through immediate operational savings, utilities through increased electricity revenue and secure cost recovery, and capital providers through reduced risk by lending to creditworthy municipalities.

The report argues that Africa is currently deindustrialising, with structural transformation shifting from low-productivity agriculture to low-productivity urban retail services. It posits that manufacturing is unique in its ability to induce rapid economic growth and productivity gains. The author suggests that the fourth industrial revolution—characterised by robotics, AI, and 3D printing—could allow Africa to leapfrog traditional infrastructure deficits and establish regional value chains, provided governments implement determined industrial policies and invest in human capital and ICT.

The report evaluates the APRM, OGP, and EITI, finding that while the OGP and EITI successfully employ peer learning and pressure to enforce standards and protect civil society, the APRM lags behind due to a lack of critical engagement and a failure to implement sanctions for non-compliance.