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The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) conducted a Zoom workshop on 31 August 2020 to engage youth advocates and organisations in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process. The session aimed to empower civil society to develop a written submission identifying up to twelve pressing issues facing South African youth, treating youth participation as a cross-cutting governance issue. The workshop highlighted the socio-economic challenges facing South African youth, including a 54% unemployment rate among youth in 2018, and established a follow-up training seminar for 22 September 2020 to detail the drafting process.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) issued a series of letters between April and August 2020 to the South African government, including the Minister of Water and Sanitation and the President, demanding emergency water and sanitation services. The correspondence highlights a critical lack of access to clean water and soap in numerous rural and informal settlements, which the SAWC argues increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission and violates constitutional rights. The document includes detailed annexures listing specific communities in the Western Cape, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Free State suffering from dry taps, unreliable water tankers, and inadequate sanitation.

The report argues that South African municipalities are in a state of financial distress because the fiscal framework designed in the 1998 White Paper overestimated the ability of local governments to fund their operating expenditures through property rates and service charges. While the framework assumed 73% of operating costs could be covered by own revenue, the authors estimate the actual figure is likely less than 50%. This gap forces tariff increases that erode the 'social wage'—the state's strategy of providing affordable basic services to reduce poverty. The paper notes that good governance alone cannot solve this structural deficit, as even municipalities with clean audits often end the year in deficit. It further highlights that Eskom's direct supply of electricity to many households removes a key credit control tool for municipalities, hindering the collection of rates and taxes. The authors conclude that the system is fundamentally unsound and requires a complete redesign based on empirical data regarding service costs and household affordability.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) is demanding urgent government intervention to provide water and sanitation to over 200 communities across South Africa. The letter highlights systemic failures in water distribution, the inadequacy of the Department of Water and Sanitation's hotline, and the severe health risks posed to vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides a detailed annexure of affected areas in the Western Cape, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Free State, citing issues such as dry taps, polluted water sources, and a lack of soap and sanitation products.

GreenCape issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) on June 19, 2020, to appoint a Product Development Organisation (PDO) to support the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP). The project aims to develop viable products or value chains from unwanted manufacturing materials in the Atlantis Industrial Area to improve resource efficiency and reduce landfill waste.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) is urging the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to address critical water and sanitation shortages in more than 200 communities. The letter highlights failures in the DWS hotline, the lack of coordination via the National Disaster Water Command Centre, and the severe health risks posed to vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides a detailed annexure of affected areas across several provinces, including the Western Cape, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Free State, where residents rely on polluted rivers, unreliable water trucks, or have no infrastructure at all.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) has submitted an urgent request to Minister Lindiwe Sisulu for the provision of water tanks, tankers, and sanitation packs for communities across several South African provinces. The document details systemic failures in water infrastructure, including dry taps, unreliable water trucking, and a lack of soap and sanitation services, which are exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. SAWC specifically criticizes the Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation's hotline as non-functional and inaccessible to rural populations, and calls for weekly public updates from the National Disaster Water Command Centre.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) has formally requested that the Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation and the National Disaster Water Command Centre urgently provide water tanks, tankers, and sanitation packs to numerous communities across South Africa. The request emphasizes that lack of clean water and soap increases the risk of contracting COVID-19, violating constitutional rights to an environment not harmful to health. The SAWC identifies specific failures in several provinces, including unreliable water trucking, unaffordable private water costs, and police harassment of women collecting water. The document calls for weekly public updates on the National Disaster Water Command Centre's activities and a dedicated contact person for updating the list of affected communities.

The document outlines proposed oil and gas exploration activities by a joint venture (Africa Oil SA Corp, Ricocure (Pty) Ltd, and Azinam Limited) in Block 3B/4B off South Africa's west coast. It details the planned drilling of up to five wells, the associated logistics involving ports and helicopters, and the potential environmental and social risks. Key concerns include impacts on marine biodiversity, noise pollution, disruptions to fishing and tourism livelihoods, and the contribution of fossil fuel expansion to the climate crisis. Conversely, it notes potential short-term economic gains and job creation. The guide provides a timeline for the EIA process and instructions for the public to submit comments by 8 February 2024.

Elgin Fruit Juice installed an anaerobic digester to convert organic waste into electricity and thermal energy, achieving 30-40% operational energy savings. To address low energy demand during the off-crop season (July-December) and the lack of a grid-feed-in license, the company formed Elgin Bio-digestion to use excess biogas as a coal replacement in boilers, saving R2.2 million annually and reducing carbon emissions.

The document examines the role of FoodForward SA as a trusted intermediary in South Africa's food supply chain, using a circular economy lens to divert surplus food from landfills to those in need. It highlights the economic and environmental drivers for food rescue in Cape Town, such as high landfill fees and provincial organic waste diversion targets. In 2020/21, FoodForward SA redistributed approximately 7,215 tonnes of food nationally, with specific impacts in Cape Town including the saving of 8,592 tonnes of GHG emissions and the creation of R45 million in retail value from rescued food.

The document examines the potential for recovering construction materials from builders' rubble at Cape Town's drop-off sites to mitigate a regional landfill airspace crisis. It highlights a June 2019 survey showing that contractors at some sites recover an average of 920 bricks weekly, suggesting a business case for low-skilled job creation and support for low-income housing. However, the viability of this model is challenged by labour costs, the need for consistent volumes of quality material, and theft.

The document details how the Philippi Economic Development Initiative (PEDI), in partnership with UCook's Food Fund and Ladles of Love, addressed food insecurity in Cape Town during the Covid-19 pandemic. Key outcomes included the distribution of over 3,667 food parcels, the purchase of 7.3 tonnes of produce from small-scale farmers, and the provision of R190,000 in income to 29 farms. The study highlights the effectiveness of community-led distribution models and the role of urban farming in mitigating acute shocks. Additionally, it describes the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership's (EDP) role in coordinating food relief through a government-NGO forum and the Community Kitchens programme, which provided digital vouchers to 100 informal kitchens across Cape Town.

The document argues that solar PV is a financially viable option for South African businesses, capable of reducing electricity costs by approximately 15% with payback periods between 3 and 12 years. It highlights that larger systems benefit from economies of scale, with capital costs for systems over 500 kWp falling below R10k per kWp. The brief also details various financial incentives, including tax benefits (12i and 12b) and VAT deductibility, and notes that the Western Cape is a leader in implementing regulations and feed-in tariffs for Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG).

The document details how CPV Power Plant No.1 (RF) (Pty) Ltd provided 20kW solar PV systems to Touwsrivier Primary School and Steenvliet Primary School. This initiative, aligned with REIPPPP's economic development policy, reduces school electricity costs and provides educational exposure to renewable energy. The case study highlights the potential for public-private collaboration to unlock value in sustainable infrastructure projects.

The document argues that on-site wastewater treatment is a key intervention to mitigate South Africa's projected 30% water supply deficit by 2030. It details the processes for treating organic wastewater (greywater and blackwater) to non-potable standards for uses such as toilet flushing and irrigation. The brief outlines three technology variants—tank assemblies, pre-fabricated systems, and brick-and-mortar constructions—while highlighting operational risks like bacterial die-off due to variable loading. It also maps the regulatory landscape, including the National Water Act (1998) and SANS 30500:2019, and provides case studies from the Western Cape demonstrating cost savings and regulatory compliance.

The report outlines opportunities for industrial symbiosis in two Cape Town industrial zones. In Montague Gardens, it highlights the reuse of boiler ash in brick making, the need for treated wood waste solutions, and the potential to shift freight from road to rail. In Atlantis, it identifies opportunities for reusing foundry sand and ash, recovering precious metals from e-waste, and investing in waste-to-energy infrastructure such as pyrolysis and gasification plants. The document argues that establishing a central management body and fostering collaboration on shared services and material exchanges are essential for building business resilience and creating low-carbon zones.

The document details how WISP connected Advanced Technical Sock Industries (ATSI) in the Western Cape with The Care Bear Project in Pietermaritzburg, allowing the latter to use ATSI's yarn fluff waste as stuffing for teddy bears. With free transport provided by The Courier Guy, the initiative diverted 0.18 tonnes of waste annually from landfills and saved The Care Bear Project R10,800 per year, enabling the employment of two additional staff members.

The document details how the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) connected Quality Crate Manufacturers with West Coast Plastics to replace virgin HDPE with recycled pellets. This synergy resulted in the diversion of 35 tonnes of plastic from landfills, the avoidance of 80 tonnes of CO2e emissions, and R350,000 in additional revenue for the recycler.

The document details a project in Touwsranten, South Africa, that integrated household-level parenting programmes with community-led social activation. This synergistic approach led to a decrease in corporal punishment, reduced child behavioural problems, and improved parent mental health. The project utilised action research and a steering committee to develop contextually relevant activities, such as a parenting manifesto and community events, to foster a collective commitment to non-violent parenting.