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This research paper examines the 'restoration economy' in Africa, using South Africa's 'Working for Wetlands' program as a primary case study. It argues that ecological restoration can support economic recovery and resilience ('build back better') if integrated with development planning and funded by a mix of public and private sources, particularly from production sectors like mining and agriculture.

This market brief, prepared by GreenCape for the City of Cape Town, evaluates green technologies and practices to sustainably intensify urban and peri-urban food production. It classifies interventions into three levels based on a modified Gliessman framework: increasing efficiency of current practices, substituting alternative practices, and re-establishing production through novel growing systems. The document provides financial viability assessments for hydroponics, aquaponics, and complete Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems, while also identifying specific investment opportunities for different farm scales in Cape Town.

This 2021 report by WWF South Africa evaluates the management effectiveness of the South African marine protected area (MPA) network using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT-SA 3). Based on a 2018 assessment of 27 sites, the report identifies systemic deficiencies in funding, staffing, and law enforcement, while proposing a phased approach to move MPAs from priority or basic management levels to optimal effectiveness.

Friends of the Earth International issued a statement condemning the assassination of Mama Fikile Ntshangase, an environmental activist in South Africa who opposed the expansion of the Tendele coal mine.

This research paper by Mbongiseni Buthelezi examines how the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent hard lockdown in March 2020 exposed and exacerbated existing social, economic, and political fault lines in South Africa. The author analyzes the state's response, the role of the military and police, the emergence of corruption in PPE and food relief procurement, and the evolving relationship between the government, business, and civil society.

This research paper by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) evaluates the local government fiscal framework in South Africa, arguing that the structural assumptions made in the 1998 White Paper on Local Government are fundamentally unsound and have led to widespread municipal financial distress and the erosion of the social wage.

A formal letter from the South African Water Caucus (SAWC) and affiliates to Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and other officials, demanding urgent provision of water tanks, reliable water supply, and sanitation packs for communities lacking access. The document highlights a failure by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to respond to previous requests and warns of legal action if a response is not provided by August 3, 2020.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) issued an urgent request to Minister Lindiwe Sisulu of the Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation on June 1, 2020, demanding immediate intervention for over 200 communities lacking access to water and basic sanitation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An open letter from a coalition of civil society organisations to President Cyril Ramaphosa expressing concern over the potential for corruption and waste regarding South Africa's R500-billion Covid-19 relief package. The authors call for urgent transparency measures, independent monitoring, and strict accountability to prevent the diversion of emergency funds.

This guide by Natural Justice examines how COVID-19 lockdowns have been leveraged by governments and private entities to suppress environmental and land defenders, particularly in Africa, and provides strategic advice for maintaining activism and safety during the pandemic.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) submitted an urgent request to Minister Lindiwe Sisulu on April 30, 2020, demanding the provision of water tanks, reliable water supply, and sanitation packs for numerous communities across South Africa facing dire water shortages and sanitation failures during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) submitted an urgent request to Minister Lindiwe Sisulu on 22 April 2020, demanding the provision of water tanks, reliable water supply, and sanitation packs for numerous communities lacking basic water access during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A statement from the Centre for Environmental Rights, on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, urging the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries to prioritise the Climate Change Bill and accelerate South Africa's transition away from fossil fuels to mitigate severe climate risks.

This case study by GreenCape examines how FoodForward SA, a Public Benefit Organisation, utilizes a circular economy model to recover and redistribute surplus food in South Africa, specifically focusing on the impact within Cape Town during 2020/21.

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 examines the operational independence of South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Office of the Public Protector (PP), arguing that both have been compromised by political interference and the appointment of partisan leaders.

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.

This report, produced by the South African Civil Society Working Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, provides a 'Citizens’ Report' to offer an alternative perspective to the government's Voluntary National Review (VNR). It evaluates South Africa's progress on six specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Quality Education (Goal 4), Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8), Reduced Inequalities (Goal 10), Climate Action (Goal 13), Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (Goal 16), and Partnerships for the Goals (Goal 17). The report generally finds that while South Africa possesses strong policy and legal frameworks aligned with the 2030 Agenda, there is a significant gap in implementation, public awareness, and the inclusion of civil society in the monitoring and review processes.

The Mpumalanga Spatial Development Framework (PSDF) is a strategic report designed to guide the province's spatial transformation, aiming to reverse apartheid-era spatial imbalances and promote sustainable, inclusive economic growth. It proposes a polycentric growth management model based on a hierarchy of growth centres and corridors to integrate urban and rural areas.