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This research paper by GreenCape examines the use of Performance-Based Contracts (PBCs) to reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW), drawing on international experiences from countries such as Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, and Ireland. It outlines the technical, financial, and managerial challenges of NRW reduction and provides guidance on scoping, risk-reward balancing, and ensuring the sustainability of water savings for public utilities, with a particular focus on the South African context.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the independence, accountability, and performance of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in South Africa. It identifies a systematic tendency to decline to prosecute as the central issue affecting the organization, noting that this trend is not caused by a lack of resources or excessive workloads, but rather by the inappropriate exercise of prosecutorial discretion.

The case of City of Cape Town v Maccsand (Pty) Ltd and Others (2010) establishes that mining activities in South Africa are subject to concurrent jurisdiction across national, provincial, and local government spheres. The court ruled that the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) does not override local land use planning laws or national environmental legislation, requiring mining operators to obtain authorizations from multiple regulatory frameworks.

This research paper discusses a child consultation study conducted in South Africa to explore the phenomenon of children being used by adults to commit crime (CUBAC). Part of a broader International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Department of Labour programme to eliminate the worst forms of child labour, the study engaged 541 children to understand the drivers of child criminality and the methods adults use to recruit and coerce them.

This report evaluates the first five years of South Africa's metropolitan police departments (MPDs), noting their heavy focus on traffic enforcement over crime prevention due to resource constraints and a lack of investigative powers. It also details the transformation of public order policing into Area Crime Combating Units (ACCUs) and assesses the impact of 'zero tolerance' community courts in the Western Cape, finding that while they improve access to justice, some (like the Cape Town court) may disproportionately target homeless populations.

This issue of the SA Crime Quarterly (December 2004) examines critical failures and challenges within the South African criminal justice and security sectors. It details severe prison overcrowding driven by minimum sentencing laws, the mixed success of civilian oversight mechanisms for the South African Police Service (SAPS), the violent history and stalled recapitalisation of the minibus taxi industry, the under-utilization of weapon seizure powers in domestic violence cases, and the results of Operation Sethunya in combating illegal firearms.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies consists of several articles analyzing critical issues within the South African criminal justice system. It examines the high rates of police killings and the factors contributing to them, the closure of the SAPS Anti-Corruption Unit, the dynamics of sexual violence and gender roles in men's prisons, trends in child sex offenders and their custody, the effectiveness of the Independent Complaints Directorate in monitoring police brutality, and the implementation of firearm unfitness hearings under the Arms and Ammunition Act.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the relationship between the physical environment and crime in South Africa's major cities. It argues that apartheid-era urban planning created fragmented, segregated cities that foster insecurity, particularly in townships and informal settlements. The document advocates for crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) as a necessary component of multifaceted crime prevention strategies, emphasizing that design interventions should target specific environmental factors that increase the risk of victimisation and the fear of crime.

The Community Casebook on Mining and Environment is a guide published by the Centre for Environmental Rights to empower South African communities facing mining or prospecting applications. It explains the legal framework of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA), the duties of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), and provides four case studies where communities used legal mechanisms—including judicial reviews and appeals—to challenge mining rights or demand financial transparency from traditional authorities.

This report details a study of nearly 3,000 arrestees in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban to examine the relationship between drug use and crime in South Africa. Using interviews and urinalysis, the research identifies strong ethnic and regional segmentation in drug markets, noting high prevalence of cannabis and Mandrax among certain groups and a growing crack cocaine market linked to sex work and Nigerian syndicates. The authors argue for nuanced, locally-based interventions rather than broad national strategies.

This policy brief examines the relationship between urban design and organised crime in Cape Town, arguing that apartheid-era spatial planning created dysfunctional environments that facilitate criminal networks. It discusses how inadequate housing, poor infrastructure, and economic marginalisation allow gangs to act as parallel authorities, and recommends integrating crime prevention strategies into urban planning to reduce the influence of organised crime.