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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 policy brief by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) proposes reforms to the appointment and removal processes of senior leaders within South Africa's criminal justice system. It argues that political interference and patronage have eroded the independence and legitimacy of key institutions, and suggests the implementation of independent selection panels and standardized criteria to ensure professionalism and insulation from partisan politics.

This report documents a public dialogue held on 14 March 2020, organized by the Strategic Dialogue Group (SDG) and the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI). The event focused on the commitment made by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 20 January 2020 to reform State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa, specifically regarding their commercial and developmental mandates, operational efficiency, and the reduction of political interference.

A statement by various organizations and individuals supporting the South African History Archive (SAHA) in its legal battle against the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) to gain access to records regarding apartheid-era economic crimes.

This case study by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) describes the GTAC Schools Rationalisation Project, an initiative by the Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC) to support the Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) in improving teaching and learning by closing unviable small schools and reallocating learners to better-resourced institutions.

This position paper by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) proposes reforms to the appointment and removal processes of senior leaders within South Africa's key criminal justice institutions. It argues that political manipulation, corruption, and patronage have eroded the independence and legitimacy of these bodies, necessitating a shift toward transparent, merit-based selection mechanisms to ensure the rule of law.

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 is a monograph of a symposium hosted by the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) on 7 August 2019. It examines the independence and accountability of South Africa's criminal justice system, specifically focusing on the appointment and removal processes of the heads of key state institutions to prevent political interference and 'state capture'.

This briefing by Niall Reddy provides a commentary on the Public Affairs Research Institute's (PARI) position papers regarding state reform in South Africa. Reddy argues that public procurement (PP) should be transitioned from a tool for simple outsourcing or black business growth toward a strategic instrument of industrial policy (IP) and 'Procurement for Innovation' (PPfI) to drive high-productivity, innovation-led growth.

A briefing discussing the role of private service industry professionals in enabling state capture and corruption, based on comments by activist John Githongo at a 2018 Public Affairs Research Institute conference.

A media statement from the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) announcing the August 2019 release of three position papers proposing structural reforms to South African regulatory and administrative institutions to reduce corruption and patronage.

A statement by a coalition of civil society organisations condemning the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for threats and intimidation directed at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and journalists, while urging the party to focus on financial scandals like the VBS bank looting.

An open letter from a coalition of progressive and pro-poor civil society organisations to the newly elected members of the South African Parliament and National Council of Provinces following the general election on 8 May 2019. The letter demands an end to the appointment of corrupt individuals to public office, calls for electoral reform, and urges the declaration of a climate emergency.

This research paper examines the evolution of South Africa's public procurement regulation, analyzing the transition toward a 'contract state' and the ongoing efforts to reform a regulatory regime characterized by fragmentation and corruption.

This research paper examines the 'infrastructural power' and authority of state education administrations in the Transkei and Ciskei bantustans during and after 'homeland' rule, specifically focusing on the 1970s and the post-apartheid period.

This policy brief, derived from a literature review for Twende Mbele, examines the gap between strategic planning and implementation in the public sector, specifically regarding the lack of coordination between plans, budgets, and the processes of prioritisation and alignment.

This 2013 case study by Tracy Ledger examines the origins of South Africa's energy crisis, focusing on the role of the state utility Eskom and the systemic failures that led to widespread power cuts and load shedding starting in 2007.

This literature review examines the challenges of prioritisation and alignment in public sector planning and budgeting, with a specific focus on the South African context. It analyzes international case studies from Chile, Malaysia, and Uganda to identify successful mechanisms for linking strategic goals to resource allocation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. The report highlights that successful prioritisation is deeply dependent on the socio-political environment, institutional stability, and the balance of power between central and local government. It concludes that South Africa's fragmented institutional structure and factional politics hinder the implementation of aligned planning, suggesting a pragmatic, incremental approach and the potential for genuine participatory governance at the local level.

This research paper by Federica Duca argues for a sociological and holistic approach to tax systems in African countries, specifically Cameroon, to increase tax morale and citizen engagement by understanding the social meaning of a 'just tax'.

The People's Tribunal on Economic Crime reports that sanctions-busting during apartheid, the 1999 Arms Deal, and subsequent state capture are interconnected cycles of corruption. It recommends that the South African National Prosecuting Authority and international bodies investigate and prosecute state and private actors—including the French government and Kredietbank—for aiding crimes against humanity and facilitating corruption.