South Africa’s municipal finances are in a mess. This was confirmed by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) when he released the 2016-17 audit results for local government.

Part of the National Development Plan’s vision is that, by 2030, South Africans will have universal early childhood education, high-quality schooling, and full access to further education and training.

South Africa’s energy sector is a major contributor to the country’s Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, given its dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation.

Recently the Department of Justice and Correctional Services announced its intention to amend the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998 (RCMA).

According to a March 2018 World Bank report,1 South Africa is ‘one of the most unequal countries in the world, and that inequality has increased since the end of Apartheid in 1994’.

BP 449 The Future of Shack Housing in SA Dec 2017 The number of households living in backyard dwellings increased by 55% during the previous decade, while the number living in free-standing shacks decreased by more than 120 000.1

BP 448 The Impact of Gang Violence on Children December 2017 The last few months, particularly in the Western Cape, have seen an alarming increase in gang related violence. This has impacted on children both as victims and as perpetrators of such violence.1