PUG 2025 Annual Report

The Politics and Urban Governance (PUG) Research Group is proud to release its 2025 Annual Report, providing a comprehensive overview of a year defined by consolidation, momentum, and deepened engagement.

Guided by our mission to link marginalised voices with decision-makers through research excellence, 2025 saw PUG expand its international partnerships and strengthen its impact on democracy, urban governance, and human rights.

2025 Key Highlights

• Human Rights Advocacy: Hosted the second Summer School for Human Rights Defenders, bringing together 24 participants from 15 African countries to build resilience and mitigate risk.
• Inclusive Governance: Co-hosted a sanitation service delivery workshop with the Mayor of Cape Town and residents of Khayelitsha to co-create solutions for informal settlements.
• Democratic Innovation: Appointed to facilitate a Citizens’ Assembly for 2026, which will make the University of the Western Cape (UWC) the first university in Africa to host such an event.
• Global Reach: Connected with 25 researchers from 21 universities worldwide through the PAR-CITY project to advance urban participatory innovations.
• Knowledge Production: Produced 7 journal articles, 8 blogs, and 3 newsletters, alongside a high-impact digital presence that reached over 9,500 LinkedIn impressions.

Explore Our Research Programs

Our work continues to drive meaningful change across three core pillars:

• Human Rights: Supporting defenders and connecting activism with academia.
• Urban Governance: Examining complex decision-making processes to support equitable urban futures.
• Citizenship and Democracy: Refining democratic practices through participatory governance.

Download the Full 2025 Annual Report (PDF)

Stay Connected Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media to stay updated on our latest research, events, and opportunities.

Contact Us:

• Email: pugresearch@uwc.ac.za
• Website: www.pugresearch.org.za