The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) presented the findings of its national burden of disease study for 1997 to 2010 to the Select Committee on Social Services on Tuesday, 16 March 2016. The findings outlined the leading causes of deaths and mortality estimates.

There had been a nine-year increase ...

It's a week of farewells and loose ends.

The constituency period beckons, with MPs due to depart on Friday and return on 12 April. But a fair amount of heavy-duty business will be done before they go with lots of action scheduled in the main chambers and committee corridor.

The ...

The Portfolio Committee on Labour received an overview of the South African labour market (unemployment rates, jobs per sector and 2015 quarterly employment trends) by the Financial Fiscal Commission. The FFC noted there was a close association between the economic growth rate and the unemployment rate. When economic growth was ...

The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) presented a progress report on the implementation of the “Job Losses Agreement” signed in 2015. To stem job losses in the mining sector, the department had convened a mining leadership meeting in partnership with the Department of Labour, organised labour and several businesses. The ...

It’s the penultimate week of the first term and the programme has a familiar pattern: it includes oral questions to the executive; ministerial and members’ statements, a debate, committee oversight and scrutiny, and the processing of assorted bills, statutory instruments and committee reports.

The rules make provision for an MP ...

What is your political background? How did you become involved in politics and particularly, what drew you to your specific party?

I have been involved in labour politics since 1995. I was a shop steward as a member of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) for over ...

There's both high policy and low politics on display in the National Assembly chamber this week. Everything from a motion of no confidence debate in the President, to oral questions to the Deputy President and Ministers in the Economic Cluster and members' statements dominate the agenda. Over in the NCOP, ...

The Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan delivered the 2016 Budget Speech on Thursday 24 February. The speech focused on decreasing government expenditure, raising tax revenues and preventing a ratings downgrade. The Minister announced a cut in the expenditure ceiling by R10 billion but there is an increase in spending in ...

Tell Parliament your opinion on the five biggest increases and five biggest cuts in Budget 2016/17.

This will be sent directly to the Standing Committee on Appropriations – the parliamentary committee that can recommend changes to the budget.

Use this online tool at http://vote4thebudget.org

The International Budget Partnership (IBP) and ...

Each year Parliament authorises taxes and public expenditure which provides the Government with the money it needs to deliver its policies and run vital services in areas such as Health, Education and Defence. The Budget allocates money between the three spheres of government (national, provincial, local) based on revenue collected. ...