Parliament is required to represent the people and to ensure government by the people under the Constitution. It does so by choosing the president, by providing a national forum for public consideration of issues, by passing legislation and by scrutinising and overseeing executive action.
Parliament’s oversight of the executive is ...
Even with the Youth Day Holiday to compress the parliamentary week, the legislature has arranged a substantial programme in the main chambers, which includes ministerial statements, policy debates, oral questions and the processing of assorted bills and statutory instruments.
No surprises, President Zuma will grab the limelight when he answers ...
The programmes in the main chambers offer a blend of members' statements, policy debates, legislative business, oral questions to the Deputy President and Economic Cluster and a joint debate to mark Youth Day.
During his question session in the National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday, the leader of government business ...
By Fatima Mathivha
When we arrive at the Bannister Hotel in Braamfontein for the VIP Debate Club there’s already a buzz in the air. The turnout is impressive and we struggle to find a seat. It’s a little surprising. Not only are we all here to discuss the very sensitive ...
By Sheilan Clarke
Government hasn’t forgotten about the youth of South Africa. So much so that The Presidency created the National Youth Plan 2020 (NYP). The draft, which was approved by Cabinet on Thursday, focuses on how to improve certain areas of the lives of young people. Deputy Minister in ...
By Thulani Gqirana, Qaanitah Hunter
On March 12, Parliament failed to approve the R1.3-trillion government budget because MPs who attended the sitting did not form the necessary quorum for the vote. That budget – tabled by Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene in February – was only passed five days later, on ...
By Rofhiwa Maneta
This month Minister of State Security David Mahlobo announced that he was in “advanced stages” of drafting regulations for the Protection of State Information Bill. The regulations – which set the foundation for the bill to be implemented once signed into law – have renewed fears from ...
MPs will be relieved that the grueling budget vote schedule is nearing the end. This process began in February with the training of MPs on the processing of the budget votes and was followed by committees meeting with various departments and entities on their strategic plans, annual performance plans and ...
By Rofhiwa Maneta
History has a dirty habit of repeating itself. When the wave of xenophobic violence swept through South Africa seven years ago, claiming 67 lives and displacing thousands, no one could’ve bargained it would happen again. Former President Thabo Mbeki addressed parliament a month after the attacks, apologising ...