Stop SASSA-CPS Debits Campaign

Blacksash

The Black Sash, along with partner organisations and supporters of the STOP SASSA-CPS DEBITS CAMPAIGN, met with government officials to register the extent and impact of crisis facing millions of SASSA beneficiaries and their households. Our meeting on 29 January 2014, at Khotso House in Johannesburg, was the start of ...

Traditional Courts Bill meeting to discuss negotiating mandates halted

The Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Development met today, 12 February, to discuss the provinces negotiating mandates for the contentious Traditional Courts Bill. However, the discussion was brought to a stop when Members of the Committee argued that it was a waste of time to discuss and vote on ...

Stats and figures: Auditor General report on department’s irregular and wasteful expenditure

On Wednesday 5 February, the new Auditor-General (AG) Mr Kimi Makwetu briefed the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on the audit outcomes of national departments for 2012-13 (released in November 2013) unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The good news is that there are improvements, but the findings have ...

Change is slow but possible

Of all the parliamentary committees I have visited, the most informative has been the Portfolio Committee on Women, Children and People with Disabilities. Due to my studies in Development and Gender, attending this Committee has extended my knowledge and I have witnessed the reality of how policies can either produce ...

Mental Health Care has its Day in Parliament

Parliament recently acknowledged World Mental Health Day (10 October 2013) by inviting mental healthcare experts to brief the Health Portfolio Committee on mental health challenges and their suggestions on how these can be addressed.

The Department of Health gave the Committee some sobering statistics on the state of mental health ...