The Week Ahead: Question sessions, higher education & legislation

It's a big week in the NA chamber with MPs scheduled to sit for long hours to consider several bills and assorted committee reports.

The major plenary highlights will be the question sessions involving the Ministers in the Social Services Cluster and the Deputy President on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. ...

The Week Ahead: All eyes on Minister of Finance as he presents mini-budget

Committees will continue examining government departments and state entities on their 2014/15 Annual Reports in preparation of their Budgetary Review and Recommendations Reports. These reports may include proposals on the future use of resources and are a critical part of Parliament’s engagement with the budget for the following year.

The ...

Infographic: Public Participation Snapshot

On 29 September 2015, the Dullah Omar Institute held a roundtable discussion that explored whether working with South African Legislatures is still a valuable investment for civil society. The discussion, “ South Africa’s Legislatures in 2015: What’ the point?” used research done on public participation trends for the portfolio committees ...

Infographic: The Fifth Parliament 2015 - Third Term Review

With the third term of Parliament done and dusted, the People’s Assembly takes a look at some of the legislature’s activities from this period. The review provides a snapshot of the number of working days, bills processed, and questions asked (plus how many were answered) for the 21 July to ...

The Week Ahead: MPs criss-crossing the country

It's the penultimate week for the third term and an unusual programme looms; with no sittings in the main chambers, a few meetings scheduled and lawmakers devoting most of their time to oversight work across the country.

Permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will embark on a ...

Parliamentary oversight: Few consequences

By Troye Lund

PUBLIC protector Thuli Madonsela’s revelations of widespread corruption, nepotism and maladministration at the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) did not come as a surprise to members of parliament who are charged with overseeing the state entity.

In 2013 the auditor-general (AG) was warning MPs on parliamentary ...

The Week Ahead: Debates, heated exchanges and extensive legislative work

After a low key week, the main chambers have scheduled a broad and busy programme, which includes a motion to impeach the President, oral questions to the Deputy President and Economic Cluster; ministerial and members’ statements, policy discussions and debates, and the processing of assorted bills and statutory instruments.

In ...

The Week Ahead: Executive scrutiny & legislative action

There's both high policy and low politics on display in the main chambers this week. The National Assembly offers a blend of members' statements, a discussion of national importance, legislative business and oral questions to the Deputy President and Peace and Security Cluster. The programme is a bit more pedestrian ...