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 ...

The Week Ahead: Spotlight on President, rules and Nkandla Committee

After a low key week, the National Assembly chamber has shifted gears and arranged a busy programme, which includes ministerial statements, policy debates, oral questions and the processing of assorted bills and statutory instruments. It’s rather quieter in the NCOP chamber, where internal work dominates and any kind of contested ...

The Week Ahead: More wrangling expected in Parliament

There is some very significant Committee action this week that will keep the legislature firmly in the spotlight. Regrettably, this means there will also be plenty of opportunity for posturing and point scoring as political parties try to attract publicity and out manoeuvre each other.

The parliamentary ad hoc committee ...

The Week Ahead: Parliament's third term kicks off

Parliament resumes this week after a three-week constituency period. The third term will run for ten weeks and the programme is packed with activities. Some of the highlights include committee, oversight and legislative work; oral questions to the President and the Executive; and the NCOP’s Provincial and Local Government Weeks. ...

EFF tactics have become somewhat tired

By Judith February

It’s becoming a matter of routine for presidential question time to be disrupted. Last week’s scenes in the National Assembly left little room for doubt - as if there was any, after the chaos of the State of the Nation address in February - that Parliament is ...

The Week Ahead – The end of Parliament's second term looms

It's a week of farewells, loose ends and tussles…

The constituency period beckons, with MPs due to depart at the end of the week and return to Parliament on 21 July 2015. But a fair amount of heavy-duty business will be done before they go.

It's a big week in ...

The Week Ahead: President and Deputy answer oral questions

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 ...

State security, classification and information trumps: The state’s awkward PAIA conundrum

By Gabriella Razzano

Access to information and classified records seem entangled in an awkward game of trumps. There appears a knee-jerk reaction to refuse access to information because it contains “classified” details whenever controversy surfaces. But the legal answer is meant to be simple. Isn’t it?

There appears a knee-jerk ...

The week ahead: Youth issues and oral questions take centre stage

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 ...

LiveMagSA: VIP Debate Club Review: So Am I Xenophobic?

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 ...