Insights from the new Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities on issues concerning women

What are your thoughts on the current state of legislation regarding the protection of women and other vulnerable groups in society?

South Africa has made significant strides in enacting laws that safeguard the rights of women and marginalized communities, such as the Domestic Violence Act and the Sexual Offences and ...

Sixth Parliament Review

PMG is excited to launch the review of Sixth Parliament.

The Sixth Parliament has been unprecedented, historical, and foundational.Commencing on 22 May 2019, the Sixth Parliament looked to represent a new dawn for the country, ushering in a period of parliamentary reform, accountability and efficacy in the wake of the ...

Mr Vincent Smith - ANC

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Political background: I became involved in politics, and the ANC, by being involved in student politics. I became an MP through my leadership position in the ANC as a Deputy Chairperson of the ANC Johannesburg region.

What does your job as an MP entail? My job as an MP really ...

Opinion: Courts and Constitution plug the gap left by lack of political accountability

By Firoz Cachalia

Some years ago I brought back from Siena copies of two famous frescoes painted by Lorenzetti depicting good and bad government. The first shows idyllic scenes of virtuous rulers, happy citizens and a prosperous society; the second shows dystopian scenes of selfish rule, injustice and famine, thus ...

Infographic: Water and Sanitation

Statistics South Africa published its Water and Sanitation Report based on the General Household Survey: 2002-2015 on 23 November 2016. The report notes that in order to address poverty and under-development, the government has prioritised the provision of basic water and sanitation services to the poor because of the perceived ...

Infographic: 2015/16 Departmental audit outcomes

National departments are subject to annual auditing by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), where an audit opinion is given based on a department's financial statements. In forming an audit opinion, AGSA determines the financial health of departments and if its performance met its predetermined objectives and if the financial ...

Mr William Madisha (COPE)

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What is your political background? I grew up in Atteridgeville. I went to the Transvaal College of Education in 1981 and I was in the leadership of the student movement. I became the president of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) for a period of twelve years. I was ...

The Week Ahead: Legislation, Oversight Visits & Question Time dominate final week

The constituency period beckons, with MPs due to depart at the end of the week and return to Parliament on 11 October 2016. But a fair amount of heavy-duty business will be done before they go.

With nothing scheduled in the NA chamber, the committee corridor will be the main ...

Elected reps forgetting the public can attend

This week is Global Legislative Open Week (GLOW). In view of this, People's Assembly decided to review how open and transparent our provincial legislatures are.

The Constitution enjoins the legislatures to facilitate public participation in the law-making process, conduct their business in an open manner and to take reasonable measures ...

What rising protests in SA say about attitudes towards local government

BY MASHUPYE HERBERT MASERUMULE

THE euphoria of SA’s 2016 municipal elections is at its peak, with political parties parading their manifestos, all in competition for a stake in the local sphere of government.

The razzmatazz is deafening. But, it blurs a vexing question: what does governing in the post-apartheid state, ...