News

The new batch of MPs sworn in recently have their work cut out for them if civil society organisations have their way. To assist them in their oversight role and championing the ideals of a People’s Parliament, a civil society grouping now offers MPs a ‘lesson plan’ on how to navigate the pitfalls that almost swallowed their predecessors in the 5th Parliament. A coalition of civil society organisations called Parliament Watch will provide all incoming committee chairpersons, party chief whips and the Speaker’s Office with a report on key findings based on three years (2016 – 2018) of monitoring MPs in the previous parliamentary term.

Many praised and welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s first ever 50/50 gender-balanced cabinet recently, but certain gender activists had some reservations about what this means for real feminist governance.

We the undersigned civil society organisations are deeply disturbed by the recent threats and intimidation directed by the EFF, South Africa’s third largest political party, against civil society groups partners such as the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF), a fellow civil society organisation. In a similar vein the EFF party leadership has attacked journalists writing about financial scandals which implicate the EFF leadership instead of focusing on the substance of investigations by the journalists.

Remand detention is disproportionate and increasing in the Western Cape, such that over five years, 10 percent of adult men can be expected to be remanded. The extent of remand detention in the Western Cape is likely to have a severe financial impact on especially poorer communities.

The Institute is proud to announce that Prof Dee Smythe, Professor of Public Law the University of Cape Town, is joining its Advisory Board.

How do top three parties deal with womxn? Not just on GBV and representation - On all areas of life? GBV is an issue of the day – what about land and housing and jobs?

2 May 2019 - New research based on a feminist analysis of party manifestos show none of the top three political parties’ manifestos will make a real difference in the lived realities of womxn.

Parliament Watch, today released a Scorecard reflecting selected portfolio committees in the National Assembly’s poor to average performance. The Scorecard based on committee performance in 2018 also includes selected committees in the Eastern Cape Legislature. It focused on the Portfolio Committees on Social Development, Communications, and Police and how they handled three politically hot issues. These were the social grants crisis in the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the SABC-crisis and the issues discriminatory police resource allocation.