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PMG’s 2023 review of Parliament reveals highs and lows

The Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG) published its 2023 review of Parliament in December of that year. The review included discussion of a March motion of no confidence against National Assembly (NA) Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the cabinet reshuffle in the same month, the removal of the former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, and internal disciplinary matters, among Read more >

World Press Freedom Day marks 30th anniversary

It’s been 30 years since the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 May as an international day for press freedom. In those 30 years, journalists have faced an increasing barrage of threats, says UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his message for World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2023. “Journalists and media workers are directly targeted on and Read more >

Freedom of expression underpins universal human rights 

Image: Flickr / Rachel Hinman With World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2023 upon us again, its custodian, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), names four fundamental freedoms which are outlined in the Preamble of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights: freedom of speech, freedom of belief, freedom from fear, and freedom from Read more >

The year that was – review of Parliament’s 2022

First published on Parliamentary Monitoring Group 2022 was another eventful parliamentary year. With the year done and dusted, we review some of the legislature’s activities and highlights from this period. The year got off to an ominous start with a devastating fire that gutted large parts of the National Assembly. This had a ripple effect Read more >

ConCourt confirms exec ethics code invalidity on funding disclosures

The Executive Ethics Code is unconstitutional to the extent that it does not require members of the executive to disclose donations made to campaigns for elections to positions within political parties. This was confirmed in the Constitutional Court on 20 September 2022. Investigative journalism organisation AmaBhungane brought the application to the ConCourt, asking it to Read more >

CW’s Project Larona aims to strengthen recognition of land rights

Image: Alliance for Rural Democracy Project Larona [laa-ro-nah]Lefatshe la rona – a Setswana phrase meaning “Our Land” The European Union Rallying Efforts to Accelerate Progress project (EU REAP), a multi-jurisdictional initiative, commenced in July 2021. It is led by the Transparency International Secretariat and funded by the European Commission (EuropeAid). EU REAP focuses on directly Read more >

We cannot let the Zondo report become another white elephant

This piece is extracted from Corruption Watch’s 2021 annual report. For more information, click here. By Karam SinghFirst published on News24 Since 2020, South Africans have had to deal with a multitude of new challenges and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, as if the daily struggle for the majority of our people was not enough. Read more >

We, the people – 25 years of South Africa’s Constitution

Twenty-five years ago, then president Nelson Mandela put his signature to the final text of South Africa’s Constitution, and it became law. The date was 10 December 1996; the place was Sharpeville, in Vereeniging, south of Johannesburg.   This location is historically significant to all South Africans as, just 36 years before, police had opened fire, Read more >