News

The following articles/publications are available in this issue:

Measuring transparency, public participation and oversight in the budget processes of South Africa’s metropolitan municipalities

The Metro Open Budget Survey (Metro OBS) is modelled on the global Open Budget Survey (OBS) initiated by the International Budget Partnership in 2006. The OBS is an independent, comparative assessment of budget accountability: transparency, oversight, and public participation.

Dullah Omar Institute Makes a Submission to Parliament on the NHI Bill

On Friday, 29 November 2019, the Dullah Omar Institute made a submission to the Portfolio Committee on Health on the National Health Insurance Bill. Although the Institute supports the notion of universal health coverage that is aimed at providing South African’s with access to needed health care that is of sufficient quality , our submission highlights concerns about transparency and accountability to members of the public in the governance structures of the NHI Fund.

Don’t let ‘We serve the People’ just be rhetoric

Activists and scholars this week reminded the Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP), during a roundtable discussion on oversight and public participation, that they will turn up the heat so that legislatures can strengthen its oversight muscle. Too often it is National Parliament that comes under scrutiny whilst provincial legislatures escape the public eye.

Thursday, 31 October 2019, Cape Town - The Budget Justice Coalition (BJC) is concerned that the 2019 MTBPS proposes a deepening of austerity (cutting expenditure to address debt) in the country.

Seminar upacks local government and the changing urban-rural interplay

The Dullah Omar Institute held an in-house seminar on 'Local Government and the Changing Urban-Rural Interplay' on Tuesday 29 October 2019. It was facilitated by Prof Jaap de Visser.

Dullah Omar Institute’s researcher coaches the winning UWC Moot Court Society

Dullah Omar Institute’s doctoral researcher, Thandeka Khoza coached UWC Moot Court team which recently won the esteemed Annual Child Law Moot Competition. The UWC Moot Team was made up of Amanda Mpedi and Kirsten Lemaine Davids, both in their third year of the LLB programme. This victory was the first in history for the UWC team.

Event takes stock on Implementation of CRC

Prof Benyam Dawit Mezmur, head of the Children's Rights Project was part of a panel discussion looking at 30 years after the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

SERP team attends UN Summit on Sustainable Development

The Socioeconomic Rights Project and its partners participated in the UN Summit on Sustainable Development that took place in New York from 22-25 September in New York. This Summit was a gathering of Heads of State to deliberate on and assess the commitments made under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the Summit, SERP participated in some side events organised by civil society groups.

Dr Nanima takes part in a knowledge exchange on children affected by armed conflict

Dr Robert Nanima presented a paper on 'The Situation of Children affected by armed conflict in Africa: A review of progress made from the Graca Machel Report 1996 to date' at the Knowledge Exchange organised by Save the Children in Uganda.

Panel looks into reducing number of children deprived of their liberty

On 23 September 2019, Prof Benyam Mezmur, head of the Children's Rights Project, was part of the panel at a side event of the 24th Human Rights Council Session in Geneva. The event was to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and it was organised by the African Union Ambassadors to Geneva.