ParlyBeat

#WomenCount – SA still falling short of gender parity for councillors

Turning the lens on gender in the local government elections, an analysis of elected candidates shows that the only space where women led was in voter registration numbers. Post-election, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has revealed that while more women than men registered to vote in every province, female councillors only made up 37% of elected councillors.

A group of civil society organisations recently came up with a mixed bag of demands for Parliament, ranging from improving the institutional health and culture of the parliamentary administration to ongoing ethics training of MPs during their term.

Claim back ‘Proudly South African’ – Boesak

South Africans were reminded on Saturday not to think that the state of the ANC is the measure of where we are as a people. Struggle activist and theologian Dr Allan Boesak gave a memorial lecture at the District Six Museum in celebration of late minister of justice Dullah Omar and late Judge Essa Moosa’s contribution to the law in South Africa.

SOE Bill should be expedited: Deputy Minister

Despite public pressures for urgency in addressing problems in state-owned entities (SOEs), there is still a long road ahead for government’s new law meant to regulate these entities if the Department of Public Enterprises’ Annual Performance Plan (APP) is anything to go by. In the APP it is envisaged that the Shareholder Management Bill which will govern all SOEs, will only be adopted into law by the 2020/21 financial year.

Best price or best practice? - How government fails at gender responsive procurement

Government departments surveyed by the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) is failing at gender responsive procurement and generally show a lack of understanding of these critical transformation provisions, a recent report found. The CGE in the 2018/19 financial year surveyed a small sample of departments on their gender transformation efforts in public procurement. The CGE’s report tabled in Parliament in June showed most of the departments surveyed failed to integrate gender as a main component in their procurement practices.

Former Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Thandi Modise was elected Speaker of the National Assembly recently.  As speaker Modise now has the unenviable task of presiding over debates in the National Assembly that has become increasingly disruptive. As part of her duties, she would serve as the administrative head and executive authority of Parliament, interprets and enforces the rules of Parliament and delivers rulings. Here is a sneak peak into her track record with a focus on her contribution to mainstreaming a feminist agenda on all the platforms she served.

More backlash for Public Protector - this time for report on Parly secretary

As calls for the recall of the Public Protector intensify, her recent report on the suspended secretary of Parliament seemingly did not win her any new friends from neither the complainant, nor respondent in this case.

Going forward by looking back: New MPs offered a ‘lesson plan’ to navigate oversight pitfalls

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.

50% women cabinet no ‘feminist force’, experts say

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.

Voters may under our current electoral system not be able to directly elect their political representatives for Parliament and the legislatures, but at least they have the right to object to candidates nominated by political parties contesting the national and provincial elections on 8 May. Voters now have until may not directly elect their political representatives may not have a say now have until next week 17:00 PM on 2 April to lodge objections.

Report on Elder Care leave adopted and tabled

It was his own personal loss and experience that moved Paarl resident Hendri Terblanche to petition Parliament to amend labour laws to allow for elder-care leave. He lost his mother-in-law to cancer last year and shortly thereafter, his godmother. His father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and his mother, Susan, with multiple sclerosis. “Our parents have dedicated their whole lives to take care of us to the best of their abilities and now it is our time to take care of them,” Terblanche told Parlybeat. He had also paved the way for the historic paternal leave amendment in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act after he petitioned Parliament.

Life, death and budget cuts: the tricky balancing act

When Western Cape Minister of Health Nomafrench Mbombo delivered her budget speech this week, it was clear poor people dependent on public healthcare in violence-prone areas like the Cape Flats should manage their budget and health-service expectations. The provincial Department of Health was allocated R24,8 billion for the 2019/20 financial year with a budget cut of R187 million. The total health budget cuts over the last three years amount to R1,2 billion whilst patient numbers consistently grew.