That week in Parliament

It's the penultimate week of the parliamentary year. As a result, there is a bit of frenzy as legislation and important business that can be completed are rushed to the finishing line while other less urgent parliamentary business is dropped for lack...

Covid-19   The one month State of Disaster extension announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 11 November was confirmed three days later in the Government Gazette. Eased lockdown level one restrictions featured in the President’s speech came into...

There are three weeks left until Parliament rises for the year. In the remaining days, lawmakers are scheduled to vote on several Bills, approve government spending, hold debates, scrutinise government performance, consider statutory appointments and...

Covid-19 On 2 November, the Departments of Small Business Development and Sport, Arts and Culture announced the availability of ongoing relief for qualifying organisations, enterprises and individual practitioners in the craft, design, visual arts and...

The President's oral question session on Thursday is the high point of the parliamentary week. The President is required to answer questions of national or international importance once per term in accordance with the annual parliamentary programme....

Medium Term Budget Policy Statement The statement included several announcements not widely reported: The 1956 Pension Fund Act’s Regulation 28 (as amended in March 2011) is being reviewed to facilitate increased investment in infrastructure. ‘A...

The endgame of the parliamentary year is fast approaching. There are only five weeks left before the legislature rises and loose ends are gradually being knitted together. Following last week’s presentation of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement...

Covid-19 disaster management   The Lindela repatriation holding facility is now open to visitors, according to a ministerial directive gazetted on 23 October. On 21 October, the Sani Pass border post was re-opened in an amendment to the disaster...

All eyes will be on the Minister of Finance when he delivers the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) on Wednesday. The MTBPS outlines the economic context against which the 2021 budget is being formulated and sets out the spending framework...

The 2020 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) is set to be delivered by the Minister of Finance, Mr Tito Mboweni, on Wednesday, 28 October against a tumultuous economic backdrop exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is facing a...