Public participation in law-making, oversight and other processes of Parliament constitutes an important part of our democracy.

Parliament has developed a number of ways to promote public involvement. One of the mechanisms includes the right to submit a petition, which is enshrined in sections 56 (d) and 69 (d) of the Constitution. However, there are certain procedures that individuals and/or groups have to follow when petitioning Parliament. 

Given the importance of this tool, in this latest research, we look at the kinds of petitions dealt with; relevant data and the committees most often dealing with petitions. We also present the views of some current and former MPs to get a sense of their experiences with the submission and processing of petitions in Parliament. We also highlight existing challenges and proffer recommendations. You can read the full research by following the link:

 Petitions to Parliament: An important tool for public involvement

(Every effort was made to obtain official, consolidated and current data. Where this was not possible, we utilised information from the best available sources)