Last night ANC MPs showed South Africa how far they were willing to go when others attempted to hold them to account. In the hours of bedlam, heckling, and howling[1] the ANC managed to push South Africa’s democracy to the brink. The ANC not only voted to protect President Jacob Zuma, who according the Public […]
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Posted inNews/Politics
Testing the constitutionality of the powers and privileges committee
By Walter Bhengu As the dust settled over the #PayBackTheMoney incident in Parliament, the speaker of Parliament, Baleka Mbete, recommended that the 20 EFF members involved should be charged and faces the music before the powers and privileges committee. Pay back the money is the now famous phrase that was directed at President Jacob Zuma […]
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Frolicking failed the Mbete no-confidence motion
The motion of no confidence against National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete has come and gone, and the ANC predictably used its majority to protect their party chairperson, just as Mbete is accused of using her office to protect Luthuli House and shield its Number One in the National Assembly. While the democratic will of the […]
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ANC flat-footed by EFF: The enemy within
The ANC’s response to political newcomers, the EFF, bears an eerie resemblance to the DA’s response to Gareth van Onselen. What this shows is that, irrespective of affiliation, parties have a limited ability to deal with, and respond to, political criticism. This is especially the case when the criticism comes from “one of their own”. […]
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Juju does Guy Fawkes?
Behold, the end of the world is nigh! The barbarians have breached the gates! Extremists are redrawing maps without the superpowers! Journalists’ heads are rolling — and not only at Independent Newspapers! Jihadists now speak with English accents! Oh, and Juju’s in the house. And he’s not playing nice. Civilisation as we know it is […]
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EFF in Parliament: All talk and no trousers?
We have all witnessed the circus that’s been the EFF’s entrance to Parliament, akin to something of a comedic fairy-tale with costumes, heroes and villains. We’ve seen everything from heartfelt letters to the public such as Andile Mngxitama’s “Letter from Parliament” and Julius Malema thrown out of Parliament for accusing the ANC of murdering mineworkers. […]
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MPs’ behaviour eating away at Parliament’s credibility
By Mukoni Ratshitanga The debate on the State of the Nation address in the national assembly last week illustrated concerns and evinced valuable lessons and reminders which our public representatives across the party political divide ought to be attentive. The endless points of order, genuine and some not, interjections and heckles clearly intended to stop […]
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The EFF ‘hooligans’ in Parliament…
“Who are these idiots who voted for the ANC and the EFF?” I heard this question in passing while the election results were trickling in. The aftermath of the elections has been focused on a few issues but I would like to focus on these two: – Does the EFF have what it takes to […]
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
Parliament @20: Shrinking the accountability deficit
This year South Africans celebrate the 20-year anniversary of our democratic parliament. With national and provincial elections approaching, political parties are finalising the lists of candidates selected to represent South Africans. It is an opportune moment to reflect on the efficacy of public representation and how civil society can assist in enhancing it. Much has […]
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Nine New Year’s resolutions for Parliament
Many of us make New Year’s resolutions as a sign of a fresh start or courage to reach a specific goal. This year I decided to write a few for Parliament. 1 Forgotten (or to-be-forgotten) reports Our legislature has become very comfortable with writing comprehensive reports but does not implement them. Dusty reports include the […]
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Forget Mangaung. Budget politics is where it’s at
Xolela Mangcu in his latest book Biko – A Biography writes about a “big-chief syndrome” that exists among the current ruling elite, in which followers are placed at the mercy of the “chief”. South Africans arguably suffer as much as politicians from big-chief syndrome, in that we imbue leaders with inordinate power. This has to […]
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Marikana, the sign of a schizophrenic state
As assault charges are laid against the police in the aftermath of the Marikana massacre, the outrageous reality is that torture is still not criminalised in South Africa. A draft law called the Prevention and Combating of Torture of Persons Bill is before parliament but far from adoption. The relevant parliamentary committee has postponed the […]