The making of South Africa’s Constitution took six long years. Now, 20 years later, the process of drawing up this revered document is being tainted with myth making.
Former South African president Thabo Mbeki at May Day celebrations in 2003. He failed to challenge a decision by the ANC to recall him in 2008.
EPA
Former South Africa’s President, Thab Mbeki, has made a remarkable intervention that condemns parliament’s failure to act against President Jacob Zuma. But he is eight years too late.
Teachers need support to make sure they deal well with diversity and conflict.
Akintunde Akinleye/Reuters
Some students argue wrongly that the ANC has betrayed the promise of free higher education made in the Freedom Charter. The governing party’s populism is also to blame for the confusion.
The Constitution’s external affairs power does not support Section 18C. And the section also impermissibly infringes the implied freedom of political communication.
A minister of religion is not obliged to solemnise any marriage.
AAP/Alan Porritt
Ministers of religion who support marriage equality would be able to challenge the Marriage Act in the High Court. They would stand a good chance of winning.
Election officials scan voters’ identity documents during South Africa’s local government elections in Umlazi, Durban.
Reuters/Rogan Ward
Many municipalities in the South Africa don’t function properly because of poor management and administrative capacity. They don’t have enough appropriately qualified and experienced staff.
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party is seen as the favourite to secure the final WA Senate position.
AAP/Lukas Coch
One Nation candidate Rod Culleton could win Western Australia’s final Senate position, but Section 44 of the Constitution suggests he is ineligible to take his seat.
Joint sittings of federal parliament are rare, usually only taking place for addresses by foreign leaders.
AAP/Alan Porritt
Now that we have had the double-dissolution election, the next step is for the government to attempt to pass the industrial relations bills through the House of Representatives and Senate again.
Talk has now turned to whether Australia will again have a minority government and a ‘hung parliament’.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
Political funding in Australia is governed by different rules for state (some of which do not require disclosure) and federal governments. And both levels suffer significant weaknesses.
Why does the number of members of Australia’s lower house fluctuate?
AAP/Mick Tsikas
Sex workers in South Africa are all potential criminals due to the country’s regressive laws. But their status may change soon, making South Africa the first African country to decriminalise sex work.
Any judicial review of government’s spending choices must contribute to transformative constitutionalism.
shutterstock
South Africa’s Constitution enjoins government to act “reasonably” in ensuring that basic socioeconomic rights are progressively realised. But the government has limited resources.
The entire Senate is up for re-election in a double-dissolution election.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
Alfred Deakin and his contemporaries invented the Australian prime ministership. But it was not settled as a platform for national leadership until John Curtin and Ben Chifley’s time.