Increasingly in recent times, the link between trafficking in persons (TIP) and the vagaries of migration has been noted. Maria Giammarinaro, the UN Special Rapporteur for Trafficking in Persons, reminds us that “profound changes are needed in States’ approaches to migration and trafficking. Restrictive and xenophobic migration polices, and the criminalisation of migrants, as well […]
The Secretary General of the UN has published an important policy brief on COVID-19 and People on the Move. It makes many important points and helps frame the connection between the pandemic and mobile people. It particularly stresses the aspects of the health crisis, the socio economic crisis and the crisis of protection. Pope Francis […]
Two days ago, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo delivered an unexpected lecture. It came at the end of testimony by Popo Molefe, former chair of the board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), before Judge Zondo’s Commission of Enquiry into State Capture. Month after month, the Judge has been hearing evidence of […]
On June 24th the Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni, delivered the supplementary, or emergency, COVID-19 budget, which was meant to show how government was going to address the dire fiscal situation. Some commentators felt that it was a little light on detail, while others argued that the budget in fact offered some kind of roadmap of […]
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni will deliver a special emergency budget on Wednesday 24 June, when he will table a new financial framework to respond to the coronavirus pandemic which has wreaked havoc on the local economy. The emergency budget is largely about the reallocation of R130 billion from various government departments, including R30 billion from […]
On 18th June, the Pretoria High Court handed down a judgment in terms of which access to the special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant (known informally as the R350 grant) was extended to asylum-seekers and to the holders of various Special Permits whose permit or visa was valid on 15th March, when the National […]
Reopening Schools During the Pandemic South Africa took a further step in the process of easing lockdown restrictions on 1st June. With Level 3 in full swing and certain business sectors going back into operation, schools have also started gradually reopening their doors through a phased-in approach. It is intended that this will allow resumption […]
Eskom and the future of power supply Eskom’s debt burden continues to be a challenge, and one of the economy’s biggest threats, as the utility struggles to improve its financial performance due to a number of reasons, including continuous decline in demand for electricity. https://www.news24.com/fin24/economy/eskom/eskom-aims-to-cut-its-debt-load-by-more-than-half-to-r200bn-20200521 Read the full digest: Environment digest 18 180620
Alcohol, Cigarettes and the COVID-19 Lockdown “Beyond health consequences, the harmful use of alcohol brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large”.[i] The narrative of the COVID-19 pandemic has been dominated by the controversy surrounding the ban on the sale of cigarettes and alcohol. The ban was sudden and took […]
Yesterday’s Constitutional Court judgement paving the way for independent candidates to stand for seats in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures is the second in just under two years to assert the rights of the citizenry against the power of political parties. In June 2018 the Court ruled that people have the right to information […]
