Insights

In South Africa, the prevalent belief in the efficacy of increased regulation as a solution to addressing anomalies of social life leads to a cycle of reactionary policy making. This article highlights how government institutions in attempts to solution social ills neglect to consider the crucial aspect of behavioural change and lack of enforcement which often times continue to perpetuate true weak spots in South Africa’s public policy implementation process. While emphasising that more attention needs to be directed at producing thorough context-specific behavioural change programmes.

Since the legalisation of medical cannabis in 2017, there has been an increase in the rate at which the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority issues licences. While big investments conjure up some excitement for business and government there are still major concerns that the medical cannabis sector may exclude small players. This article highlights how this opportunity could exclude small players in the cannabis industry and impact the establishment of an equitable medical cannabis market and an inclusive economy in South Africa.

Considering the evolution of the digital economy, this article highlights Icasa’s inability to sync its development and regulations with the market realities of South Africa.

The legalisation of cannabis in South Africa has presented the opportunity for the country to increase the volumes and variety of cannabis products. Therefore, this article highlights how cannabis can be a catalyst for economic growth should it be inclusive of the local markets.  Additionally, emphasises the importance of legislative frameworks that supports the local cannabis market development and the creation of a local economy that contributes to the broader national development agenda.

A commitment to science-driven policymaking, earnest listening and early-stage consultation with stakeholders must underpin commitment to social compacts. Therefore, this article highlights the importance of how President Ramaphosa’s commitment to social compacts should find direct expression in the processes of public participation in policy development while highlighting how they could solution the issue of the development of outdated policy options that have no grounding on economic and social realities.

This article questions if the Boarder Management Act will be as impactful as it is envisaged considering the range of issues such as affordability, and implementation mechanisms that were smilingly unconsidered by the government during the development of the bill.

Illicit trade in South Africa is impacting key economic growth industries, in light of that, this article contextualises South Africa’s response, or lack thereof, to illicit trade in the country, together with its impact to livelihoods and the economy.

Considering the unemployment rate in South Africa, this article delves into how government has attempted to shift its responsibility of creating employment, this article unpacks how the state is not a mere passive participant in job creation and the role it ought to be playing to create an enabling environment for the private sector to assist it create jobs.

The economic future of the Chinese economy was under intense scrutiny, with many experts predicting significant turbulence in the near term. Therefore, this article unpacks the concerns pertaining the potential impact on African economies that have aligned closely with China, particularly South Africa.

Looking at Parliament ‘s portfolio committee on health’s process of public hearing on the Tobacco Products & Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, this article seeks to evaluate the conduct of the hearing in light of the Constitutional Court ruling in Mogale and Others vs The Speaker of the National Assembly and Others.

The government has been seen to be insistent on creating heavy-headed regulations that are seemingly aimed at policing habits and lifestyles of citizens, this article unpacks how the government has been pursuing laws that interfere with people’s freedom of choice. Highlighting how these regulations neglect to consider and address the root causes of the same behaviour’s government is trying to police.

This article unpacks Constitutional Court’s unanimous decision in Mogale & Other vs Speaker of the National Assembly & Others along with its importance, particularly how it has reaffirmed the principles of public participation in public policy-making.

This article unpacks how the echo chamber behaviour of the South African government has hindered the county’s economic growth and sustainable development. Emphasising how this trend is bound to hamstring the country’s participatory democracy while increasing civic disengagement from the importance of processes of governance.

Currently sex workers have no protection under existing laws, therefore, this article focuses on the government should fast track laws aimed at decriminalising and protecting sex workers as they continue to face various challenges including gender based-violence, murder, and discrimination.

With the world moving to renewable energy, South Africa has committed to transitioning to green energy to mitigate the impact of climate change. In light of that, this article tackles the realities South Africa’s energy transition needs to be cognisant of the country’s objective realities.

This article analyses the National Policy Development Framework, unpacking its importance, relevance and how it can strengthen evidence-based public policy making in South Africa.

This article argues that society has effectively been left for dead in part due to an interplay between bad politics and prevailing public discourse. With local elections at the centre of discussion it unpacks the denialism and counteraccusations that are at the core of the country’s degenerating sociology of the public discourse and how it impacts individual decision-making process that affects the broader society.

It is a matter of common cause that democracy is premised on the freedom of opinion that is reflected through open criticism and debates, in light of that, this article tackles South Africa’s concerning trend of deliberately ignoring the voices of various stakeholders in its decision making or policy formulation. Highlighting the importance of remaining cognisant of the need for an all-inclusive dialogue predicated on openness and transparency.

This article argues that provinces in their current configuration can be a hinderance to service delivery, presenting a new thought that pertains to the reconfiguration of the intergovernmental system. Further arguing that there has been an erosion of capacity and a weakening of institutional integrity due to the inability of provincial municipalities perform.

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