Sabinet makes trawling through legislation quick and easy

Since 1910, well over 7 000 Acts have been passed into law in South Africa. This massive number doesn't even touch on the innumerable draft Bills, policy papers, committee reports, submissions to Parliament, speeches by Ministers and other important parliamentary documents that are generated in the process of governing a country.

"Delving through the masses of information that make up South Africa's legislative landscape may well be compared to looking for a needle in a haystack," says Sanet Vos, Information Services manager at Sabinet. "If you don't know exactly what you're looking for or exactly where to find it, you're in for a serious search".

In addition to finding the right legal information, you also have to be assured that it is the latest and most up-to-date when it comes to current legislation. And knowing where pending legislation is in the process can be critical for business, government and legal professionals.

"We've recognised this need at Sabinet and have improved our Bill Tracker and Parliamentary Documents service for this just purpose," explains Vos. "We offer a reliable, timely and accurate service providing easy access to South Africa's complete legislative history from first discussions in Parliament to becoming an Act. And it's all there online and at the touch of a button.

When time is money, faster is better. And keeping it simple and easy to use adds to a better experience. "We even offer an at-a-glance view of where Bills are in the process - whether it has been tabled, at the National Assembly, at the National Council of the Provinces or signed into law. And, if that's not enough, we also link to all relevant documents associated with the Bill, including the Act as published in the Government Gazette," concludes Vos.