A “white paper” is a policy document produced by the government of South Africa. The term has been used since 1994, when the National Party came to power after the election that ended apartheid. White papers set out the government’s proposals for new laws or changes to existing ones. They are usually published ahead of debates in Parliament so that people can give their views on what is being proposed.
They are usually written by government departments or officials and intended to be debated by Parliament. Sometimes they are also released as discussion documents, inviting public feedback before being finalised.
South Africa’s Parliament is currently debating a new law that would require employers to provide paid maternity leave. This so-called “white paper” is simply a document outlining the proposed legislation, and it has generated a lot of discussion among the public. There are those who feel that this is a much-needed reform, as South Africa currently lags behind many other developed countries in terms of maternity leave provision. Others believe that the cost of implementing such a policy would be too high for businesses, and could lead to job losses.
