Following Parliament’s decision to review State Institutions supporting constitutional democracy, an ad hoc committee headed by Prof Kader Asmal was established. The committee has to submit its report and recommendations to the National Assembly no later than June 2007. Institutions to be reviewed include the Public Protector, the Auditor-General, the Commission for Gender Equality, the Public Service Commission and the South African Human Rights Commission.
The objectives of the committee, as detailed in the Terms of Reference, include, amongst others, determining if the constitutional and legal mandates of these institutions are still suitable.
The Chairperson and members of the review committee have called on the public to make submissions on their observations about the activities of these bodies. In order to assist the committee and the general public in this process the South African Human Rights Commission has decided to collate the relevant documentation below:
Paris Principles
South African Human Rights Commission Act 54 of 1994
SAHRC Strategic Business Plan 06/07_08/09
Annual reports
1995/1996 (hard copy only)
1996/1997 (hard copy only)
1998/1999
2000/2001
2001/2002
2002/2003 (hard copy only)
2003/2004
2004/2005
2005/2006
Commission's Decisions
Reports by the Commission
Hard copies available at the SAHRC library
OPCAT Roundtable Discussions Report (2006)
10-year review – Reflections on Democracy (2006)
6th ESR Report (2006)
CERD_SA Shadow Report (2006)
Human Rights and Values_Seminar Report (2006)
Right to Basic Education_Hearings Report (2006)
Freedom of Expression Seminar Report (2006)
Voluntary Associations Report (2005)
Road Closures, Security Booms Report (2005)
Xenophobia_Hearings Report (2004)
Human Rights Violations_Khomani San (2004)
Site visits and Investigation: EC Hospitals (2003)
Hate crimes and hate speech (2003)
Process of Substitution of Death Penalty (2002)
Sexual offences against children report (2002)
Racism and Racial Discrimination in the DOJ (2002)
Towards a barrier free society (2002)
Freedom of Expression_Discussion Document (2002)
Human Rights Violations_Farming Communities (2001)
Initiation practices at institutions (2001)
Constitutional law case summaries (2000)
Undocumented migrants_2nd Lindela Report (2000)
Inquiry into Racism in the media (2000)
Food security (2000)
Towards a focal point for Children (2000)
International Consultative Conference on Food Security and Nutrition as
Human Rights (2000)
Everything is not Ok here. We are not treated like people
Inquiry into Racism in the SAPS Vryburg District (1999)
Open and Accountable Democracy Conference
Report on the National Prisons Project
Economic and Social Rights Reports
6th – August 2006
5th – August 2003
4th – 2000/2002
3rd – 1999/2000
2nd – 1998/1999
1st – 1997/1998
Undocumented Migrants_Report (1999)
Racial Integration and Desegregation in SA Public Secondary Schools (1999)
Open and Accountable Democracy Conference Report (1999)
National Prisons Project (1998)
Publications about the Commission (available at the SAHRC Library)
A Second Look at SAHRC, Access to Information and the Promotion of Socio-economic Rights (Journal article) Klaaren J, Human Rights Quarterly, 2005 V27 (2) p 539-561
South African Human Rights Commission: Chapter 24C/ Klaaren Jonathan In: Constitutional Law of South Africa, V1 2nd ed (2005)
The Women’s Legal Centre During its First Five Years (Journal article) (2005)
Possibilities and Pitfalls in the domestic enforcement of social rights: Contemplating the South African experience/ Pieterse, Marius 2004 (Journal article) Human Rights Quarterly, 2004 V 26(4) p882-905
SAHRC vs SABC (Judgment) (2003)
Institutional monitoring of social and economic rights: A South African case study and a new research agenda/Newman, Dwight G, 2003 (Journal article) SA Journal on Human Rights, V19 (2) p189-216
The SAHRC and socio-economic rights: facing the challenges / McClain, Charlotte Vuyiswa. (Journal article) ESR Review, 2002 V 3 (1) July p8-9
Toothless Bulldogs? The Human Rights Commissions of Uganda and South Africa: a comparative study of their independence/ Matshekga, James (Journal article) African Human Rights Law Journal, 2002 V 2(1) p68-91
Violations of socio-economic rights: the role of the South African Human Rights Commission: Chapterp405-443 In: The post apartheid constitutions: perspectives on South frica’s basic law / edited by Penelope Andrews and Ellman Stephen / Liebenberg, Sandra. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, 2001
The South African Human Rights Commission: (Chapter) p571-595 in: The Post-apartheid constitutions: perspective on South Africa’s basic law /edited by Penelope Andrews and Ellmann Stephen / Govender, Karthy
South Africa’s inquiry into racism in the media: the role of national institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights / Pityana, Barney Nyameko. (Journal Article) African Affairs, 2000 V 99 (no 397) p525-532
SAHRC investigations into Alleged Violations of Farm Workers’ Human Rights in the Messina/Tshipise District (Journal article) (1999)
Monitoring socio-economic rights in SA: Role of SAHRC/Community Law Centre (1997) (Report) p323,
Protectors or Pretenders? Government Human Rights Commissions in Africa/Human Rights Watch, 2001 (Report)
Reviewing or Reformulating Appointment Processes to Constitutional (Chapter Nine) Structures/ Sarkin, Jeremy. SA Journal on Human Rights, 1999 V 15 (part4) p587-613
South African Human Rights Commission investigation into alleged violations of farm workers’ human rights in the Messina/Tshipise District / Mochaba, Khahliso. 1999 (Journal article) South African Journal on Human Rights, 1999 V15 (4) p614-615
Articles on web
Web docs searched using Jody Kollapen (Chairperson) (First two pages only)
Human Rights and Business: The Apartheid Experience: http://www.novartisstiftung.com/en/publications/proceedings/human/symposium_human_rights/summary/human_rights_apartheid_experience.htm
Identity and Democracy: Building Multicultural Democracies:
http://hdr.undp.org/docs/events/global_forum/2005/speeches/Kollapen_speech.pdf
Monitoring Socio-economic Rights: What has the SAHRC done?
http://www.communitylawcentre.org.za/ser/esr1999/1999march_kollapen.php
Prisoners’ Rights Under the Constitution Act 200 of 1993
http://www.csvr.org.za/papers/papkolpn.htm
SRSG Consultation
http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/trans_corporations/Johannesburg-regionalconsultation.pdf
Too Late for Big Sticks at School
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=vn20061101130644130C144473
Access to Justice: Roundtable Discussion
http://www.osf.org.za/File_Uploads/docs/File_Download.asp?ThisFile=Access_to_Justice_Roundtable_July_2003.pdf
ISS Conference: The Leriba Statement
http://www.issafrica.org/PUBS/OTHER/LeribaReport02.html
Articles on web
Web docs searched using Tseliso Thipanyane (CEO)(First two pages only)
Racial and Economic Exclusion
http://wmc.who.int/pdf/rac_econ_exc_en.pdf
Lack of Jobs Blamed for Race Related Attacks in SA (transcript)
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1746930.htm
Centre for Human Rights, Socio Economic Rights
http://www.chr.up.ac.za/centre_projects/socio/research.html
The South African Human Rights Commission, The 2nd economic and social rights report
http://www.communitylawcentre.org.za/ser/esr2000/2000sept_report.php
Free State has missed the boat of 1994: Mail and Guardian Online
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=282936&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/
Traditional leaders fight to hold on to virginity testing
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1483073.htm
SA Journal on Human Rights
http://www.rapcan.org.za/Virginity%20Testing.pdf
SAHRC’s submissions on Bills to Parliament
Civil Union Bill (2006)
Correctional Services_Aug (2006)
Equality and Disability_June (2006)
Equality Review Process (2006)
Film and Publications_October (2006)
Sexual Offences_May (2006)
Trafficking in Persons_July (2006)
Violence (2006)
Children’s Bill (2005)
Water Allocation Reform (2005)
National Guidelines on School Uniform (2005)
Care of Frail Older Persons (2005)
Judicial Matters (2005)
Regulation on School Fees (2005)
Services at Court (2005)
Anti-terrorism (2004)
Children in Prison (2004)
Children’s Bill (2004)
Education Laws (2004)
Genetically Modified Organisms (2004)
Pace of Land Reform (2004)
Social Development (2004)
Trafficking in Persons (2004)
Alteration of Sex Description (2003)
Child Justice Bill (2003)
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (2003)
Anti-terror (2003)
Communal Land Rights (2003)
Immigration Act (2003)
Electoral Laws (2003)
Immigration Bill (2002)
Constitutional Amenments (2001)
Criminal Procedure_Plea Bargaining (2001)
Interception and Monitoring Bill (2001)
Immigration Bill (2000)
International Migration (2000)
Assessment of the SAHRC
CSAP assessment_2006
Links to useful websites
National Human Rights Institutions
www.achpr.org (African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights)
http://www.chrc.ca (Canadian Human Rights Commission)
www.hreoc.gov.au (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission – Australia)
www.unhchr.ch (for all UN human rights documentation and links to regional human rights bodies)
Other useful sites
www.acts.co.za (for SA legislation)
www.amnesty.org (reports on human rights situation worldwide)
www.constitutionalcourt.org.za (see links to judgments from other SA courts)
www.up.ac.za (links to the Centre for Human Rights which hosts African Commission documentation)
www.law.wits.ac.za (links to the Constitutional Court, SA law Commission, CALS, Supreme Court of Appeal judgments Land Claims Court, University of Minnesota Human Rights Library http://wwwserver.law.wits.ac.za )
http://www.communitylawcentre.org.za (Community Law Centre UWC)
http://diana.law.yale.edu (an international archive of human rights materials)
www.gov.za (government of SA, government system, departments, documents and forms)
www.gcis.gov.za (SA government communication)
www.echr.coe.int (judgments and decisions of the European Court of Human Rights)
http://www.hrweb.org
www.humanrigtswatch.org (human rights situation/violations worldwide)
http://www.interights.org (Commonwealth cases)
http://www.kas.za
http://www.umn.edu
www.llrx.com for researching South African law
www.nepad.org (Information on Nepad)
www.parliament.gov.za all parliamentary information (South Africa)
www.polity.org.za (policy papers, government info, legislation 1994-etc.)
www.un.org (links to all UN agencies including UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and documentation)
http://www.unesco.org
http://www.unicef.org
http://www.worldlii.org World legal information
