Friday, 23 May 2008

On the eve of Africa Day, the South African Human Rights Commission again condemns the ongoing xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals and South Africans of different ethnicity.

What has happened in South African townships in the last couple of days has betrayed the vision of the majority of South Africans who want to identify themselves with the vision that the founders of the OAU had for Africa.

When the Organization of African Unity was established, it derived inspiration from key objectives and principles of contained in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration provided a vision and laid down the basis for the attainment of fundamental human rights, and the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small.

As the continent celebrates this important day, all sectors of the South African society, namely government, civil society, business and individual members of the community, need to ask themselves whether they have done enough to turn the vision of the OAU into reality for both our compatriots and our brothers and sisters from across the continent, given what is happening in our country at the moment.

Perhaps the Commission’s first annual Human Rights Development Report, which was released yesterday, has the answer. The report reveals that while a lot has been done to improve the well-being of its people, South Africa is still a country characterized by growing levels of poverty, deepening inequality, lack of access to information relevant to the enjoyment of human rights, violence against women and children, governmental failure to acknowledge international human rights instruments, and growing racial and inter-ethnic intolerance.

For example, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism implored the South African government last year to develop clear policy objectives and concrete programmes for the eradication of xenophobia. Further, the committee to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination advised government several years ago to enact hate crime legislation in order to deal with hate crimes, xenophobia, and racist behaviour, yet to today none of these were done.

The Commission also calls on the government to sincerely engage with stakeholders on the Zimbabwean issue. The Commission is of the view that the xenophobic attacks currently unfolding in South Africa are also as a result of the crisis in Zimbabwe.

In solidarity with all those affected by the violence of the last few days, the Commission will participate in various marches against Xenophobia which will take place around Johannesburg tomorrow.

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