Click here to lodge a complaint online
The Constitution of the Republic of SA provides that the Human Rights Commission must:
Section 184
(1) "The Human Rights Commission must –
(a) promote respect for human rights and a culture of human rights;
(b) promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights and
[To be performed by legal department]
(c) monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the republic”
(2) “The Human Rights Commission has the powers, as regulated by national legislation, necessary to perform its functions, including the power –
(a) to investigate and to report on the observance of human rights;
[To be performed by legal department]
(b) to take steps to secure appropriate redress where human rights have been violated……”
[To be performed by legal department]
Legal department strategic objective
To protect human rights by investigating individual and systemic human rights violations
Legal department core business
· To investigate individual and systemic complaints of human rights violations
· To provide appropriate redress and resolve disputes regarding human rights violations
Documents
· Human Rights Commission Number 54 of 1994 (Click here)
· Complaints Regulations Amendments (Click here)
· Complaints Handling Manual (Click here)
· Bill of Rights (Click here) Chapter two of the Constitution
Complaints Information
How to make a complaint to the SAHRC
The SAHRC complaints form must be used when applying for help from the SAHRC. Before filling in the complaint form, please read this carefully.
When can you ask the SAHRC for help?
The SAHRC will help you if any of your rights in the Bill of Rights have been violated or abused. Check the Bill of Rights to make sure that your rights have been violated or abused. You can get a copy of the Bill of Rights from the SAHRC.
The SAHRC will usually not be able to help you where:
- your case does not involve a violation of any of the rights in the Bill of Rights;
- your problem happened before 27 April 1994;
- your case is a criminal case and you need a lawyer (in this case, please call the Legal Aid Board on (012) 401 9200 or visit their offices at your closest Magistrates Court); or
- you have been convicted of a crime and you want to appeal.
Since there are many organisations, which deal with specific human rights violations, the SAHRC might refer your case to one of these. If this happens, SAHRC will let you know and tell you how to get in touch with this organisation.
If you are not sure whether you case is one, which the SAHRC will deal with, please contact the SAHRC at one of the addresses at the back of the Complaints form.
Before making a complaint to the SAHRC, please read the following:
If you want to complain about a member of a government department, you should contact the
Public Protector
Tel: (012) 322 2916
If your rights have been violated by the police, you should contact the
Independent Complaints Directorate
Tel: (012) 320 0431
If your employer has violated your rights, you should contact the
Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration
(after you have tried to sort the matter out at work)
Tel: (011) 377 6625
If you were discriminated against (treated badly) because of your sex, you should contact the
Commission on Gender Equality
Tel: (011) 403 7182
Click here for the Complaint form
Contact details
Head: Danaline Franzman
PA to Head of Legal Services
Juliette Steffers
Tel: (011) 484 8300 ext 2007
Fax: (011) 484 1360
E-mail: jsteffers@sahrc.org.za
Complaints registrar
Sebongile Mutlwane
Tel: (011) 484 8300 ext 2113
Fax: (011) 484 1360
E-mail: smutlwane@sahrc.org.za
Inquiries
Discussion Document
