South African Human Rights Commission

Legal Services

Click here to lodge a complaint online 

 

The Constitution of the Republic of SA (Section 184) provides that the Human Rights Commission must do the following:

 

(1) (a) promote respect for human rights and a culture of human rights;
(b) promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights and

(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;

(b) to take steps to secure appropriate redress where human rights have been violated……”

 

 

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 Act Number 54 of 1994 (Click here)

·      Complaints Regulations Amendments (Click here)

·      Complaints Handling Manual (Click here)

·      Bill of Rights, Chapter two of the Constitution (Click here)

 

 

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 case occurred 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 Magistrate's 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 or 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