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Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission) in the Free State Province will be conducting a stakeholder engagement with the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality, Department of Rural and Land Reform, and Marena A Makholokoeng in the Harrismith. The stakeholder engagement will be focusing on land and food security. South Africa has about 17 million individuals that are experiencing inadequate to severely inadequate access to land and food security (Stats SA, GHS 2020).
Attention: Editors and Reporters
17 October 202
The South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) has noted a systemic issue in the manner in which the South African Police Services (SAPS), City of Cape Town Law Enforcement and Private Security Companies conduct themselves during evictions of unlawful occupiers and interactions with homeless persons in the Western Cape.
17 October 2022
The development and launch of the Commission’s Social Harmony National Effort (SHiNE) initiative intended to deal with the myriad of social and economic challenges faced by the country which are eclipsed only by the levels of inequality and disharmony in the country as a whole. The aim of SHiNE is to commit every South African to reflecting on and acting in small but important ways to develop respect and harmony in our homes and among the diversities that exist in our midst.
16 October 2022
The media has a substantive role to play in society in disseminating and publishing information as well as educating and entertaining the public. Consequently, the media has a mandate in shaping the views and perceptions of communities on any given topic, whether of national importance or personal enjoyment.
14 October 2022
In a significant move towards improving rights realization and protection within the province of the Eastern Cape and South Africa as a whole, the South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) in the Eastern Cape will be signing Memoranda of Understanding with all the universities within the Province, namely Walter Sisulu, Rhodes, Fort Hare as well as Nelson Mandela Universities. This will occur during a high level engagement on the 17th of October 2022, in Gqeberha, which will be led by the Commission’s National Deputy Chairperson, Commissioner Fatima Chohan, and supported by the area focus Commissioner, Adv. Andre Gaum.
14 October 2022
Over the years, the Commission in the North West has received a few complaints and enquiries relating to the eviction of persons and the demolition of such persons’ homes and properties pursuant to eviction and demolition orders issued by the Royal Bafokeng Traditional Court.
Historically, the Commission addressed such complaints and enquiries by referring the affected persons to Legal Aid South Africa for further assistance. However, noting that the Commission continues to receive such complaints, it believes these complaints should be addressed at a more systemic level, noting the impact of evictions on the affected persons and their families.
13 October 2022
The South African Human Rights Commission Gauteng provincial office (GPO) will visit Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, on 13 October 2022.
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital is a large central accredited general hospital in the province of Gauteng, that also serves as a referral hospital for a number of hospitals in the republic.
Date: 10 October 2022
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The SAHRC’s North West Provincial Office received a complaint concerning the violation of the rights of the farm dwellers at Straatsdrift farms in Groot Marico under the jurisdiction of Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality. The human rights challenges raised involve, among others, shortage of water; lack of proper sanitation and healthcare services; inadequate housing; lack of police visibility; abuse of labourers’ rights and lack of basic municipality services at the Straatsdrift farms.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
05 OCTOBER 2022
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) together with the Departments of Basic Education (DBE) as well as the Justice & Constitutional Development (DOJ&CD), will host the 2022 National Schools Moot Court Programme (NSMCP) finals at the University of Pretoria on 6 to 7 October 2022, and grand finale at the Constitutional Court, Johannesburg on 09 October 2022.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
05 October 2022
In the matter of Solidarity & Another v Black First Land First & 2 Others EQ2/19 Equality Court Gauteng Local Division, a complaint of hate speech in terms of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000 (‘the Equality Act’), was instituted against the Black First Land First (First Respondent) and two members of Black First Land First (the Second and Third Respondents) for comments they made following the death of three white learners arising from the collapse of a bridge at Driehoek Hoerskool in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng.
Friday, 30 September 2022
Twenty-eight years into democracy, access to safe and decent sanitation continues to be a huge challenge, which has a disproportionate impact on the lives of women, children and persons with disabilities. Additionally, the usage of the demeaning bucket toilet system, which is an affront to human dignity, continues in South Africa. According to the Statistics South Africa’s Non-Financial Census of Municipalities for the year ended 30 June 2020, several households continue to use the bucket toilet system. Although between 2004 and 2019 a gradual and steady decline in the use of the bucket toilet system was recorded, however a sharp increase was noted, with 47,130 units being in use in 2020 compared to 42,434 units in 2019. The highest numbers of households using the bucket toilet were recorded in the provinces of Free-State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and the North West.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC or Commission) has established the Disability Advisory Committee on the Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM). The seminal event marks a culmination of efforts initiated by the Commission in April 2019, to establish an IMM for South Africa. The IMM, under Article 33 of the Convention for the rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Convention/CRPD), seeks dedicated and independent monitoring of the rights of persons with disabilities in each country which has adopted the obligations under the Convention.
The IMM in South Africa, is located within the South African Human Rights Commission and is among the first IMMs in the continent.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
29 September 2022
The South African Human Rights Commission Gauteng provincial office (GPO) will host a Deaf Awareness campaign at The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg on 29 September 2022.
29 September 2022
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission, KwaZulu Natal Provincial Office (the Commission/ SAHRC) will host a roundtable discussion on social media and freedom of expression on the 30th of September 2022. The dialogue will be held in a hybrid form, to allow for both physical attendance at the KZN provincial office and for virtual connectivity on Microsoft Teams (Link below).
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission’s (“Commission”) Gauteng Provincial Office will host a follow-up stakeholder engagement on the plight of homeless community in Mogale City. In the recent past, the Mogale City Municipality’s Public Safety unit has been accused of serious human rights violations and heavy-handed treatment of homeless people.
28 September 2022
Learners with severe to profound intellectual disabilities (“LSPID”) have a need to access quality, publicly funded education and support. This is provided for in the (“LSPID”) conditional grant. The purpose of the LSPID conditional grant is to provide the necessary support, resources and equipment to identified special care centres and schools for the provision of education to children with severe to profound intellectual disabilities.
Date: 28 September 2022
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The SAHRC Free State Provincial Office has received several complaints including amongst others the illegal farm evictions of occupants protected by ESTA and the pounding of livestock by farm owners.
27 September 2022
The South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) will conduct a newsroom visit to provide an opportunity for media houses to interact with the North West Provincial Office (NWPO) and for the NWPO to share information on the work of the Commission.
27 September 2022
The objective of the stakeholder engagements is to engage with government departments, civil society organisations and communities with the view to heightening awareness about human rights and institutions that can help with redress for human rights violations, with a specific focus on the role of the Commission in promoting, monitoring and protecting human rights.
26 September 2022
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is a Constitutional body, established to support constitutional democracy in terms of Section 181 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Constitution). Section 184(1) (b) of the Constitution obliges the SAHRC to promote the protection of human rights and monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the Republic of South Africa.
About us
Understanding PAIA
The Human Rights Commission is the national institution established to support constitutional democracy. It is committed to promote respect for, observance of and protection of human rights for everyone without fear or favour.
Sentinel House, Sunnyside Office Park, 32 Princess of Wales Terrace, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
011 877 3600 (Switchboard)