19 February 2021

The government has for more than a decade “passed the buck” regarding the Vaal River’s sewage pollution by the Emfuleni local municipality, said Maureen Stewart, the vice-chairperson of the nonprofit organisation, Save the Vaal Environment (Save).

20 February 2021

Human settlements, water and sanitation minister Lindiwe Sisulu is taking over the water infrastructure of the Emfuleni local municipality on the Vaal river.

22 Feb 2021

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has released its final report regarding the inquiry into the sewage problem of the Vaal River.

The report, released on February 17, suggests a distasteful and unpalatable state of the Vaal River – despite this being a crucial water source in Gauteng.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

17 February 2021

The Commission will be conducting monitoring of schools and health care facilities in the areas of Nkandla, Melmoth, and Eshowe on the 17th - 18th February 2021. The Commission will be monitoring and assessing the observance of human rights at these facilities, and compliance with relevant legal prescripts regulating such facilities, including compliance with the COVID-19 regulations.

16 February 2021
Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) will on Wednesday, 17 February 2021 from 09:00 host a virtual media briefing to release the findings of the investigations into the sewage problem of the Vaal River.

10 FEBRUAY 2021

Attention: Editors and Reporters

In July 2020 the SAHRC Limpopo Provincial Office (LPO) received complaints from several members of the public relating to a social media post made by one Hamilton Mkhothokgo, who is a student and comedian, popularly known as Mr Chase,  (Respondent), which was widely disseminated. The Respondent was found to make remarks regarding the Vatsonga nation which the SAHRC was convinced constitute hate speech, harassment as well as unfair discrimination based on ethnic and social origin. The remarks included, amongst others, statements referring to offering the lives of the Vatsonga nation as sacrifices to the Covid19 virus, as this specific ethnic group do not bring any value to society.

 09 February 2021

ATTENTION: Editors and Reporters

The North West Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) will conduct human rights monitoring at various mental healthcare facilities in the North West Province.

 Attention: Editors and Reporters

Monday, 08 February 2021

The SAHRC Gauteng Provincial Manager will be laying criminal charges against the Municipal Manager of Merafong Local Municipality, Mr Langa Thibini, for failure to comply with a subpoena notice issued in terms of section 15(1) of the South African Human Rights Commission Act 40, of 2013 (“the SAHRC Act”).

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Monday, 08 February 2021

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC/Commission) receives high volumes of complaints relating to poor service delivery which is a national and systemic issue. The SAHRC’s KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Office has over the past few years been inundated with such complaints from frustrated residents across the Province of KwaZulu-Natal. The majority of complaints being received relate particularly to the lack of access to adequate water which is an intrinsic right to all persons living in the Republic.  The inability of the public and the most vulnerable of communities to access adequate water during this challenging period of the Covid 19 pandemic is of huge concern to the SAHRC as it lends itself to the transgression of a number of human rights including the right to human dignity, access to adequate water as well as the right to life.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Wednesday, 3^rd February 2020

The arrival of the first batch of vaccines against the virulent and transmissible COVID-19 virus, on Monday the 1^st February 2021, is welcomed by the South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission). The Commission looks forward to more vaccines arriving soon and people getting access to them. Regarding the batch just received, the Commission is hopeful that inoculations can proceed within the next two weeks once all regulatory and quality assurance processes have been successfully completed.