Attention Editors and Reporters
26th April 2019

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC or Commission) celebrates twenty five years of democracy with all in South Africa.

Through negotiation and dialogue, South Africa managed to rid itself of a dark history based on the inequality of colonialism and apartheid. The 27th April 1994, marks the date South Africa held its first truly inclusive, free and fair democratic elections. For the first time, all could participate in a fundamental expression of civil and political rights and vote in a national election and choose their political leadership despite race, gender or class.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Wednesday, 24 April 2019

On 28 March 2019, both houses of parliament ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). The OPCAT establishes international and domestic mechanisms of torture prevention through a system of regular visits to places of deprivation of liberty in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 

17 April 2019
Attention: Editors

The South African Human Rights Commission (“The Commission”) will host an inquiry into the recent violent protests in Alexandra Township. This inquiry will form part of the Commission’s investigation, in collaboration with the Public Protector’s office into the service delivery complaints that have given rise to the protests.

16 April 2019
Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission) will hold public meetings in Rus-ter-vaal and Ramaphosaville Informal Settlement tomorrow. This follows the deaths of two people on 10 April 2019 when Red Ants Security was called upon to perform an eviction in the area on behalf of the Emfuleni Local Municipality.

15 April 2019
Attention: Editors and Reporters

In March 2019, the South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) became aware, through various social media platforms, of a widely circulated audio recording concerning a meeting held by MEC Faith Mazibuko with her senior Managers in which she was heard saying the following “I empower you, you are not empowerable. Which other department has an Indian that is a CFO? Which department has an HOD that is a ‘mlungu’? Ayikho [there is none], including national.”

11 April 2019
Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission) will visit Rustervaal Informal Settlement today after a resident allegedly died after he was shot with rubber bullets and a member of the Red Ants member was apparently beaten to death by angry mobs.

Date: Wednesday, 10 April 2019    
For immediate release
Attention: Editors/ News desks


The Public Protector and the Human Rights Commission (the Commission) are to combine efforts in a bid to get to the bottom of service delivery complaints that have given rise to recent violent protests in Alexandra township, north of Johannesburg.

10 April 2019

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South Africa Human Rights Commission has invited the Municipal Manager of the Rand West City Local Municipality to appear before it on Thursday, 11 April 2019, as it continues with its investigations into allegations of raw sewage flowing from the municipality’s Sewage Processing Plant into the Tweelopiespruit & Hartbeespoort.

09 April 2019
Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission) will visit the Sibanye Gold, Driefontein Division, in Carltonville tomorrow to get a first-hand experience of the situation on the ground. This visit follows reports of a four-and-half month long strike at three of Sibanye Gold mines, in which nine people have been killed so far.

28 March 2019

The United Nations has dedicated the 22rd of March as World Water Day, in efforts to raise awareness about this vital resource and to encourage commitments by States that in the quest for water, no one should be left behind. January 2019 marked five years after the tragic death of Michael Komape, a 5 year old boy who helplessly drowned in excrement after falling into a pit latrine in 2014. The incident was sadly not the first to occupy prominent headlines exposing the shockingly unacceptable state of school infrastructure in South Africa.