25 February 2011

By Pregs Govender, SAHRC Deputy Chairperson, responsible for Basic Services & Health Care

“Transforming society, Securing rights, Restoring dignity”

My address on the purpose of today’s event, is entitled ‘Transforming society, securing rights, restoring dignity’ – the mission of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). The South Africa Human Rights Commission is mandated by our Constitution to promote and monitor the development, attainment and protection of human rights in our country. It is also mandated to help build a culture that respects human rights.

Date: Thursday, 24 February 2011

An analysis conducted by the South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) and the Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute on the national Budget released yesterday, revealed that there is congruence between the intentions of the State of the Nation Address and the overall budget allocations.

01 August 2015

By Deputy Chairperson Pregs Govender, Commissioner responsible for Basic Services & Health Care

The song of women on the march in 1956, Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo, honours the love that ensures the survival of millions of families and communities.

One of the meanings of imbokodo is “grinding stone”, referring to the work countless women do to produce food. In contrast to the production of weapons, creating food to nourish and sustain life is not counted in the gross domestic product, the measurement of economic growth.

24 November 2014

By Deputy Chairperson Pregs Govender, Commissioner responsible for Basic Services & Health Care

From high-profile cases to cases that never make the headlines, it is clear that there is no ceasefire of the war in homes, neighborhoods and workplaces. Patriarchs, from pulpits and podiums, attack the dignity of people who do not conform to militarized masculinity and submissive femininity. Every day we hear of misogynistic attacks on babies, children, heterosexual and lesbian women and people who are gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex.

28 August 2014

Video presentation by Deputy Chairperson Pregs Govender, Commissioner responsible for Basic Services & Health Care

At the recent meeting between State Institutions Supporting Constitutional Democracy and Parliamentary Committees MPs weighed in on ‘this independence thing’ of Chapter Nine Institutions. One MP asserted that there must be ‘one country, one voice!’ Instead of being vigorously challenged, she was supported by other MPs opposed to Chapter Nine Institutions criticising Government.

29 May 2014

By Commissioner Mokate, SAHRC Commissioner responsible for Children and Basic education

Despite having been abolished for 18 years, corporal punishment in schools continues with alarming frequency with the General Household Surveys 2012, indicating that some 2.2 million children were made subject to the practise in this year. Of late, the SAHRC has noted a considerable rise of incidence of corporal punishment in schools.

24 March 2014

By Minister Connie September, Minister of Human Settlements

Positive results will soon be felt by the people whose dignity has been assaulted by the bucket toilet system, says Human Settlements Minister Connie September.

09 August 2015

By Deputy Chairperson Pregs Govender, SAHRC Commissioner responsible for Basic Services & Health Care

Dignity is the inherent worth and value of every human being. Humanity’s birthright was silenced by apartheid’s capitalist and patriarchal paradigm, which devalued, fragmented and destroyed human beings.

The earth, air and water that sustain life became commodities to exploit for profit.

10 March 2016

By Chairperson Lourence Mushwana, Commissioner responsible for Migration & Equality

It is not a co-incidence that the South African Human Rights Commission decided to launch the Right to Food which on a day prior to the Human Rights Day in South Africa.

There must be a particular reason for the Constitutional imperative which states that ‘everyone has the right to adequate food and water’

02 March 2014

By Deputy Chairperson Pregs Govender, Commissioner responsible for Basic Services & Health Care

Hartbeespoort, Rooikoppies, Vaalkop and Klipvoor Dams are located in the Madibeng Municipality. Four dams...that should be more than enough water for everyone, to drink, wash and wallow in on scorching summer days in the North-West Province. The world’s third largest chrome producer and the richest Platinum Group Metals Reserve are in Madibeng. During Apartheid and Democracy the wealthy owners of the mines, tourist companies, agribusiness and other large industries did not experience water shortages or water cuts. Yet communities who are Black and poor, living next to the dams complained to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) that they went without water for days, weeks and months.