20 February 2024.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (“the Commission”) Gauteng Provincial Office will investigate the alleged arrest and detention of a minor by the South African Police Service (SAPS) officials for not carrying a birth certificate/identity document.

 Attention: Editors and Reporters

20 February 2024

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) Free State Provincial Office (FSPO) will commemorating World Day of Social Justice with the following Institution: University of the Free State Department of Sociology, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development as well as the Champions of Human Rights. Every year on February 20th, the World Day for Social Justice acts as a platform for raising awareness of global social justice concerns. Moreover, the World Day of Social Justice recognises the importance of promoting efforts to address challenges such as poverty, exclusion, employment, gender equity, and universal access to social well-being and justice.

Date: 20 February 2024

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The SAHRC Limpopo Provincial Office (LPO) convenes a meeting with different stakeholders around Groblersdal to understand the challenges that may be causing racial tension in the area.  The meeting aims to ignite strategies that may be employed to address the racial tension.

19 February 2024

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The Eastern Cape Provincial Office (ECPO) of the South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) is actively participating in crucial stakeholder engagements stemming from complaints regarding inadequate service delivery in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMBMM) from 20-21 February 2024. These engagements are intended to facilitate discussions between the affected community and the responsible municipality, allowing for a thorough examination of the implementation status of service delivery plans. This is in accordance with section 184 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa that; the Commission must promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights in the Republic.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Monday, 19 February 2024

Access to water is a fundamental human right which is enshrined in section 27(1) (b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Water has the capacity to create peace and has the equal potential to spark conflict and social unrest. In South Africa, several protest-related events have occurred due to water scarcity and water inequality. On 22 March 2024, South Africa will join the world in commemorating World Water Day under the global theme “Leveraging water for peace”. This theme is important in the South African context which is marred by high levels of deteriorating water and wastewater infrastructure. The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) urges the South African government to pay urgent attention to this dire state of water resource management and distribution which if not urgently addressed may lead to social unrest and destabilise peace in the country.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Monday, 19 February 2024

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC / Commission) continues to monitor the ongoing water challenges in the jurisdiction of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Metro). The Commission has since January 2024 undertaken various initiatives, such as convening meetings with affected communities; participating in war room meetings; and liaising with and issuing correspondences to various government actors across the three spheres of government.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19 February 2024

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (“the Commission”) office in Western Cape will be conducting various monitoring activities in the Garden Route District Municipality. Section 184 (1)(c) of the Constitution states that, the Commission must monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the Republic.  The role of monitoring and assessing potential and actual human right violations provides the Commission with an opportunity to ensure redress and to ensure that human rights are upheld in the Republic.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19 February 2024

In January 2024 the Free State Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission undertook intensive school monitoring activities throughout the Free State Province.

The FSPO visited a number of schools in all five districts, to determine school readiness for the current academic year, as well as to monitor for any possible human rights violations, and other challenges.

19 FEBRUARY  2024

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) convened an Investigative Inquiry to examine Accessibility to Public Transport In Gauteng For People With Disabilities from 20 to 22 November 2023.

In May 2023, the Gauteng Provincial Office (GPO) received a referral complaint in terms of section 3 of PEPUDA from the High Court (Johannesburg), sitting as an Equality Court. The complaint alleged that the current environment at railway stations, bus stations, and taxi ranks poses a danger to and is not accessible to commuters with disabilities. The Complainant views the current state of affairs within the public transport system as a form of unfair discrimination on the basis of disability.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19 February 2024

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (“the Commission”) office in the Western Cape will host a meeting of strategic stakeholders regarding challenges encountered by persons with Albinism in accessing certain rights. Persons with Albinism have reported experiencing various challenges relating to their condition. Albinism is a condition which affects 1 in 4000 persons in Southern Africa. Albinism is characterized by hypopigmentation or lack of pigmentation of the hair, skin and eyes, giving persons with albinism a striking, ethereal appearance.