Taking place 113 years after the enactment of the 1913 Natives Land Act and 30 years into South Africa’s constitutional democracy, the dialogue seeks to foster a reflection on the enduring legacies of land dispossession, spatial injustice and unequal development, and their implications for human rights, democratic governance and constitutional transformation.
The dialogue will bring together leading scholars, community leaders, human rights advocates and practitioners to examine the historical foundations of land dispossession and their continued impact on contemporary South Africa. Discussions will explore the relationship between land, dignity, governance, socioeconomic rights and democratic participation, while considering what substantive constitutional transformation requires in the present moment.
The Constitutional Dialogue asks: “Thirty years into democracy, to what extent do the spatial, economic and governance legacies of the Bantustan system continue to shape inequality, governance and access to socioeconomic rights across South Africa, and what does substantive constitutional transformation require?”
EVENT DETAILS
- Date: Friday, 19 June 2026
- Time: 08h00 – 16h00
- Venue: Human Rights Conference Room (Constitution Hill (Old Fort) Johannesburg
The Old Fort at Constitution Hill is located at 11 Kotze Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The precinct is easily accessible and offers secure, paid parking on-site. The GPS coordinates for the entrance are -26.190217, 28.041916•
Participation: The dialogue will be hosted as a hybrid event. Members of the public and the media are invited to attend either in person or virtually.
Virtual Participation: Please register on this link
Physical Attendance: Limited seating is available for in-person attendance. Those wishing to attend physically should RSVP by no later than 16h30 on Wednesday, 17 June 2026 to Dirk Swart | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 011 8773787
ENDS
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION