Attention: Editors and Reporters

 25 January 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (“the Commission”) Eastern Cape Provincial Office will be embarking on monitoring activities with a focus on health care centres and mental health care institutions in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan, Sarah Baartman District, Chris Hani District and the O R Tambo District Municipalities.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

25 January 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC/ Commission) notes and endorses the press statement issued on 23 January 2023 by the Network of African Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI), a body that represents all national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in the African continent. NANHRI is calling upon all African governments to expand the civic space in their respective jurisdictions, following the brutal murder of Eswatini human rights defender, Adv Thulani Maseko.

Date: 25 January 2023 

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission’s North West provincial office has noted through its monitoring work, the challenge of police visibility in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and Ngaka Modiri Districts. On further enquiry, the Commission was informed that some of the factors that contribute to the challenge of police visibility include the lack of human and material resources in the police stations servicing these areas.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

23 January 2023

SAHRC Mpumalanga provincial office will be conducting human rights dialogues for community based organisations as strategic stakeholders on Mental Health – Promoting and Protecting Human Rights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19 January 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC/ Commission) has issued a final investigative report in the matter of the South African Human Rights Commission // Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke & Head of Department: North West Department of Education & MEC For Education: North West Province.

The report relates to the incident that transpired at Laerskool Schweizer Reneke (School) on 9 January 2019. The incident related to the public dissemination of a photograph depicting four black and eighteen white learners seated at separate tables in a classroom at the school. The photograph sparked public outrage, with many people labelling the incident as racist. Members of the public and other concerned groups gathered within the vicinity of the school to protest against what they perceived to be racial segregation.

14 December 2022

Attention: Editors and Reporters

International Human Rights Day is a calendar day that is commemorated annually to bring awareness and to increase knowledge of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“UDHR”) as a foundational blueprint for taking concrete actions to stand up for human rights and to tackle pressing global issues today. The UDHR will celebrate its 75 years by focusing on its legacy, relevance and activism. This year’s Human Rights Day slogan is “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All” and the call to action is #StandUp4HumanRights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

13 December 2022

The South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) Gauteng Provincial Office (GPO) in line with its mandate will visit Johannesburg Correctional Centre – Sun City on 14 December 2022.

Section 184(1)(c) of the Constitution obliges the Commission to monitor and assess the observance of human rights, including the protection of persons in places of deprivation of liberty in the Republic.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

12 December 2022

The South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) will be commemorating the International Human Rights Day (IHRD) aimed at promoting and recognising the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) under the theme: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

10 December 2022

The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC/ Commission) joins the rest of the world in commemorating International Human Rights Day 2022. This year’s Human Rights Day theme is “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All” and the call to action is #StandUp4HumanRights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

09 December 2022

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (“the Commission”) Eastern Cape Provincial Office (ECPO) will be embarking on various monitoring activities in the Joe Gqabi District Municipality, Chris Hani District Municipality and Sarah Baartman District Municipality. Section 184 (1) (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa states that, the Commission must monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the Republic.  The role of monitoring and assessing human rights and potential human rights violations, provides for an opportunity for the Commission to ensure redress and to ensure that human rights are upheld in the Republic.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

8 December 2022

On 9 December 2022, the North West Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will be commemorating International Human Rights Day under the theme “equality, peace, justice, freedoms, and the protection of human dignity”.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

08 December 2022

In commemoration of International Human Rights Day, the South African Human Rights Commission Gauteng Provincial Office (GPO) will be hosting a Mental Health Awareness Initiative in Tembisa. International Human Rights Day celebrates the rights and freedom of all persons and encourages the respect and observance of rights for all nations and those outside the borders of the country.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Thursday, 08 December 2022

The 10^th of December marks the commemoration of International Human Rights Day (IHRD). The day is globally observed annually in remembrance of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by United Nations General Assembly on the 10^th of December 1948. This proclamation was the first global expression of human rights and is globally recognised as one of the first major achievements of the UN.      

Date: 07 December 2022 

Attention: Editors and Reporters

As the campaign for 16 days of activism on no violence against women and children draws to a close, the SAHRC Limpopo provincial office finds crucial to collaborate, and engage with stakeholders and communities to advance Equality and Social Harmony National Effort- SHiNE, as mechanisms to educate everyone about their Human Rights.  It is a known factor that vulnerable groups in South Africa are subjected to violation of human rights in all spheres of life.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

06 DECEMBER 2022

The South African Human Rights Commission Gauteng provincial office (GPO) will conduct a human rights awareness and capacity building workshop for the Be The Future Foundation. The capacity building workshop is aimed at empowering Human Rights Awareness in the province by training Community Based Organisations and Non-Profit Organisations about human rights and structures that can help with redress for human rights violations with a specific focus on the role of the Chapter Nine Institutions in promoting, monitoring and protecting human rights.

Date: 02 December 2022 

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The SAHRC’s North West Provincial Office received a complaint concerning the violation of the rights of the farm dwellers at Straatsdrift farms in Groot Marico under the jurisdiction of Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality. The human rights challenges raised involve, among others, shortage of water; lack of proper sanitation and healthcare services; inadequate housing; lack of police visibility; and violation of labourers’ rights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

29 November 2022

The South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) will be hosting a roundtable discussion with Chapters 9 and 10 institutions and other relevant stakeholders. 

27 November 2022

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The right to equality is one of the Commission’s strategic focus areas of work and informs a wide range of actions to promote, protect and monitor observance of the right to equality in the country. A continued strategic focus on equality by the Commission is informed by the persisting inequalities in the country. The Commission regularly receives complaints involving alleged violations to the right to equality; conducts investigations and issues investigative reports with findings and recommendations to seek redress for those whose human rights have been infringed.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

24 November 2022

The Mpumalanga Provincial Office (MPO) will be conducting a human rights capacity building workshop for Traditional Leaders (Emakhosi) as strategic stakeholders on Mental Health – Promoting and Protecting Human Rights.

Date: 23 November 2022 

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) is a Constitutional body, established to support constitutional democracy in terms of Section 181 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Constitution). Section 184(1) (b) of the Constitution obliges the Commission to promote the protection of human rights and monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the Republic of South Africa.