19 Mar 2023

THE SA Human Rights Commission SAHRC in the province will embarked on a host of activities on Tuesday to commemorate Human Rights Day. The commission will be doing activations in Newcastle and Charlestown tomorrow, when they will be visiting schools, clinics, police stations, the Department of Social Development and taxi ranks in the Amajuba District. Pavershree Padayachee, SAHRC's acting provincial manager, said the commission could not predetermine how the national shutdown called for tomorrow would impact on its planned activities but they would be proceeding with their activities for the week as planned.

22 Mar 2023

THE South African Human Rights Commission SAHRC says it will be engaging with the SAPS following a complaint from the DA on the decision by the Western Cape police to record complainants' statements in English only. SAHRC Commissioner Andre Gaum said: "The Commission received the complaint and will send an allegation letter to South African Police Service SAPS this coming week." DA's spokesperson on police, Okkie Terblanche, said the party would fight the "latest attack" on the language.

23 Mar 2023

I'M SORRY, SAYS DA SPEAKER IN RACISM ROW just shared a funny little video, that all'

DA CEDERBERG Municipality speaker John Hayes has landed himself in hot water for sharing a picture likening EFF supporters to baboons ahead of the party's march on Monday. The Human Rights Commission has confirmed that it has launched an investigation after receiving a complaint over the matter. The picture with the words "be careful... the EFF strike started. Looting trend in SA" has since been removed from his Facebook page. SAHRC commissioner Andre Gaum said the incident was being dealt with by their provincial department.

Opinion

By Commissioner Philile Ntuli:

30 April 2023

Having inherited systemic fragmentation, deep racial divides, massive socio-economic and service delivery inequalities – the local government sphere has faced great challenges in promoting human rights, addressing past backlogs and spatial distortions, and planning for a sustainable future, writes Philile Ntuli.

Across all locales of South African society, there is a general sense of discontent regarding service delivery in general, and the performance of municipal institutions specifically.

03 April 2023

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission in Gauteng kicks off its Social Harmony Through National Effort (SHINE) initiatives in the month of April 2023. The SHINE initiative is intended to encourage social harmony through national efforts. The Gauteng provincial office theme is “POSITIVE DIALOGUE IS OUR SAVING GRACE” focusing on the importance of dialogue and the sharing of lived experiences through our own narratives.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

27 March 2023

Human Rights Day is observed annually on March 21st to remember and honour those who died in the Sharpeville massacre on that date in 1960. This massacre took the lives of many people protesting against Apartheid pass laws, including children, and left an indelible mark on history. National Human Rights Day is extremely important to the South African Human Rights Commission, which is mandated by the Constitution to monitor, promote, and protect human rights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

27 March 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission) wishes to inform the media and members of the public of the appointment of Mr Vusumuzi Mkhize as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective (today) Monday, 27th March 2023.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

27 March 2023

In terms of sections 13(1) (b) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) of the South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) Act 40 of 2013, the Commission must develop and conduct educational programmes to foster public awareness and understanding of Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Further, the Commission has a duty to maintain close liaison and institutions with similar objectives in order to foster common policies, practices and to further the objectives and mandate of the Commission. Finally, the Commission may consider recommendations, suggestions and requests concerning the promotion of respect of human rights it may receive from any other source. This includes the media.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

23 MARCH 2023

The SAHRC Mpumalanga Provincial Office will be commemorating Human Rights Day under the theme: “Consolidating and Sustaining the Culture of Human Rights into the Future.”

March month is commonly known as human rights month, during March month the nation comes together to celebrate and promote human rights and equality for all. The concept of human rights is based on the notion that every person is entitled to rights and freedoms in the Constitution simply by virtue of being human. In celebrating human rights month, the Commission continues to demonstrate its commitment towards its constitutional mandate of ensuring promotion and protection human rights for all.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

22 March 2022

The South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) joins the world in commemorating World Water Day, under the global theme "accelerating change" to solve the global water and sanitation crisis.

Access to water and sanitation are fundamental to everyone’s health, dignity and prosperity. As such, Chapter 2 of the Constitution of South Africa recognizes, and provides that: “Everyone has the right to have access to sufficient food and water.”  The right to water entitles everyone to have access to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water for personal and domestic use. Conversely, the right to sanitation entitles everyone to have physical and affordable access to sanitation, in all spheres of life, that is safe, hygienic, secure, and socially and culturally acceptable and that provides privacy and ensures dignity.