The SAHRC panel presiding over the hearings comprise Commissioners Andre Gaum (Chair of the Hearing), Philile Ntuli and Chris Nissen. During the various sessions of the hearings, the SAHRC received a large body of written and oral evidence from affected community members, civil society organisations, experts, business and government.   In the previous session of the hearing, His Excellency, President Ramaphosa, in his testimony recognized the importance of the probe by the Commission and articulated his support for the process. Other key members of Cabinet such as the Minister of Police, Mr Bheki Cele and former Minister of Defense and Military Veterans, Mrs Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, also appeared before the Commission to provide testimony and respond to questions posed by the Commission.
The Commission will hear oral evidence from the Social Cohesion Group. The sitting on 21 June 2022 marks the close of the receipt of oral evidence.
Circumstances around the Unrest that unfolded in July 2021 are a matter of national concern and implicate a spectrum of basic human rights, such as the right to security, the right to be free from all forms of violence, the right not to have one’s possessions seized and the right to life. The events which plunged the country into a crisis have had both direct impacts on human rights and long-term implications for people and for the economic health of the country beyond the two provinces where the unrest occurred during July 2021. The probe by the Commission as an independent constitutional body is therefore a necessary response allowing reflection on the causes, outcomes and responses during the July Unrest, with the view to ensuring that a human rights crisis of such a nature does not again befall the country.

The Hearing will be live streamed and would be accessible on the Commission’s website: www.sahrc.org.za; social media pages Twitter: @SAHRCommission, Facebook: South African Human Rights Commission and YouTube channel: SAHRC1. Stream link to be shared.
Members of the media are welcome at the venue.

Hearing will be held as follows:
Date: 21 June 2022
Venue: Raddison Blu in Sandton, Rivonia Road and Daisy Street
Duration: 15h00 – 17h00


– Ends –

Issued by the South African Human Rights Commission

Wisani Baloyi – Acting Communications Coordinator Tel: 081 016 8308 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Alucia Sekgathume Tel: 082 689 2364 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

NB: Members of the media are welcome to attend