Various municipalities and other government departments have continued to enforce certain by-laws and policies throughout the country which have a negative impact on marginalised and impoverished members of society. This has affected the entire survival strategies of the poor by law enforcement officials. Some of these by-laws include the prohibition of persons from loitering or sleeping in public spaces, pushing the trolley on a highway, making fire on a beach, begging and washing in the public bathroom. It is such by-laws that directly impact on the poor in the society and the enforcement of these by-laws has often resulted in harassment, confiscation of possessions, and violence.
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or Commission) as an institution created to protect human rights, continues to receive complaints and is required to make interventions whenever homeless people are harassed by law enforcement agencies across the country.
Consequently, the Commission, via the office of Commissioner Chris Nissen, will host a hybrid dialogue to discuss the adverse impact of by-laws and policies on homelessness and people who are homeless from a law enforcement perspective.
The Commission has identified a need to bring together law enforcement officials, municipalities, civil society organisations, government departments, and law clinics in a dialogue in order to take an integrated approach to addressing the urgent concerted intervention to alleviate the impact of homelessness from a law enforcement perspective.
Stakeholders are required to make presentations on plans, policies, and by-laws (together with any assigned budgets) applicable to addressing homelessness and the rights of homeless people from a law enforcement perspective. In addition, discuss ways in which stakeholders and the Commission can establish working relationships in order to address human rights challenges faced by homeless people in line with collective constitutional and other legislative mandates.The national dialogue will be held as follows:
Date: 6 and 7 September 2023
Venue: SAHRC Gauteng Office, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein
Platform: SAHRC Training Centre and Virtual Platform (MS Teams)
Time: 09:00 – 16:00
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.