Attention: Editors and Reporters

Thursday, 8 August 2019

Tomorrow, the 9^th August 2019, is National Women’s Day in South Africa. The day holds great historical significance in the establishment of South Africa’s constitutional democracy. The day commemorates the famous 1956 Women’s March against repressive pass laws, and generaly against the oppression and subjugation of women.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

07 August 2019

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Office will conduct workshops with schools in Durban and Kwa-Nongoma.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

7 August 2019

The South African Human Rights Commission North West provincial office will host the launch of a report following a Provincial Investigative Hearing on the Lack of Safety and Security Measures in Schools for Children with Disabilities at the North West School for the Deaf.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

06 August 2019

On 07-08 August 2019, the South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”), Western Cape Provincial Office, working in collaboration with other institutions supporting democracy, will be hosting information sessions to amplify basic human rights awareness enshrined in “Chapter 2 of the Constitution – the Bill of Rights. The information sessions are centered under the theme “Know Your Rights and Responsibilities.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Friday, 02 August 2019

The South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) condemns the attack on law enforcement officials in the Johannesburg CBD yesterday. Law enforcement officials have a duty to ensure law and order in our communities. These attacks undermine the constitutional mechanisms that are designed to enhance our social fibre and maintain the rule of law. All inhabitants of the Republic must abide by the laws of the country without exception and allow law enforcement officials to conduct their duties without hindrance.

02 August 2019

Attention: Editors and Reporters

On Monday, 05 August 2019, the Randburg Magistrates Court sitting as the Equality Court will hear the South African Human Rights Commission’s (“the Commission”) discrimination and hate speech claim against Mr Adam Catzavelos. This application by the Commission follows Mr Catzavelo’s use of the word “kaffir” in a self- recorded video in August 2018. 

Attention: Editors and Reporters

31 July 2019

As part of the 2019 Schools Moot Court Competition, the Mpumalanga Provincial Office will be hosting a capacity building workshop aimed at empowering both learners and educators in preparation to partake in the national competition later in the year. The workshop is expected to create awareness on how the Constitution and the law work through court process to protect, demonstrate interconnectedness and promote respect of fundamental human rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

25 July 2019

On 24 July 2019, the South African Human Rights Commission (“Commission”) convened a subpoena hearing in terms of section 15(1)(c) and (d) of the South African Human Rights Commission Act 40 of 2013 (“SAHRC Act”), following the repeated failure of the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality (“Municipality”) to respond to allegations levelled against it by Mr Joseph Sibanyoni (“Mr Sibanyoni”) on 16 November 2018 and Ms Thembi Mahlangu (“Ms Mahlangu”) on 18 January 2019, respectively.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

25 July 2019

Over the years, the SAHRC Mpumalanga Provincial Office has received numerous complaints regarding undocumented learners, who have been denied access to schools due to lack of documentation. The Commission considers this continuing conduct from some schools as a gross violation of the rights of children enshrined in the Constitution.

24 July 2019

ATTENTION: Editors and Reporters

The Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission, Adv. Bongani Majola will be conducting a Provincial Visit in the Limpopo Province on 22 July - 26 July 2019. The purpose of this visit is to assess the status of public health care facilities in the province. This is in line with the Commission’s mandate contained in Section 184(1) (b) of the Constitution, which obliges the Commission to promote the protection of human rights, monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the Republic of South Africa.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

23 July 2019

The Western Cape Department of Local Government (Department) working in collaboration with  the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will host advocacy and outreach engagements in the Breede Valley Local Municipality from 24-25 July 2019.  The two day Outreach, which will also include other government departments, is an integrated service delivery vehicle used by the Department to ensure that services get to reach outlying areas in the province.

22 July 2019

ATTENTION: Editors and Reporters

The Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission, Adv. Bongani Majola will be conducting a Provincial Visit in the Limpopo Province on 22 July - 26 July 2019. The purpose of this visit is to assess the status of public health care facilities in the province. This is in line with the Commission’s mandate contained in Section 184(1) (b) of the Constitution, which obliges the Commission to promote the protection of human rights, monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the Republic of South Africa.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19 July 2019

As part of the 2019 Schools Moot Court Competition, the FREE STATE Provincial Office will be hosting capacity building workshops aimed at empowering both learners and educators in preparation to partake in the national competition later in the year. The workshops are expected to create awareness on how the Constitution and the law work through court process to protect, demonstrate and promote respect of fundamental human rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19 July 2019

As part of the 2019 Schools Moot Court Competition, the FREE STATE Provincial Office will be hosting capacity building workshops aimed at empowering both learners and educators in preparation to partake in the national competition later in the year. The workshops are expected to create awareness on how the Constitution and the law work through court process to protect, demonstrate and promote respect of fundamental human rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19 July 2019

The South African Human Rights Commission (“The Commission”) and the office of the Public Protector will convene the fourth and final sitting of the Alexandra Inquiry. The inquiry will probe socio-economic conditions in Alexandra, their impact on fundamental rights and whether such amounts to maladministration, abuse of power, corruption or improper conduct.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19 July 2019

The South African Human Rights Commission (“The Commission”) and the office of the Public Protector will convene the fourth and final sitting of the Alexandra Inquiry. The inquiry will probe socio-economic conditions in Alexandra, their impact on fundamental rights and whether such amounts to maladministration, abuse of power, corruption or improper conduct.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19 JULY 2019

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) working in partnership with the Nyanga SAPS, the local Community Policing Forum and other key stakeholders will host a Men’s Dialogue in the area. With the alarming increase of reported violent crimes in and around Nyanga which has led to the area being referred to as “the murder capital of South Africa”, stakeholders met and agreed on having an intervention to address these challenges. Accordingly, it was agreed that a dialogue of this nature would afford local men an opportunity to brainstorm and assist to come up with solutions to the problem of crime in the area.   

Attention: Editors and Reporters
18 July 2019

As part of the 2019 Schools Moot Court Competition, the Mpumalanga Provincial Office will be hosting a capacity building workshop aimed at empowering both learners and educators in preparation to partake in the national competition later in the year. The workshop is expected to create awareness on how the Constitution and the law work through court process to protect, demonstrate interconnectedness and promote respect of fundamental human rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

18 July 2019                                          

On 18 and 19 July 2019, the North West Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day (or Mandela Day).  The Mandela Day is an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on the 18th July. The day was officially declared by the United Nations (UN) in November 2009 with the first Mandela Day - recognised by the UN - held on the 18th July 2010.

17 July 2019

Attention:  Editors and Reporters

On 18 July 2019 the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) together with the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF) will host a civil society and media engagement in preparation of the official launch of the National Mechanism for Torture Prevention (NPM) in Cape Town. The recent establishment of the NPM under the auspices of the SAHRC represents an important first step in renewed efforts to combat and prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in all places of detention across South Africa.