17 January 2024

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission) in the Northern Cape Province will be conducting monitoring during the schools reopening for the 2024 academic year. The main objective of this monitoring initiative is to evaluate the current state of human rights in education, emphasising aspects that directly impact on learners, parents, and educators.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

17 January 2024

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) Free State Provincial Office (FSPO) will embark on a school readiness program that consists of monitoring of schools within the province, as a mechanism to ensure the observance of and the promotion of Human Rights.  Section 29 of the Constitution of South Africa states that everyone has the right to basic education, including adult basic education and to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

16 January 2024

The South African Human Rights Commission Gauteng Provincial Office (GPO) will visit The Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital on 16 January 2024.

The Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital, in Krugersdorp is a teaching institute for Wits University, University of Johannesburg as well as the North West University. The Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital, serves as a referral centre for most central, regional and district hospitals in southern Gauteng and parts of the North-West province and sees hundreds of patients for treatment and rehabilitation.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

15 January 2024

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (Commission) Western Cape Provincial Office (WCPO) is concerned at reports that the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) expects to have to find places for currently 688 new applicants at the start of the school year. Following budget reductions across all state funded institutions and departments, plans to build schools to meet the expected demand could not be carried out. As a result, the annual drive to assist in placing learners from other provinces wishing to attend schools in the Western Cape and late applicants from the Western Cape will be even more difficult than usual.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Monday, 15 January 2024

The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) remains concerned with the ongoing floods that affected Ladysmith, Dundee, Mandeni and more recently those that occurred over the weekend in parts of the KZN North Coast and other surrounding areas, as well as the adverse weather conditions (heavy rains, whirlwinds, and lightning) which continue to affect parts of the KwaZulu- Natal Province.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

11 January 2024

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC/Commission) is pleased to announce the commencement of work of the newly appointed Commissioners. Since the confirmation of the appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa in December 2023, Commissioners have hit the ground running since 03 January 2024. Areas of strategic focus have been allocated to each Commissioner. In addition, there is an appointment of Commissioners into the nine provinces to support the Commission’s vision of visibility and improve rapid responsiveness throughout the country in line with its mandate to promote, monitor and protect human rights.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Saturday, 31 December 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) is concerned with the recent flash floods that affected the area of Ladysmith and other surrounding areas, as well as the adverse weather conditions (heavy rains) which continue to affect some parts of the KwaZulu- Natal Province. The Commission appeals for the observance of human rights in responding to the flash floods and adverse weather conditions which continue to affect the most vulnerable communities.  The Commission calls on the Provincial Government and relevant stakeholders to ensure rapid and constant responsiveness to this on-going crisis.  The Commission further calls on communities to exercise caution during these periods and to aid their fellow residents where possible.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

21 December 2023

International Human Rights Day is annually celebrated on the 10 December to commemorate the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Under this declaration, states pledge to uphold, respect, and promote the rights of all people. The 2023 United Nations (UN) theme for International Human Rights Day is “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All”.

18 December 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (the Commission) Western Cape Provincial Office (WCPO) will be hosting a human rights awareness outreach in commemoration of International Human Rights Day at the Haven Night Shelter, Napier Street, Cape Town, on Monday 18 December 2023. The commemoration of International Human Rights Day celebrates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a foundational international agreement regarding fundamental rights every year on 10 December.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

12 December 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (the Commission) Gauteng Provincial Office will embark on a monitoring roadshow in various parts of the Gauteng Province. The road show forms part of the Gauteng Provincial Offices monitoring initiatives aimed at assessing the observance and respect of human rights across the province. The districts to be visited during the roadshow include Ekurhuleni Municipality, Sedibeng District Municipality and the City of Johannesburg.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

11 December 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (Commission) Western Cape Provincial Office (WCPO) will be having an engagement with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to understand the quintiling of schools, the process of review of these designations and to discuss challenges experienced at certain schools relating to the quintile they have been assigned. These challenges had been identified through the Commission’s monitoring programme where it was noted that schools which are placed in quintiles 4 and 5 sometimes experience challenges due to receiving lesser financial resources per learner, per year. These challenges include the issue of quintile 4 and 5 schools not being included in school nutrition programmes.  

Attention: Editors and Reporters

11 December 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) has issued its final report on its investigation into the challenges of school infrastructure in the North West. The investigation was prompted by complaints received by the Commission regarding challenges with school infrastructure in specific schools in the North West, as well as the Commission’s own observations during its monitoring work which, amongst others, assesses the state of infrastructure at public schools in the province.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

9 December 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (Commission) Western Cape Provincial Office (WCPO) will, in collaboration with the office of the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, launch its Social Harmony National Effort (SHiNE) programme in the Western Cape under the theme of Positive Role Models for Children”. To launch the SHiNE programme, the WCPO invited learners from schools to attend the SHiNE Event at the Castle of Good Hope with the Cape Town Arts Festival.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

9 December 2023

International Human Rights Day, celebrated annually on the 10^th of December, commemorates the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).  The UDHR was adopted in 1948, in the aftermath of the devastation caused by World War II. It encompasses 30 articles which set out fundamental human rights to be universally protected and continues to serve as the basis for international human rights law.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

08 December 2023

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC or Commission) is aware of the letter prepared by Solidarity in respect of the SAHRC's National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) parallel report under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Convention or ICERD).  The SAHRC’s NHRI parallel report, submitted in November 2023, was prepared following a request from the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (Committee or CERD), and in anticipation of the South African government’s review of its 9th to 11th periodic report under the ICERD.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

8 December 2023

Today, on Friday, 8 December 2023, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC/Commission) releases the report of its National Conference: Marking 110 years of the Natives Land Act: Reflecting on measures taken towards redistribution of land in South Africa.