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Attention: Editors and Reporters
On 11 October 2021, the South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission or the SAHRC) filed its submission as Third Party Intervener before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the matter of Semenya v Switzerland (application no. 10934/21). This is the first time that the Commission is involved in human rights litigation in an international forum, and its submission thus marks a significant milestone in this important matter regarding gender equality.
18 October 2021
The South African Human Rights Commission’s Chairperson, Adv. Bongani Majola is conducting a provincial visit in the Eastern Cape from 18 to 22 October 2021.
Media Release: SAHRC Limpopo Provincial Office will be conducting a 4 day hearing on access to water
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The SAHRC Limpopo Provincial Office (LPO) will be conducting a hearing on access to water in Limpopo from 19 to 22 October 2021 in Polokwane.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
On 11 October 2021, the South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission or the SAHRC) filed its submission as Third Party Intervener before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the matter of Semenya v Switzerland (application no. 10934/21). This is the first time that the Commission is involved in human rights litigation in an international forum, and its submission thus marks a significant milestone in this important matter regarding gender equality.
The South African Human Rights Commission (‘the Commission’) will convene an inquiry into allegations of racial discrimination or discrimination in general in advertising within South Africa. The Inquiry is scheduled from 21 – 28 February 2022.
In the recent past, there have been a few advertisements which have been indicative of racism and have evoked much criticism of the industry and their clients.
13 OCTOBER 2021
The North West Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), will participate in an empowerment session on children’s rights.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
Tomorrow the South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission) will conduct an inspection of the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Plant in the City of Tshwane. This follows the decision by the City of Tshwane to temporarily shut down the plant due to the poor quality of water that is being processed at the plant.
11 OCTOBER 2021
The Mpumalanga Provincial Office (MPO) will host a stakeholder engagement on children’s rights following rising numbers of learner pregnancy amid Covid-19 as well as enquiries relating to allegations of sexual violations of learners by educators within the province.
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentle of the media. As you may know the mandate of the Human Rights Commission is the broadest of the human rights mandates of all Chapter Nine institutions established by the Constitution. In terms of its constitutional mandate the Commission is thus responsible for the protection, promotion and monitoring of the observance of all the rights as outlined in Chapter 2 of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, within South Africa.
06 October 2021
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the South Africa Human Rights Commission (the Commission or the SAHRC) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at formalising partnership between the two entities in the promotion and protection of the human rights of asylum-seekers, refugees, internally displaced people and stateless persons in South Africa.
06 October 2021
In July 2020 the SAHRC received a complaint from a member of the public relating to the social media account known as “Tracy Zille”. It appeared from the account that a white woman was making disparaging, racist and harassing comments towards black women in particular.
ATTENTION: Editors and Reporters
The 2021-2022 financial year marks the second year that the South African Human Rights Commission (Commission or SAHRC) participates in organising and hosting the National Schools Moot Court Competition (NSMCC).
On 30 September 2021, the President announced that the country would move to risk level 1 and added that the Department of Health will soon be rolling out a vaccination certificate that can be used to facilitate travel and other forms of activity that require proof of vaccination status. Sometime earlier the Minister of Health had stated that the Department is looking at vaccination mandates.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission), held its first media briefing today, the 30th September 2021.
Attention Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission (Commission) has put six (6) Provincial MEC’s for Education on terms concerning water and sanitation deficiencies at schools in their provinces. These are the MECs for Education of KwaZulu Natal, North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Free State and the Eastern Cape.
Attention Editors and Reporters
The mandate of the South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission or the SAHRC) is, among others, to promote respect for human rights and a culture of human rights and includes powers to carry out research and to educate.
In line with this constitutional imperative, the SAHRC will host regular, monthly media briefings and use these media briefings as an opportunity to proactively keep all within South Africa abreast of developments in the work of the Commission as well as report on progress made on important matters. The Commission also sees this as an opportunity to highlight work it is doing that may ordinarily receive little media and public attention.
29 September 2021
The South African Human Rights Commission will be conducting a human rights champion workshop on 30 September 2021. The identified human rights champions will be empowered on the mandate of the South African Human Rights Commission.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The SAHRC Limpopo Provincial Office (LPO) will be conducting a three-day training for human rights champions in the province from the 28th to 30th of September 2021.
27 September 2021
ATTENTION: Editors and Reporters
On 27 September 2021 to 1 October 2021, the North West Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission (“the SAHRC”) will conduct site inspections in various villages and towns in order to investigate allegations of human rights violations by various municipalities. The site inspections are necessitated by hundreds of complaints lodged with the SAHRC relating to allegations of poor service delivery, particularly lack of access to sufficient water, poor water quality, poor sewerage system, lack of access to basic sanitation and poor domestic waste removal.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) welcomes and supports the decision of the Constitutional Court pertaining to section 29(2) of the Constitution in Chairperson of the Council of the University of South Africa v Afriforum. This case concerned a decision by UNISA to discontinue Afrikaans as a language of teaching and learning, and had previously been heard in the High Court and Supreme Court of Appeal.
About us
Understanding PAIA
The Human Rights Commission is the national institution established to support constitutional democracy. It is committed to promote respect for, observance of and protection of human rights for everyone without fear or favour.
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