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Thursday, 2 July 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission or the SAHRC) strongly condemns the actions depicted in footage circulating on social and mainstream media, of the City of Cape Town’s Anti-Land Invasion Unit, accompanied by City Law Enforcement officers, violently removing a naked man from a shack about to be demolished, in eThembeni, near Empolweni, in Khayelitsha, on Wednesday the 1st July 2020.
Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission welcomes the proclamation of various sections of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) by the President on 22 June 2020. In terms of the proclamation, sections 110 and 114(4) of the POPIA will commence on 30 June 2021. These sections of the POPIA will amend the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) and further enable the handover of PAIA functions from the Commission to the Information Regulator.
Monday, 29 June 2020
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission notes with concern that the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) was suspended at the start of lockdown, and has yet to be comprehensively reinstated.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
19 June 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) notes with interest an important research paper released on 16 June 2020 by academics Servaas van der Berg and Nic Spaull University of Stellenbosch.
Van Der Berg & Spaull 2020 Counting the Cost – COVID-19, Children and Schooling (15 June 2020)
Attention: Editors and Reporters
16th June 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC or Commission) will be commemorating Youth Day on Tuesday, the 16th June 2020, along with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Movement for One South Africa (MOSA), the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), Democratic Alliance Youth (DA Youth) and a veteran youth activist from the 1976 Youth uprising.
15th June 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC or Commission) will be commemorating Youth Day on Tuesday, the 16th June 2020, along with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Movement for One South Africa (MOSA), the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), Democratic Alliance Youth (DA Youth) and a veteran youth activist from the 1976 Youth uprising.
Thursday, 11 June 2020
The Constitutional Court handed down a judgment today in a case brought by the New Nation Movement and others that declares the Electoral Act unconstitutional in its setting a limitation for individual adult citizens to stand for public office and be elected to national and provincial legislatures as independent candidates. The current Act only allows for independent candidates to contest for local government. The ability to stand for public office is a fundamental right that is guaranteed in section 19 (3) of the Constitution. It provides that every adult citizen has the right to stand for public office and, if elected, to hold office.
7 June 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) welcomes the commitment of all stakeholders, including government, unions and school governing body associations, to the opening of schools for Grade 7 and 12 learners on 8 June 2020.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
Tuesday, 2 June 2020
Following the re-opening of schools in the Western Cape yesterday, 1 June 2020 for Grades 7 and 12, notwithstanding the public announcement by the Minister of Basic Education on Sunday that the date for re-opening schools was to be postponed to 8 June 2020, the Commission was ready to approach the High Court to interdict the Western Cape Education Department from continuing with teaching and learning this week as this was in contrast with the national reopening of schools and contrary to section 9(1) of the Constitution’s safeguarding the equal enjoyment of rights and freedoms.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
Thursday, 28 May 2020
After doing some independent monitoring of schools for readiness in all 9 provinces and after consultations with various stakeholders, including teachers’ unions and school governing bodies, the South African Human Rights Commission has written to the Minister of Basic Education, Minister Angie Motshekga, recommending that she reconsiders 01 June 2020 as the date for the return of Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners to school.
21 May 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) notes the announcement by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to re-open schools on 1 June 2020, initially for learners in Grades 7 and 12 to start school. The restart of learners in other grades will be announce later and those learner will return to school over time.
21 May 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) commends all businesses that have upheld the lockdown regulations in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19. The Commission is, however, concerned that certain businesses may be unaware of their human rights obligations under the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Constitution).
Attention: Editors and Reporters
08 May 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) welcomes the announcement by the President of the decision to place on parole selected categories of sentenced offenders.
8th May 2019
Attention: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission or the SAHRC) will be appearing in the Western Cape High Court, in Cape Town today, the 8th May 2020.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
05 May 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) is deeply concerned with the circumstances around the provision of grants to Older Persons and Persons with Disabilities on the 4th of May 2020.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
Friday, 1 May 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission or the SAHRC) notes the significance of Worker’s Day, celebrated on the 1st May in South Africa. The Day should be seen as a celebration and well deserved rest for those who honestly and positively add to society through their economic activity.
Attention: Editors and Reporters
Wednesday, 29 April 2020
The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission or the SAHRC) and Mail and Guardian will collaborate in hosting a free webinar on Thursday, the 30th April 2020, from 13:00 to 14:00 PM at the link below:
27 April 2020
ATT: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission (the Commission or SAHRC) has been made aware of the video clip circulating via social media of a raid conducted by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS), on a Mosque near Masibikela, Mpumalanga, which occurred on Friday the 24th March 2020.
27 April 2020
ATT: Editors and Reporters
National Freedom Day is celebrated on the 27th April in South Africa. The Day marks freedom and commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held on the day in 1994. Those elections will always remain in the annals of South African history as the first non-racial national elections where everyone of voting age, from any race group were allowed to vote.
24 April 2020
ATT: Editors and Reporters
The South African Human Rights Commission (the SAHRC or the Commission) notes the devastating impact the Corona Virus has had on the global as well as South African economy and society. The SAHRC, along with key international bodies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), applauds the South African government’s efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 through declaring a National Disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 and implanting a national lockdown.
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.
Sentinel House, Sunnyside Office Park, 32 Princess of Wales Terrace, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
011 877 3600 (Switchboard)