Attention: Editors and Reporters

05 October 2022

In the matter of Solidarity & Another v Black First Land First & 2 Others EQ2/19 Equality Court Gauteng Local Division, a complaint of hate speech in terms of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000 (‘the Equality Act’), was instituted against the Black First Land First (First Respondent) and two members of Black First Land First (the Second and Third Respondents) for comments they made following the death of three white learners arising from the collapse of a bridge at Driehoek Hoerskool in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng. 

Apology Letter Lindsay Maasdorp

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Friday, 30 September 2022

Twenty-eight years into democracy, access to safe and decent sanitation continues to be a huge challenge, which has a disproportionate impact on the lives of women, children and persons with disabilities. Additionally, the usage of the demeaning bucket toilet system, which is an affront to human dignity, continues in South Africa. According to the Statistics South Africa’s Non-Financial Census of Municipalities for the year ended 30 June 2020, several households continue to use the bucket toilet system. Although between 2004 and 2019 a gradual and steady decline in the use of the bucket toilet system was recorded, however a sharp increase was noted, with 47,130 units being in use in 2020 compared to 42,434 units in 2019. The highest numbers of households using the bucket toilet were recorded in the provinces of Free-State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and the North West.  

30 September 2022

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC or Commission) has established the Disability Advisory Committee on the Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM). The seminal event marks a culmination of efforts initiated by the Commission in April 2019, to establish an IMM for South Africa. The IMM, under Article 33 of the Convention for the rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Convention/CRPD), seeks dedicated and independent monitoring of the rights of persons with disabilities in each country which has adopted the obligations under the Convention.
The IMM in South Africa, is located within the South African Human Rights Commission and is among the first IMMs in the continent.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

29 September 2022

The South African Human Rights Commission Gauteng provincial office (GPO) will host a Deaf Awareness campaign at The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg on 29 September 2022.

29 September 2022

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission, KwaZulu Natal Provincial Office (the Commission/ SAHRC) will host a roundtable discussion on social media and freedom of expression on the 30^th of September 2022. The dialogue will be held in a hybrid form, to allow for both physical attendance at the KZN provincial office and for virtual connectivity on Microsoft Teams (Link below).

28 September 2022

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission’s (“Commission”) Gauteng Provincial Office will host a follow-up stakeholder engagement on the plight of homeless community in Mogale City. In the recent past, the Mogale City Municipality’s Public Safety unit has been accused of serious human rights violations and heavy-handed treatment of homeless people.

Attention: Editors and Reporters
28 September 2022

Learners with severe to profound intellectual disabilities (“LSPID”) have a need to access quality, publicly funded education and support. This is provided for in the (“LSPID”) conditional grant. The purpose of the LSPID conditional grant is to provide the necessary support, resources and equipment to identified special care centres and schools for the provision of education to children with severe to profound intellectual disabilities.

Date: 28 September 2022 

Attention: Editors and Reporters

The SAHRC Free State Provincial Office has received several complaints including amongst others the illegal farm evictions of occupants protected by ESTA and the pounding of livestock by farm owners. 

10 September 2022

By Ntombenhle Ngwane

National Heritage Day, celebrated in South Africa every year on September 24, is one of the holidays that encourage citizens to unite while celebrating their diversities. In 2005, a media campaign sought the rebranding of the National Heritage Day to be known as “The National Braai Day”, and later “Braai4Heritage”.