Attention: Editors and Reporters
7 February 2019

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC or Commission) and the South African Local Govenment Association (SALGA) have formally recorded a collaborative agreement which will see both bodies strengthen a rights based approach in the work and ethos of local government.

05 February 2019
Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission is appalled by comments on social media apparently made by Black First Land First (BLF) Secretary and Spokesperson, Mr Lindsay Maasdorp and others in the wake of the Hoërskool Driehoek tragedy.  The comments are insensitive, offensive, and inappropriate and do not align with the ideals and aspirations of our constitutional democracy. Kindness, compassion, and respect are basic human values which we should be extending to each other in a time of loss.  Death does not discriminate.  Grief cuts across race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nation, and culture. Dignity is a constitutional value to which we are all enjoined by our Constitution to respect.

Wednesday, 30 January 2019
Attention: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) intends to initiate legal proceedings against Mr Angelo Agrizzi in the Equality Court. This follows his testimony at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry in which he admitted to using racial slurs.
In the audio clip played at the Inquiry, Mr Agrizzi is heard using the K-word numerous times while laughing with those he was in conversation with.

30 January 2019
Attention Editors and Reporters

In October 2017 the South African Human Rights Commission (“The Commission”) initiated a four day investigative hearing into the service delivery protests in Eldorado Park and the disruption of teaching and learning at Klipspruit West Secondary School. The purpose of the hearing was to investigate issues relating to disruption of teaching and learning, allegations of racism, marginalisation, inequality, and excessive use of force during service delivery protests.

Wednesday, 30 January 2019
Attention: Editors and Reporters

On 19 December 2018 the South African Human Rights Commission (Commission)  expressed its concern over the then looming litigation between the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Cllr. Herman Mashaba and the Gauteng Provincial MEC for Human Settlements and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Dikgang Moiloa. The media had reported that Cllr Mashaba intended to approach the courts alleging a deduction from and therefore reduction in the funding of the City of Johannesburg’s Human Settlement Development Grant (HSDG) to an amount of R68 million by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements. The Chairperson of the Commission immediately addressed correspondences to both the Executive Mayor, Cllr. Mashaba and the MEC, Mr Moiloa drawing their attention to Chapter 3 of the Constitution and urging them to do their utmost to speedily resolve the impasse and avoid litigation as best as possible.

29 January 2019
 
Attention: Editors

On the 25 January 2019, the South African Human Rights Commission was informed that a learner with disabilities had died at Christiana School for the Blind in North West.
 
This is not the first time the Commission learns of the death of learners in special schools in the North West.  In 2010, the Commission learned of the death of four learners at the Christiana School for the Blind. In August 2015, three female learners aged 16, 17 and 18 died in the fire that broke out at the North West School for the Deaf.

17 January 2019

Heaps of trash block the entrance to the rubbish dump in Standerton while the smell of rotting matter permeates the air in the Mpumalanga town.
The Lekwa municipality has been accused of not maintaining the site and dumping rubbish next to the R546, which is the main route to Secunda.
Following a visit to the site, the DA in Mpumalanga laid criminal charges against Mayor Lindokuhle Dhlamini and municipal manager Gugulethu Mhlongo-Ntshangase.

21 January 2019

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) says it is making headway with the Vaal River rehabilitation project.
Members of the SANDF were deployed last year to help clean up the river which is currently polluted by sewage. Communities affected by the pollution include Vereeniging, Sebokeng, Boipatong and Sharpeville.

24 January 2019

A teacher from a primary school in Schweizer Reneke will be back at work on Friday after the Labour Court lifter her suspension.
Elana Barkhuizen was at the centre of a racial twitter storm over a photograph taken on the first day of school showing a group of black Grade R children sitting at a separate table from a group of white learners.

25 January 2019

JOBURG –Gauteng province commits R300 million for housing developments within the City.

Yesterday, Executive Mayor of the City of Joburg, Herman Mashaba held a meeting with the MEC for Gauteng CoGTA and Human Settlements, Dikgang Uhuru Moiloa, regarding the reduction of the Human Settlements Development Grant (HSDG) for the City of Johannesburg.