The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) recently held a national conference to commemorate 20 years of its existence. The conference was held in Midrand from 14 to 15 March. The commission turned 20 years in October last year.

Attention: Editors and Reporters

19th June 2016

The 20th June 2016 marks the 16th anniversary of world refugee day, a day that has been set aside to reflect on the plight of refugees and asylum seekers around the world. For this year’s commemoration of World Refugee Day, the Secretary General of the United Nations has called on everyone to “recall our common humanity, celebrate tolerance and diversity and open our hearts to refugees everywhere."

19th June 2016

ATTENTION: Editors and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission will be hosting a five day provincial visit from 20th to 24th June 2016 in Mpumalanga.
The overall aim of the provincial visit is to promote the work of the Commission particularly in the area of Socio-economic rights within the Mpumalanga Province.

MEDIA STATEMENT

15th June 2016

Conclusion of Hearings on: Impact Of Protest-Related Actions on the Right to a Basic Education in South Africa

As South Africa prepares to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Soweto student uprising of June 1976, the country finds itself facing critical questions about how we balance our democratic right to protest with the constitutional right of children to education.  

15th June 2016

Attention: Editor and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) welcomes the judgment handed down on 8 June 2016 by the High Court in Pretoria in the matter of Residents of Arthurstone Village v Amashangana Tribal Authority and Others.  The High Court found in favour approximately 150 residents who were evicted from a piece of communal land known as the Arthurstone Farm in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga Province.  They were evicted and homes demolished at the behest of their traditional council, the Amashangana Tribal Authority.  The eviction and demolition of homes had a devastating effect on the evicted women, children and older persons. They were traumatised by the loss of their homes, rendered destitute and caused serious hardships as well as socio-economic challenges.  

10th June 2016

Attention: Editor and Reporters
 
The South African Human Rights Commission held a conciliation meeting on 7 June to conclude its investigation into a hate speech complaint against Western Cape resident, Matthew Theunissen.  Theunissen engaged in a racist Facebook rant which went viral on social media.   The matter was reported to the SAHRC on 3 May and given the nature of the complaint the Commission investigated the matter as an own initiative investigation.
 

13 – 15th June 2016 (3 day hearing)

Two years ago during protests in Malamulele in Limpopo, at least 5 schools were set alight.  The Commission understands that those schools have still not been repaired. In October 2014, protests relating to access to water broke out in Zeerust, North West Province. During these protests, children were barred from attending school. The protests took place close to the examination period and the barring of children from attending school jeopardized examination preparations by matriculants. The North West Province also experienced protests in June 2013, February 2015, and in June 2016 protests in Majakaneng village resulted in closure of schools. This trend is prevalent across almost all provinces in the country.

08th June 2016

Attention: Editor and Reporters

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has noted with concern the increase in the killing of members of political parties in the build-up to the Local Government Elections, which are to be held in early August this year.

09 August 2015

By Deputy Chairperson Pregs Govender, SAHRC Commissioner responsible for Basic Services & Health Care
 
Wathint'Abafazi Wathint'imbokodo – Bread and Roses
 
The song of women on the march in 1956, honours the love that ensures the survival of millions of families and communities. One of the meanings of Imbokodo is ‘grinding stone’ referring to the work countless women do to produce food for our world. In contrast to the production of weapons of death, creating food to nourish and sustain life is not counted in the GDP, the measurement of economic growth.

02 June 2015

By Commissioner Shafie Ameermia, Commissioner responsible for Access to Justice & Housing
 
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa with its entrenched Bill of Rights has received international acclaim for being the most progressive legal instrument in securing human rights to date. Furthermore, an empirical study of the constitutions of the world, found that the South African Constitution is amongst the most influential benchmarks for modern constitution-making.