Programme News
27 March 2014
(News)
Media Statement and Transcript: Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan's address at the Home Affairs weekly media briefing, 26 March 2014.
Once more we take this opportunity to welcome you all to our media briefing. The media is an important element in ensuring the citizenry is well informed about efforts that government undertakes to constantly improve people’s lives. In...
27 March 2014
(News)
Dudley Lee, 59, walked out of Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town, South Africa a free man in 2003. He is now a prisoner of the disease he acquired there. Awaiting trial on charges of fraud and money-laundering, Lee was incarcerated for four years and contracted tuberculosis (TB) in the prison’s unsanitary conditions. Although Lee was exonerated for a lack of evidence, he received no apology from...
24 March 2014
(News)
THREE years in the making, draft immigration regulations published for comment by home affairs minister Naledi Pandor on February 17 have been slammed by immigration specialists. One of their main concerns is what they believe to be the unconstitutionality of some sections.
"There are many elements in conflict with the constitution," says immigration lawyer Julian Pokroy. "They...
20 March 2014
(Press release)
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) is alarmed by the irregular arrest and detention of prominent Swazi human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko and editor-in-chief of The Nation magazine, Bhekithemba Makhubu and call on Swazi authorities to provide them immediate access to their lawyers.
The men were arrested and detained on Monday (18 March 2014) after The Nation published two articles by Maseko in...
16 March 2014
(News)
South Africa's tourism website describes the country as the "land of good times and friendly people". Sadly, Araya Y, a pregnant Somali refugee living in Port Elizabeth, did not experience this side of the country. Instead, when she went to a government district hospital in July 2010 to give birth, she was abused by medical staff and denied care.
"The nurse spoke to me...
13 March 2014
(News)
The government is proposing tighter rules on immigration that nongovernmental organisations believe could cause practical difficulties for asylum seekers, migrants and foreign spouses trying to get into or stay in South Africa.
Several refugee rights organisations have submitted their objections and suggestions on the draft immigration regulations, saying that some groups would be...
13 March 2014
(News)
The Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality in Carolina in Mpumalanga has called on residents to use tap water provided by the municipality.
This comes after Lawyers for Human Rights indicated that water tests, conducted on borehole water in Carolina, have revealed that the water is contaminated with high level of nitrates in the town, and faecal coliform bacteria in neighbouring Selobela...
10 March 2014
(News)
Home Affairs’ draft immigration regulations could be damaging to asylum seekers while failing to stem the tide of immigrants flocking to South Africa, say refugee rights groups.
The regulations, which closed to public comment on Friday, are expected to come into force soon – and, according to Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor, will “usher in a new era of secure,...
9 March 2014
(News)
South Africa’s controversial Strategic Defence Packages have thrown up some spectacular numbers, but few as remarkable as those required by Judge Willie Seriti of arms deal critic Richard Young before Young would be in a position to cross-examine Armscor witness Frits Nortje.
To comply with directives issued by Judge Seriti, the chairman of the Arms Procurement Commission (APC), Young would...
6 March 2014
(Press release)
Carolina and Silobela residents in Mpumalanga are again facing a water crisis after tests, conducted by Lawyers for Human Rights, on boreholes being used by the community for drinking water have turned up disturbing results.
As a consequence of the water crisis in Carolina in 2012, many residents of Carolina and Silobela township still prefer to obtain their drinking water from boreholes at...