Programme News
5 April 2012
(Press release)
LHR welcomes the extension of social grants to recognised refugees in South Africa. The Minister of the Department of Social Development (DSD) has finally promulgated amendments to the regulations of the Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004 which will take effect from the 1 April 2012. This came as a result of sustained advocacy from various rights groups, which culminated in LHR pursuing public...
29 March 2012
(News)
Human and refugee rights organisations here have launched a campaign against the detention of undocumented miners at the notorious Lindela Repatriation Centre outside Johannesburg. This follows findings that large numbers of unaccompanied minors were detained in the cells and then deported, mostly to Zimbabwe, without safeguards to ensure legal oversight or consideration of their best...
28 March 2012
(News)
Mail&Guardian: The department of home affairs has yet to explain the extended detention of 22 inmates at the Lindela repatriation centre following a riot at the facility on Monday.
On March 20 the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) brought an urgent application to the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg requesting the immediate release of 22 people who have been detained at Lindela...
26 March 2012
(News)
The North Gauteng High Court today was forced to postpone the landmark case brought by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) and the Zimbabwean Exiles Forum (ZEF) to compel South Africa to investigate and prosecute high level Zimbabwean officials accused of crimes against humanity - after the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) appointed new counsel just days before the...
26 March 2012
(Press release)
OPINION: African countries should stop introducing anti-gay legislations, in order to create an environment in which contributes to the protection of people’s constitutional rights.
“All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess...
23 March 2012
(News)
The 21st day of March is officially Human Rights Day in South Africa. Others call it Sharpeville Day. It is not without reason that many prefer the day to be remembered as Sharpeville Day. The very mention of Sharpeville Day triggers a powerful memory. A reminder. An epic moment in African resistance and human rights history. Of sacrifice, struggle and vision. Of suffering, pain and...
22 March 2012
(News)
The Tshwane Metro Council and the police are facing a R30.8 million damages claim relating to the eviction of Schubart Park flats residents in November. Lawyers acting for the evicted families have issued the council a letter of demand in which they are claiming R100 000 each on behalf of 308 clients.
The amount of damages could increase, as it was made clear in the letter this week that the...
12 March 2012
(News)
GE.11- 17506
Human Rights Council
Nineteenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya
Summary
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret...
9 March 2012
(News)
In a victory both moral and diplomatic, South Africa took the lead this week during the first debate at the United Nations on the rights of sexual minorities. The country positioned itself firmly as a global leader in the protection of the rights of gay, lesbian and transgender people and played a key role in preventing a walkout of other African states. South Africa was supported by...
8 March 2012
(News)
The Protection of State Information Bill: Is the ‘liberator’ crossing the floor?
By Lesirela Letsebe
The democratic South African government has aroused a huge outcry by introducing the Protection of State Information Bill (B6 of 2010), which some media have likened to the ‘draconian’ apartheid era Internal Security Act 74 of 1982 with its stated object: ‘To provide...