Topic: SAHRC reflects on the three years since the July 2021 unrest
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC/the Commission) marks three years since the occurrence of the July 2021 Unrest, which claimed the lives of more than 350 people in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
As outlined in the Final Report on the National Investigative Hearing into the July 2021 Unrest, the Commission's investigation revealed that South Africa is at risk of ongoing volatility and violence. The Commission’s recommendations, released in January 2024, aim to address some of the systemic and contributory factors that contributed to and/ or exacerbated the Unrest. These recommendations identify the need for significant changes in intelligence, policing, security, and justice sectors. The Commission's recommendations were sent to implicated state departments and organizations, including the Presidency, the State Security Agency (SSA), the South African Police Service (SAPS), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ&CD), the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), and the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTiC).
The implicated institutions were afforded ninety (90) days to report to the commission on measures they would take in responding and to implementing the recommendations. The Commission is disappointed by the lack of encouraging responses from the government and other implicated entities six months later. As of the end of March 2024, the SAPS, NPA, and PSIRA provided the Commission with responses, plans, and progress reports on implementing the Final Report recommendations. The Department of Justice has requested an extension to provide their implementation plans, while the Commission is awaiting responses from the Presidency, SSA, and the DTiC.
The Commission has instituted a CAS Project, which monitors the progress of criminal cases resulting from the racialised violence in KZN. The CAS project seeks to ensure that there is clear and sustained communication and accountability regarding the various racist attacks and that there are sufficient and dignified updates to victims and family members. The Commission is also finalizing plans for research into methods of compensating victims of racial violence in KZN. The Commission's work for the current financial year and the next few years will address the root causes of the 2021 July Unrest through initiatives and litigation.
On 26 July 2024, the Gauteng Provincial Office hosted a panel discussion at the Tshwane University of Technology to discuss the findings and recommendations of the Final Report, with a focus on engaging the youth.
The Commission remains highly concerned that three years later, the State, in particular the Justice, Crime Prevention, and Security Cluster, has not been able to identify and prosecute the primary instigators / orchestrators of the July Unrest. South Africa and South Africans remain in heightened states of vulnerability to gross human rights violations in the absence of any evidence-led prosecutions of those who planned and sponsored the July Unrest.
The Commission has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa and ministers whose departments were implicated in the SAHRC July Unrest Report, seeking answers regarding the implementation of the report's recommendations. The Commission will continue to engage with the government to ensure that all the July Unrest recommendations are adequately addressed.
The commission will write to the Speaker of the National Assembly for intervention. The National Assembly is enjoined to this process by section 55(2)(b)(ii) of the Constitution, which obliges the National Assembly to provide the mechanisms to maintain oversight of any organ of state.
If these engagements do not yield the desired results, the Commission will consider litigation as empowered by the Constitution.
Guest: Prof Tshepo Madlingozi, SAHRC Commissioner
Service Delivery
Topic: Tackling SAs illiteracy crisis starts at birth_* • Intervention from birth and at an ECD level is critical. • Children need access to books in mother tongue African languages, enabling them to engage with diverse material that they can relate to and identify with. *STATS:* • 3 in 5 five homes don’t have access to a single book & 65% of homes with children under 10 don’t have a single picture book • Many children finish Gr1 not knowing all the letters of the alphabet • By 2026 approximately 69% of 10-year-olds will be unable to read for meaning.
The 2023 National Reading Barometer gives a grim prognosis for literacy and reading skills in South Africa (SA), revealing that nearly three in five homes don’t have access to a single fiction or non-fiction book and 65 percent of homes with children under age 10 do not possess a single picture book. Many learners leave Grade One without knowing all the letters of the alphabet and it is predicted that by 2026 approximately 69% of 10-year-olds will be unable to read for meaning.
“The academic, social and emotional impact of poor literacy skills cannot be underestimated – resulting in frustration, low self-esteem, declining academic results, and ultimately, poor employment prospects,” says Seago Maapola, educational psychologist.
Yet, there is some good news! According to the barometer, many South Africans want to read. If only books were more accessible and there were enough texts available in African languages, enabling children to engage with diverse material that they can relate to and identify with.
According to educational experts, pre-literacy skills should be introduced from as early as birth.
“Learning starts at home and is then supported at an Early Childhood Development (ECD) level. It’s imperative for a child to listen to stories in their mother tongue to understand and attach meaning to what has been read to them. Reading helps develop vocabulary, reasoning, critical thinking, and creates a love for reading which improves educational outcomes and economic opportunities later in life,” says Maapola.
She adds that it is critical that all children are able to easily access quality reading material and ideally this should be in their mother tongue, but unfortunately this remains out of reach for many children.
“Give children access to books, read to them, and read with them. We must cultivate a love of reading in our homes, on our playgrounds, and in our classrooms. Literacy unlocks the world of potential for children and the magic of discovery,” Maapola concludes.
Guest: Seago Maapola, Educational psychologist
