SAHRC to probe KZN and Gauteng violent unrest

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has announced that it will probe the violent unrest which occurred in KZN and Gauteng during the month of July.

The commission hosted an imbizo on 23 July to consult with the public as part of its efforts to understand and respond to the unrest, and subsequent human rights impacts arising from the unrest.

It said that it had also taken note of tensions that ensued within and between affected communities.

“The SAHRC reiterates State responsibility in terms of Section 7 of the Constitution to ‘respect, promote and fulfil’ all the rights in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution,” the commission said in a statement.

“These rights include but are not limited to equality, human dignity, freedom and security of the person, freedom of movement and residence, freedom of trade, occupation and profession, and various socio-economic rights such as housing, health care, food, water and education.”

The commission said the loss of lives and incidents of looting, along with the destruction of public and private property, severely undermined the resolve of South Africans to live in peace and harmony, without fear. 

“The events have also threatened fragile relations between communities. These incidents of unrest have in turn raised numerous questions and concerns about the State’s ability to protect the public from harm as well as the State’s ability to alleviate poverty which is understood to be a factor that fueled the unrest.”

It said that it would launch a national investigative hearing to address some of the concerns that emerged from the July imbizo. 

“The action of those who participated in the unrest is in flagrant violation of the law, a sentiment shared widely and at the July imbizo.”

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“The commission deems it necessary in terms of its mandate, to investigate and to take steps to secure appropriate redress with a view to preventing such a recurrence in the future and in the interests of victims.

“The impact of the unrest severely undermined the rule of law upon which the promotion and protection of human rights rests and threatened the stability of our constitutional democracy, which the commission has a constitutional mandate to strengthen,” the commission explained.