Human Rights

Khayelitsha cops: “We are the whipping boys”

While the Marikana hearings drift through the doldrums in Rustenberg, at Khayelitsha’s Lookout Hill another commission into police failings is cautiously gathering momentum. The O’Regan-Pikoli Commission of Inquiry is a timely and consolatory reminder of the judicial efficiency South Africa is capable of.

Richard Conyngham

Opinion | 22 April 2014

Trial that’s more important than Pistorius

While Oscar Pistorius’s trial is one of the most watched in history, the trial of Angy Peter and Isaac Mbadu has been running at the same time. It tells us far more about crime, policing and justice in South Africa than the Pistorius one.

Joel Bregman

Feature | 22 April 2014

What’s that you say … human-whats?

Nearly two decades into our democracy, for most people living in South Africa our Constitution might as well be written in Latin, because it is more than likely that they have never read it.

Tim Fish Hodgson and Tawana Nharingo

Opinion | 17 April 2014

SJC “delighted” at progress of Khayelitsha Commission

The Social Justice Coalition is “delighted” at the progress of the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry into policing, said the coalition’s Joel Bregman.

Adam Armstrong

News | 16 April 2014

20 years later, Rwandans still struggling to reconcile

Rwandan Hutu cousins, Hakizimana and Kwizera (not their real names), aged 30 and 35, believe the 1994 genocide story is told in a partisan manner, and they say the reconciliation and unity policy is government imposed.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 11 April 2014

The week in political activism

This week we cover a helpful guide to whistleblowing from Corruption Watch and a further victory for informal traders who were unlawfully removed by the City of Johannesburg.

Brent Meersman

News | 9 April 2014

Official threatens to withhold disability grant

Nyanga resident Violet Mkhape, 45, has been waiting for eight months for her monthly disability grant - and one official told her she wouldn’t get it because she told her story to GroundUp.

Pharie Sefali

News | 9 April 2014

Call to make secret police document public

SAPS provincial commissioner General Arno Lamoer is to recommend to the National Commissioner that the police resource allocation guide, which outlines the resources available at each police station, be made available to the public.

Adam Armstrong

News | 2 April 2014

Khayelitsha Commission told by SAPS Major General convicted criminals come out of prison gangsters

On 28 March, Major General Peter Jacobs, the Provincial Head of Crime Intelligence, gave evidence at the Khayelitsha Commission about visible policing.

Adam Armstrong

News | 28 March 2014

Commission hears from emotional cop about systemic failures in investigating rape and murder

On 27 March, the Khayelitsha Commission into policing had a short adjournment to allow an officer time to compose herself after she was overwhelmed with emotion while giving evidence.

Adam Armstrong

News | 27 March 2014

Senior SAPS members betray personal and institutional prejudices

As the O’Regan-Pikoli Commission of Inquiry’s first round of public hearings draw to a close, the commissioners are hearing the testimonies of high-ranking SAPS members at cluster, provincial and national level.

Richard Conyngham

News | 27 March 2014

The week in political activism - March 26, 2014

This week we cover the TAC’s march on Khayelitsha Hospital and an alert put out by Lawyers for Human Rights on the unconstitutionality of draft immigration regulations.

Brent Meersman

News | 26 March 2014

SAPS in Harare, Khayelitsha: setup to fail?

Advocate Nazreen Bawa continued to lead evidence today with Colonel Gert Nel, former station commander of Harare police station, and Colonel Tshotleho Raboliba, current station commander at Harare.

Adam Armstrong

News | 18 March 2014

High ranking SAPS officers to appear before the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry into policing

Public hearings of the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry into allegations of police inefficiency and a breakdown in relations between the community and the police restarted on 17 March with a number of high ranking SAPS officers in attendance.

Adam Armstrong

News | 18 March 2014

Government slams HRC water report - and lawyer slams government

On Tuesday 11 March, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) officially launched their 2014 report on water and sanitation. But the Department of Water Affairs has called the report “outdated, baseless and misleading”.

Martha Sithole and Jacques van Heerden

News | 14 March 2014

The week in political activism

This week we cover the campaign to fix our patent laws, concern over changes to the new Public Administration Bill that may make it easier for corrupt officials, and the Israeli Apartheid week.

Brent Meersman

News | 12 March 2014