By Gertrude Quan, Isabel Magaya and Mila Harding Corporal punishment has been unlawful in South African schools for more than two decades – section 10 of the Schools Act, 1996 states that no person may inflict corporal punishment against a learner at a school. It is a crime. The constitutionality of Continue Reading
By Roné McFarlane Rather than introducing something new, the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill is just bringing the law in alignment with what cases have already confirmed: the role of school governing bodies is critical, but the State has important and final oversight responsibility to ensure equity. A breach of Continue Reading
SECTION27 has made its submission on the proposed amendments to the Regulations Relating to Uniform Minimum Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure (“The Regulations”). After years of missing deadlines to fix school infrastructure, the avoidable deaths of learners as in the case of Michael Komape, and years of pressure by Continue Reading
Civic organisations stand in solidarity with the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa.
Department of Basic Education disciplinary inquiry finds school caretaker guilty of sexually assaulting two learners and dismisses him with immediate effect 2 August 2022, Johannesburg — SECTION27 welcomes the findings of a disciplinary inquiry held by the North West Provincial Department of Education, to immediately dismiss a school caretaker after Continue Reading
Recent plans to eradicate pit toilets from schools in Limpopo are a step in the right direction, but still need work.
Download the Limpopo Department of Education’s first set of plans for eradicating pit toilets from schools in Limpopo here.
Freedom Under Law, SECTION27, Defend Our Democracy Campaign, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, SERI and Corruption Watch condemn Minister Motsoaledi’s attack on Helen Suzman Foundation. Three features distinguish our country from many other young democracies: first, respect for the Rule of Law; second, a vibrant civil society; and, thirdly and crucially, a Continue Reading
SECTION27, together with three affected persons, has launched litigation to confirm access to free healthcare for all pregnant women and children under six, including migrants.
Socio-economic rights will never fully be realised if we do not prepare and address for the climate crisis. Read SECTION27’s submissions to parliament on the Climate Change Bill here.
REISSUE: HEALTH REFORM NEEDED MORE URGENTLY THAN EVER – LAUNCH OF NEW RESEARCH ON HEALTH SYSTEMS CHANGE SECTION27 and Concentric Alliance to host health stakeholders in a webinar to engage on ways forward for health reform in South Africa at launch of new research report. 19 June 2022, Johannesburg – Continue Reading
Joint media statement: Civil society calls for key changes to BELA Bill, as Parliament considers the biggest amendments to basic education laws in the past decade 15 June 2022 — Today, Equal Education (EE), Equal Education Law Centre (EELC), SECTION27, Centre for Child Law (CCL), Children’s Institute (CI), and Legal Continue Reading