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PRESS STATEMENT | A Budget That Gives With One Hand and Takes With the Other
Basic education and health see gains, but austerity still prevails. The 2025 Budget maintains real investment in basic education and health care, reflecting a welcome stated commitment to funding these constitutionally protected rights as priorities. While this is a necessary step toward strengthening essential services; it comes at a cost. Continue Reading
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JOINT STATEMENT | Why are South African classrooms and children becoming fast food billboards?
As civil society organisations committed to food justice, children’s health and education rights, we are alarmed by the recent handover of McDonald’s-branded ‘Mi Desk’ desks to two Cape Town schools, facilitated by the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube. This follows similar corporate-branded desk donations from Old Mutual and Hollywood Continue Reading
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PRESS STATEMENT | Budget 2025 delay, an opportunity for a People’s Budget amid a cost of living crisis
As South Africa faces a cost of living crisis and a growing list of national priorities, we stand at a critical juncture where revenue generation strategies must prioritise equity and social justice. We, the Budget Justice Coalition (BJC), reaffirm our position that a VAT hike–particularly a 2% increase–is a regressive Continue Reading
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The African-led HIV Control Working Group response to abrupt cuts in HIV support
On 20 January 2025, the US President issued an Executive Order to pause all foreign aid funding for 90 days, which was immediately applied to the United States Government (USG) funded President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Launched in 2004, PEPFAR has been critical in global health efforts, saving Continue Reading
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JOINT STATEMENT | Upholding womxn’s rights to access abortifacients: Clarifying pharmacists’ role in reproductive healthcare
The South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) has issued an e-Note confirming that pharmacists may not refuse to dispense abortifacients (a drug that induces abortion) due to personal beliefs or moral reasons. This e-Note comes after 13 NGOs and legal centres addressed an open letter to the SAPC and the National Continue Reading
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ConCourt interim order favours the blind and visually impaired in Copyright matter
On 13 December 2024, the Constitutional Court handed down an interim order in the matter Blind SA v President of the Republic of South Africa. The Court temporarily amends the Copyright Act 98 of 1978 to include an exception to copyright for persons who are blind and visually impaired, pending Continue Reading
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A big win for children’s rights in landmark coal case
SECTION27 represented the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA) in an amicus intervention in the groundbreaking constitutional case that sought to set aside the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy’s decision, which the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) concurred to, to procure 1 500 MW of new coal-fired power Continue Reading
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Constitutional case on copyright and access to books for the blind and visually impaired to be heard on Thursday, 28 November
On Thursday, 28 November 2024, the Constitutional Court will urgently hear Blind SA’s case, requesting that exceptions to copyright that were previously read into the Copyright Act, be resuscitated. These exceptions would allow persons who are blind and visually impaired to convert books into formats, like braille, without the consent Continue Reading
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MEDIA ADVISORY: Court case against Gauteng Health’s failure to spend R784 million allocated for cancer patients to be heard on 21 November
SECTION27, representing the Cancer Alliance, will argue against the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) and nine others for failing to utilise the R784 million designated for addressing radiation and surgical backlogs in the province. The Johannesburg High Court will hear the matter on Thursday, 21 November at 10H00. The provision of Continue Reading
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Cancer Alliance, represented by SECTION27, take on multinational company for excessive pricing case on breast cancer drug
The Cancer Alliance, represented by SECTION27, has been admitted by the Competition Tribunal as an intervening party in the excessive pricing case initiated by the Competition Commission. The case is against Switzerland-based multinational healthcare company, Roche Holdings AG and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as Roche). The Competition Commission lodged Continue Reading
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New government, same old: First GNU Budget Fails to Address Human Rights Funding Needs
The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, marked a critical test of the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) commitment to turning campaign promises into life-changing reality. Despite campaign promises for human rights realisation by the coalition partners, the MTBPS presented underscores the government’s commitment to maintaining Continue Reading
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MEMORANDUM OF DEMAND FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR LIFE ESIDIMENI VICTIMS
As we mark October as Mental Health Awareness Month, we are reminded of the critical need for justice for the victims of the Life Esidimeni tragedy. The events that unfolded have, over nearly a decade, highlighted the rights of individuals with mental health conditions and underscored the government’s responsibility to Continue Reading
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Life Esidimeni Families to stage a picket urging the NPA to pursue criminal charges
On 29 October 2024, marking the end of Mental Health Awareness month, the Life Esidimeni families will be joined by members of the disability sector, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), SECTION27 and other interested parties, in a picket to hand over a memorandum to the National Prosecuting Continue Reading
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Copyright cases will be heard at the Constitutional Court on 28 November
Today, the Constitutional Court has released directions for the cases of Blind SA v President of the Republic of South Africa and Ex Parte President of the Republic of South Africa, which provide instructions to all parties on the processes that now need to be followed. The Court has consolidated Continue Reading
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Latest report explores ways to improve the effectiveness of remedies for socio-economic rights violations
Today, the report titled “Effective Remedies in Socio-economic Rights Litigation” was released. The report provides insights from a collaborative workshop organised by SECTION27, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, and Professor Sandra Liebenberg, H.F. Oppenheimer Chair in Human Rights Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Stellenbosch. The workshop primarily aimed to Continue Reading
