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Blind SA & SECTION27 welcome the National Assembly’s vote in favour of the Copyright Amendment Bill
29 February 2024, Johannesburg – SECTION27 and Blind SA welcome the National Assembly’s vote in favour of the Copyright Amendment Bill (“CAB”) during its plenary session this afternoon. The CAB will now be sent to the President for assent, bringing South Africa’s copyright law one step closer to realising the rights
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SECTION27 makes oral submissions to the latest BELA Bill
SECTION27 welcomes the opportunity to make submissions on the latest version of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (2023 BELA) in the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP) process, where the NCOP will consider an amended version of the Bill. SECTION27 is participating in this process and has shared written submissions
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South Africa will spend nearly R320 less per learner and R200 less per health service user in the coming year
CORRECTION: In response to Minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget speech on 21 February 2024, SECTION27 released a statement that indicated that South Africa will spend R800 less per learner. The correct amount is R320 per learner. Please see below the amended statement.
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MEDIA ADVISORY: SECTION27 goes to Supreme Court of Appeal on corporal punishment matter
20 February 2024, Johannesburg – SECTON27, representing the Centre for Child Law and the parents of two learners who were assaulted by their teachers, will partially appeal the High Court’s judgment in the Supreme Court of Appeal on 26 February 2024. Despite corporal punishment being banned from our schools since
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HIV discrimination persists in the SANDF, despite multiple court judgments
SECTION27 welcomes the decision by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to re-employ a recruit who was denied employment solely on the basis of her HIV status. In 2021, SECTION27 was approached by a client seeking assistance after she was denied employment by the SANDF because of her HIV
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SECTION27 and CASAC launch the Democracy and Constitutionalism report as the country prepares for the 2024 elections
SECTION27 and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) today launch a conference report titled, Democracy & Constitutionalism: Civic Education Conference Report & Keywords. The conference took place at the historic Women’s Jail at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg in February 2022. This report brings into focus
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Treatment Action Campaign and MSF admitted as ‘friends of the court’ in a landmark case on access to medicines
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and Doctors without Borders (MSF), both represented by SECTION27, have been admitted by the Pretoria High Court, as amici curiae (friends of the court) in a compulsory license application for access to a lifesaving drug to treat cystic fibrosis, called Trikafta. The drug is not
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Enhancing Access: Explaining how court-ordered changes to the Copyright Act improve access to reading materials for persons who are blind or visually impaired
SECTION27, Blind SA and Daily Maverick will host a webinar on 22 November 2023 explaining how a Constitutional Court judgment, handed down in 2022, changes the Copyright Act 98 of 1978 and improves the way persons who are blind or visually impaired living in South Africa can access reading materials
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MTBPS 2023: Budgets must protect health care and education rights, now more than ever!
2 November 2023, Johannesburg – In the context of weak economic growth, lower-than-expected tax revenues collected and the implementation of measures to reduce public spending, the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) for 2023/24 has responded to this through budget cuts to health care and basic education, particularly to programmes characterised
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Celebrating 30 Years of Social Justice: SECTION27 turns 30
1 November 2023, Johannesburg – The year 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of SECTION27, incorporating the AIDS Law Project (ALP), established in 1993. Today, SECTION27 launches a month-long campaign to commemorate its 30 years of work for social justice and human rights. The AIDS Law Project was established to use
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SECTION27 welcomes amended policy ensuring access to free health care for all pregnant mothers and young children and partial compliance by Gauteng Health with High Court order
24 October 2023, Johannesburg – The Minister of Health, MEC and HoD for Gauteng Health and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital returned to Court on 23 October to report on compliance with the court order on free health care services for all pregnant and lactating women and young children. In
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SECTION27 argues for culpable homicide charges against Qedani Mahlangu, Makgabo Manamela and Ethel Ncube for Life Esidimeni deaths
23 October 2023, Johannesburg – The Life Esidimeni Inquest will resume on 26 October 2023, at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria where SECTION27 will argue that the former Gauteng Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, the former Director of Mental Health Directorate, Dr Makgabo Manamela and the owner of Precious Angels
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Media Advisory – SECTION27 and Blind SA make oral submissions to UN committee on challenges faced by persons who are blind and visually impaired in South Africa
12 September 2023 – SECTION27 and Blind SA will make oral submissions before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“the Committee”) during its 18th Pre-Sessional Working Group on 12 September 2023. The oral submissions are based on SECTION27 and Blind SA’s joint, written submissionsdelivered to
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SECTION27 and Blind SA make oral submissions to UN committee on challenges faced by persons who are blind and visually impaired in South Africa
12 September 2023 – SECTION27 and Blind SA will make oral submissions before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“the Committee”) during its 18th Pre-Sessional Working Group on 12 September 2023. The oral submissions are based on SECTION27 and Blind SA’s joint, written submissionsdelivered to
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Ekurhuleni Municipality ordered to pay a R1 330 000 fine for failing to provide housing and land after 20 years
6 September 2023, Johannesburg – The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) and SECTION27 welcome the judgment handed down by the High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Pretoria) in the matter of Thubakgale and Others v Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and Others on 29 August 2023. The Court held that the Ekurhuleni
