Afrikaner: Report Highlights Inadequate Protection of Civil Rights in South Africa
Photo Courtesy of IOL
A report by Afriforum on language, minority and cultural rights in South Africa has found that such rights have been undermined through insufficient protection by the government. Afriforum researcher Johan Nortje said that civil rights had been “subordinated” to ideas of “transformation”, whilst their media officer Mariska Batt noted that changes to place names had also undermined efforts to secure these rights. Afriforum encouraged activism and support for independent institutions as a remedy to the government’s inadequacy on civil rights.
Below is an article from IOL:
Afriforum has released a study which it says illustrates that there has been “methodical infringement of language, cultural and minority rights” in South Africa.
Afriforum said the Civil Rights Index, which it compiled in 2015, was based on events that preceded recent violent clashes at universities over language policies.
Afriforum media relations officer, Mariska Batt said in a statement this week that in the past few years name changes of places and streets made the protection of relevant rights more difficult.
Researcher at the Afriforum Research Institute Johan Nortje said the constitution and civil rights had been “subordinated” by ideologies such as “transformation”.
The study states that in 2015, the rights of South Africans were “weakened” by the lack of protection from the government.
“This affected the right to assembly, demonstration, picketing and petitioning. This will also have an impact on political rights during 2016,” said Afriforum, the civil-rights organisation linked to the Solidarity trade union and formed in 2006 to encourage Afrikaners and other minority groups to engage in public debate and civil actions.
Afriforum said it was necessary to reduce dependence on the government in order for citizens to exercise their rights fully.
“The best ways to reduce the dependence on government and to exercise rights, is through instruments of activism and promotion of independent institutions that compensate for the state’s shortcomings.”
The full report is available here.
