South African Human Rights Commission Act, 2013 (Act No. 40 of 2013)Preamble |
SINCE sections 181(1)(b) and 184 read with item 20 of Schedule 6 to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, provide that the South African Human Rights Commission, established in terms of section 115 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993 (Act No. 200 of 1993), continues to function in terms of the legislation applicable to it; and for the conferring of certain powers on and the assignment of certain functions to the Commission;
AND SINCE the Constitution provides that the South African Human Rights Commission must—
| • | promote respect for human rights and a culture of human rights; |
| • | promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights; |
| • | monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the Republic; and |
| • | annually require relevant organs of state to provide it with information on the measures that they have taken towards the realisation of the rights in the Bill of Rights concerning housing, health care, food, water, social security, education and the environment; |
AND SINCE the Constitution provides that the South African Human Rights Commission—
| • | has the powers, as regulated by national legislation, necessary to perform its functions, including the power to investigate and to report on the observance of human rights; to take steps to secure appropriate redress where human rights have been violated; to carry out research; and to educate; and |
| • | has the additional powers and functions prescribed by national legislation, |
PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA therefore enacts, as follows:—