Appeal over dam land bias

RACIAL EXCLUSION: HUMAN RIGHTS BODY ACCUSED OF MISFRAMING SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION

- Sipho Mabena

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has been slapped with an appeal against an alleged botched investigation, with the complainants in the matter raising concerns about its ability to fulfil its constitutional mandate.

The appeal challenges an investigative report issued by the human rights watchdog's North West office last month concerning lease allocations at Hartbeespoort Dam, managed by the department of water and sanitation (DWS).

The report confirmed allegations of systemic racial discrimination and administrative failures in the allocation of state-owned land along the dam shoreline, with black applicants consistently sidelined while white occupants retained access to prime land.

However, the complainants in the matter, the Hartbeespoort Community Development Initiative (HCDI), representing more than 42 black lease applicants, rejected the report outright and accused the SAHRC of failing to fully investigate the complaint.

SAHRC provincial manager Shirley Mlombo informed all parties in a letter dated 28 November that the investigation was considered closed and called on any dissatisfied party to lodge an internal appeal within 45 days.