Thursday, 18 May 2017 - The submission date for consideration of a feasibility study looking into the creation of a single human rights body, as envisaged in the Asmal report of 2007, has been extended due to requests from civil society, amongst others, that the time is too short to make submissions.

The new deadline date is 31 May 2017.

In 2006 the National Assembly appointed a multi-party Ad Hoc Committee to undertake a review of the institutions that support democracy, with a view to assessing whether the overall constitutional and legal mandates were suitable for South Africa; whether the resources accorded to them were deserving in relation to their actual outputs and contribution to democracy; and whether a rationalisation of the function would diminish focus in key areas of concern.

The recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee was to create a single umbrella body, under which all the Institutions supporting democracy would be managed, thereby keeping resources in a single pool for cost containment and added efficiency. The Committee found that the multiplicity of institutions created to protect and promote the rights of specific constituencies in South Africa has in practice resulted in an uneven spread of available resources and capacities, with implications for effectiveness and efficiency.

Amongst others, some of the organisations that would fall under this proposed body were to be the National Youth Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality and the Commission for the Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.

The Fourth Parliament recommended that the Fifth Parliament deal with the recommendations of the Ad hoc Committee and this process was started in September 2015, by the current Presiding Officers.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo 082 370 6930