This year marks the 30th anniversary of Section27, a public interest law centre that seeks to achieve substantive equality and social justice in South Africa and which uses the law to advance human rights.
The public law centre, which incorporates the Aids Law Project (ALP), was established in 1993. This month Section27 launched a month-long campaign to commemorate its three decades of work for social justice and human rights.
The Aids Law Project was established to use the law to address the human rights implications of HIV/Aids, which included fighting HIV discrimination. Together with the Treatment Action Campaign, the ALP was on the front line of the fight for the right of people with HIV/Aids to access antiretroviral drugs.
Section27 emerged from ALP in 2010 and broadened its focus to encompass the right to access quality health-care services and the right to basic education.
Over the years, it has seen many landmark victories in the interest of human rights. The Limpopo textbooks case about the provision of learning materials in schools in Limpopo and the 8-year long Life Esidimeni case (awaiting judgment), are only some of its achievements.
The Michael Komape case, in which Section27 was instrumental and which saw damages being awarded to the family of a young boy who drowned in a toilet at school, also made headlines.
Section27 also fought hard and made strides for the development and implementation of a plan to improve school sanitation across the province.
The National School Nutrition Programme case, which re-started a programme that feeds over 9 million learners daily, and the rebuilding of Lusikisiki Village Clinic are all examples of the work of Section27 and its partners.
These victories and others, big and small, are being celebrated over the course of this month on social media.
Section27’s executive director, Sasha Stevenson, said the organisation had a long and proud history of being a catalyst for social justice.
“Using the Constitution, and particularly the rights to basic education and health-care services, we have worked with individuals and partner organisations around the country to improve services, counter discrimination, and demand accountability.”
Apart from the huge impact Section27 makes on the lives of people, especially the marginalised, Stevenson is also proud of her team’s 8-year-long campaign to get justice and accountability for the Life Esidimeni disaster in which 141 mental health patients died.
Earlier this month, Section27 argued that the former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, the former director of the Mental Health Directorate, Dr Makgabo Manamela, and the owner of Precious Angels NGO should be charged with culpable homicide for their involvement in the 2016 tragedy.
Stevenson also highlighted the organisation’s work with community health workers who were arrested for protesting against the condition of the Free State public health-care system and the decision to dismiss approximately 3 000 community health workers; its legal fight to make braille and other books available to people who are visually impaired; and its work to get learners into schools and those in need of treatment into hospitals.
Section27 has meanwhile endorsed a letter by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), calling on all African International Crimes Court (ICC) member states to support ICC investigations in Palestine.
The letter expresses concern about the ongoing reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations in Gaza since October 7.
The organisations called on all 33 African countries to use their influence as member states of the ICC and provide technical and political support to the court to overcome challenges.
Pretoria News