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SIGN LANGUAGE ACT WELCOMED

On Wednesday 19 July, President Ramaphosa signed the South African Sign Language Act into law, a welcome step “to promote the rights of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing”.

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FLASHING RED LIGHTS FOR THE BLUE LIGHT BRIGADE

On Sunday 23 July, eight Presidential Protection Services (PPS) police officers were arrested for brutally assaulting three off-duty members of the SANDF on the N1 highway in Gauteng. The incident, which was captured on video, shocked millions of South Africans.

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CHALLENGES AND CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING THE TERMINATION OF ZIMBABWEAN EXEMPTION PERMITS IN SOUTH AFRICA

On 5 January 2022, the Minister of Home Affairs abruptly withdrew the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP). This decision triggered legal action and scrutiny over its validity and adherence to legal principles, particularly regarding the procedural fairness, constitutional rights, and treatment of refugees in the country. On 28 June 2023, the High Court found that the Minister’s decision was invalid, unconstitutional and unlawful

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PUBLIC PROTECTOR’S REPORT ON PHALA PHALA LEAVES MANY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED

On 30 June, Acting Public Protector (APP) Adv Kholeka Gcaleka released her final report on allegations that President Ramaphosa had violated the executive ethics code in connection with the theft at his Phala Phala farm in February 2020. The Report, issued in terms of Section 182(1)(b) of the Constitution, cleared President Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing.

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NEW LAND COURT BILL THREATENS INDEPENDENCE OF JUDICIARY

On 23 May 2023, Parliament passed the Land Court Bill, which it believes will resolve “backlogs in land claims and dispute resolution mechanisms”, and ensure that “land reform in its entirety be accelerated in a lawful and equitable manner, guided by progressive jurisprudence”. The FW de Klerk Foundation remains deeply concerned that the Land Courts and the Land Appeal Court, which will be established by the Bill.

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NXESI PROMISES NUANCE IN EMPLOYMENT EQUITY

A “ground-breaking” settlement reached yesterday between Employment & Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi and trade union Solidarity states that “affirmative action shall be applied in a nuanced way… and the economically active population (EAP) statistics will only be one of the many factors that will be taken into account in the compliance analysis of affirmative action in any workplace”.

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BELA BILL OPPOSITION CONTINUES

While public hearings on the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill continue nationally, it is no surprise that the majority of the comments received have voiced strong opposition to it.

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