All news items
3 February 2012
(Press release)
Litigation Attorney - Johannesburg
The position seeks an admitted attorney with an interest in refugee and immigration law and high court litigation. The ideal candidate will be responsible for monitoring immigration detention facilities and providing direct legal assistance to unlawfully detained persons. High Court litigation experience and drafting skills are required.
To apply, send a short...
3 February 2012
(Press release)
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), with the financial support of Legal Aid South Africa, has brought a challenge to the new rules of judicial review, which application will be heard in the North Gauteng High Court on Monday 6 February 2012.
The application has been brought against the Rules Board for Courts of Law, who drafted the rules, and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional...
30 January 2012
(News)
The Mhlanganisweni community, who has lodged a land claim against world-renowned game reserve MalaMala, received help from an unexpected source recently: their neighbours. Private game reserve Londolozi, whose own land is also under claim, agreed to manage the community’s proposed new eco-business on MalaMala. In addition Londolozi promised an investment of R75 million to the community...
23 January 2012
(News)
Asylum-seekers entering South Africa are no longer being issued with the necessary documents to apply for refugee status. Without a so-called section 23 permit, they are being turned away from Refugee Reception Offices (RROs) and denied the opportunity to legalize their stay in the country.
“We keep coming back here but they won’t help us without those papers,” said Abdul, a...
20 January 2012
(Press release)
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) has noted the Department of Home Affairs’ continued efforts to unlawfully prevent refugees from submitting applications for asylum at the country’s refugee reception offices. In terms of a recent policy change, new applicants for asylum will be required to produce an Asylum Transit Permit, which should be available at border posts, when they...
12 January 2012
(News)
The Constitutional Court has ruled that parents of children who have been removed from their care by the state will now have access to an automatic review of that decision.
Child rights advocates say this will help fill a "lacuna" or loophole in the Children's Act that has in the past made it difficult for disenfranchised families to challenge state officials who have wrongfully...