REFILWE GAESWE
Public and Constitutional Law expert Jonas Sibanyoni said South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world.
Sibanyoni said a recent World Bank report which compared South Africa with eleven other middle income countries found that inequality in SA was still higher than other countries. He added that to address inequalities, it is important to make justice accessible particularly to the poor and vulnerable. Sibanyoni was speaking at the Human Rights Commission colloquium on the launch of the access to justice campaign at University of the Free State in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.
He quoted clauses from the Freedom Charter by emphasizing on the enjoyment of equal rights and explained that democratic values of human rights equality and freedom was the vision of the freedom charter.
“Those clauses in the Freedom Charter that I am emphasizing about, are those that are dealing with equality, poverty and unemployment,” he said.
Sibanyoni emphasized that chapter nine institutions that include Human Rights Commission, Gender Equality Commission and Public Protector are the watch dogs of constitutional democracy and as watchdogs they shouldn’t only bark but also bite.
