NATIONAL NEWS - The Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, John Jeffrey, has launched a national action plan (Nap) which promises to combat racism, xenophobia and related intolerance.
The Nap, which was approved by Cabinet, was launched on Tuesday 25 May in Pretoria. Jeffrey said the launch was "also in honour of struggle icon Ahmed Kathrada, who was instrumental in shaping the Nap prior to his passing". The plan is derived from the declaration programme of action adopted by the United Nations (UN) World Conference against racism, which aims to promote and achieve the right to equality while combating racism.
The government will use the plan to raise awareness of anti-racism, equality and anti-discrimination issues among public officials, civil society and the public.
The 67-page document makes provision for the establishment of a rapid response mechanism to collate reported incidents of racism and other crimes of prejudice, the number of cases prosecuted, as well as reasons for non-prosecution, and the outcome of cases prosecuted by the National Prosecuting Authority.
The Nap has been developed through a comprehensive consultative process involving government, the Chapter nine institutions and civil society and is informed by general principles of universality, interdependence and indivisibility of human rights, participation and inclusion, progressive realisation, accountability, equality and non-discrimination.
"The plan is applicable to all persons within a national jurisdiction who are rights holders to equality and non-discrimination," the plan reads. "Both State and non-State actors are duty bearers of the obligations that arise from the right to equality and non-discrimination. The Nap, in keeping with the belief that human rights are universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing seeks to ensure the equal enjoyment of all human rights, including civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. The Nap also takes into account that the right to equality and non-discrimination are rights in and of themselves and may be violated even without being associated with the denial of other rights, something which is highlighted in our Constitution."
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