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On Friday, 15 March 2024, the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI), Inner City Federation (ICF) and Abahlali baseMjondolo made a submission to the Department of Human Settlements on the White Paper on Human Settlements in line with its call for comment issued on 18 December 2023.

Overall, SERI, ICF and Abahlali welcome the housing rights framing in the General Principles of the White Paper, and support the positions on prioritising informal settlement upgrading and on rental housing, as well as the assertion that rapid land release is a pro-active mechanism for pre-empting occupations. However, as noted in the submission, SERI, ICF and Abahlali raise several concerns and offered recommendations for changes. These concerns include:

• The consultation process, the notice period in particular, has been flawed, leading to an inability on the part of organisations to consult with their members and constituencies.
• People need to be centred in the White Paper, and the measures taken to secure a home, in the context of unrelenting poverty, should be identified and acknowledged, in order to treat people with the respect and dignity deserving of all human beings.
• The historical review in the White Paper is incomplete.
• The White Paper's problem statement is underdeveloped.
• The housing rights commitment is not followed through and in some places is subverted.
• The White Paper does not develop an analysis of women’s unequal access to housing rights and as a result women’s equal access is inadequately treated in the proposals.
• The White Paper is silent on the rights of migrants.

Finally, SERI, ICF and Abahlali submit that the White Paper is incomplete in its rights framing, especially with regard to land and tenure rights, and rights to basic services, which all fit within the ambit of “human settlements”, as defined in the White Paper.

• Access the submission here.

On 7 March 2024, SERI participated in a Dialogue on the Rights of Domestic Workers in terms of the amendments made to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993 (COIDA). The dialogue was hosted by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), in collaboration with the Women Legal Centre (WLC). SERI's Asenati Tukela, Qobo Ningiza, Yongeza Mbimbi participated in the dialogue on behalf of SERI.

The dialogue was facilitated by Chriscy Blouws of the WLC, who also opened the event with introductory remarks that provided the background of the domestic work sector in South Africa. SERI’s attorney, Asenati Tukela shared the background of the Mahlangu case and provided an overview of the developments in the law regarding domestic workers and their protections in the workplace, in particular, the COIDA amendments and the implications of the litigation. Izwi Domestic Workers Alliance's Maggie Mthombeni and Pinky Mashiane from United Domestic Workers of South Africa (UDWOSA) were also in attendance and they shared their insights on the working conditions of domestic workers in South Africa and the continued human rights violations that they face in the workplace.

Harry Maphologela and Vusi Zwane from the Compensation Fund also participated in the dialogue. They provided an overview of what the COIDA claims process entails and gave guidance on available reporting and accountability avenues should the claims process fail either domestic workers or their employers. The roundtable ended with an undertaking by the participants to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to advance the interests of domestic workers.  

On 26 February 2024, the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) hosted Global Affairs Canada (GAC) representative, Kerry Max, for a half-day visit to SERI.

The purpose of the visit was for Kerry to obtain an introduction to SERI and learn more about the organisation. GAC funds the Women’s Spaces Project and works with Rooftops Canada to implement it. Rooftops has partnered with SERI to implement the South African portion of the project. The goal is to increase women’s equal access to land and housing rights.

Upon arrival, Kerry was introduced to the Women’s Spaces team, SERI's Executive Director Nomzamo Zondo, SERI the organization, and the Inner City Federation (ICF). Kerry received an overview of the Women’s Spaces project, its current activities, and a few planned activities.

The group visited four inner city buildings, led by the ICF. This included three occupied buildings, namely Jeanlaw Court, Manhattan Court, and 58 Auret, as well as one site of Temporary Emergency Accommodation, 133 Albert.

This visit forms part of the Women’s Spaces project at SERI which focuses on women’s rights to land and housing in sub-Saharan Africa.

Today, 8 March, is globally celebrated as the International Women’s Day. On this day, SERI is raising awareness on the rights of domestic workers. Domestic work is the largest source of employment for black women in South Africa. Their care work and household work enables others to carry out their own jobs, is essential to the functioning of families all over the country, and is a significant contribution to the national economy.

SERI, in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, hosted an annual commemorative dialogue to mark the anniversary of the landmark Constitutional Court judgment in Mahlangu v Minister of Labour since the judgment. The landmark judgment saw the inclusion of domestic workers in the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993 (COIDA) and allowed for the findings to apply retrospectively.

The judgment has significant implications for the domestic workers of South Africa: not only can domestic workers and dependants who experience work-related injuries, diseases, and death claim from the Compensation Fund, but those domestic workers and dependants who have experienced work-related injuries, diseases or death as far back as 27 April 1994 are also able to submit claims.

On 22 November 2023, the dialogue entitled, "Three Years after Mahlangu: Taking Stock of Domestic Work in South Africa" brought together government, civil society organisations representing domestic workers and employers, and members of the public to discuss key issues in the sector and collectively explore solutions. The central concern voiced by the keynote speaker and the panellists was the low number of domestic worker COIDA claims being processed, which was approximately 14 according to the latest information SERI obtained from the Compensation Fund, and the low number of registrations by employers of domestic workers.

SERI is calling for domestic workers who have experienced a workplace injury or contracted a disease, and dependents of domestic workers who died due to a workplace injury/disease to:

• WhatsApp 082 590 9492 and follow the prompts.
• Call 011 356 5860.

We will then provide you with advice and assist you with the submission process for your claim.

• Read more about the Mahlangu case here.
• Watch a recording of the event here.
• Download the employers guide here.