Press Releases

The Helen Suzman Foundation Submitted Its Comments To The Joint Constitutional Review Committee On The Annual Review Of The Constitution

The Helen Suzman Foundation (“HSF”) has made submissions to the Inquiry into Ensuring Free and Fair Local Government Elections during COVID-19 (“the Inquiry”), in response to an invitation to do so from Justice Dikgang Moseneke.

The constitutional court has found that the former president, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, is guilty of contempt of court, and has sentenced him to 15 months in prison. The Helen Suzman foundation was admitted as amicus curiae in the application and welcomes the court’s findings as a victory for the rule of law in South Africa.

The Helen Suzman Foundation ("HSF") has submitted its comments to the South African Law Reform Commission in response to the issue paper on the Domestication of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

The Helen Suzman Foundation (“HSF”) Has Submitted Its Comments To The Department Of Public Service And Administration In Respect Of Two Draft Amendment Bills: The Public Service Amendment Draft Bill, 2020 (“The PSA Bill”) And The Public Administration Management Amendment Draft Bill, 2020 (“The PAMA Bill”).

The Helen Suzman Foundation ("HSF") has approached the constitutional court for leave to appeal against an order of the Supreme Court of Appeal (“SCA”) upholding an order made on 12 February 2019 by the Pretoria high court. The high court order sanctioned an agreement (“the agreement”) between the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (“IPID”), Mr Robert Mcbride as then executive director of IPID, the Minister of Police (“The Minister”) and the portfolio committee on police on a mechanism for the renewal of the head of IPID’s term of office.

The Supreme Court of Appeal has handed down judgment in Helen Suzman Foundation v McBride and Others, a matter in which the Helen Suzman Foundation became involved to help strengthen the independence of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.

The Chief Justice has issued directions pursuant to hearing the State Capture Commission’s application to declare former President, Jacob Zuma, in contempt of court.

Tomorrow – 25 March 2021 – the Constitutional Court will hear argument in the State Capture Commission’s contempt application concerning Mr. Zuma’s failure to appear and give evidence before the Commission in defiance of an order of the Constitutional Court.

The Helen Suzman Foundation has submitted its comments to Parliament in respect of the Notice of Intention to Introduce the Draft Disaster Management Amendment Bill, 2021.

The Helen Suzman Foundation has submitted its comments to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (“NERSA”) in respect of a determination by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy to commence the process to procure new nuclear energy with a generating capacity of 2 500MW (“the ministerial determination”).

More than 20 civil society organisations fighting for social justice, supported by the Marikana Commission Chairperson Judge Ian Farlam, state that meaningful engagement with the new draft SAPS Bill is being undermined due to the 2018 report of the Panel of Experts on Policing being kept secret