Leaders from the Khoi and San communities have expressed profound dissatisfaction with the slow and inadequate implementation of a pivotal Human Rights Commission report, nearly eight years after its release.
The 2017 investigative report contained key recommendations aimed at rectifying historical injustices, including the removal of the term “Coloured” from official documents, the formal recognition of Khoi and San leaders, and concrete steps to protect and conserve their indigenous languages.
The issue was brought to the fore on Tuesday in Upington, where the South African Human Rights Commission and various government departments provided an update on their progress. For many community leaders in attendance, the update was a stark reminder of promises unfulfilled.
“If there’s any progress at all, I don’t think we’ll know about it because of the fact that the South African Human Rights Commission have until now been proven to just be one-sided,” said one community representative, who voiced the frustration felt by many.
The leader pointed to the continued absence of Khoi and San history and culture in the national educational curriculum as a primary failure. “Yes, there’s no recognition for us as the Koi and San people. Look in the schools, there’s no curriculum who can educate us on our education,” they stated. “They should have tried the utmost best to look into the recommendations of the human Rights Commission and roll it out so that all the departments need and come to the party to deal with the programs and processes.”
In response, a spokesperson for the South African Human Rights Commission described the progress as a “mixed bag.” While acknowledging significant shortcomings, the spokesperson also highlighted some areas of work.
“There’s quite a number of recommendations actually that have not been properly implemented. For example, issues of language, I mean curriculum design, there’s something that is lagging behind,” the commission spokesperson said. “But in so far as the recognition of the language, [the department] has actually done a lot of work… The truth of the matter is some of these recommendations have been partially implemented, some fully implemented, but unfortunately they have been conditioned as to why they have not been implemented.”
The spokesperson identified the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) as a key player in the stalled process, noting that a foundational framework for recognizing Khoi and San leadership is still lacking.
“Most of the recommendations were directed at the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs,” the spokesperson explained. “There’s a commission to look in terms of the issues of the Khoi and San for their recognition. So there has to be a framework that legitimizes their recognition. So without that particular framework or non-compliance with the commission’s terms of reference, we’ll be found wanting because it is there to guide the process.”
With the eighth anniversary of the report’s release approaching, the Khoi and San communities say their hope for tangible change is waning. They have issued a collective plea that they will not be forced to wait another decade for the full implementation of the recommendations meant to affirm their identity, rights, and heritage.
