By IPS Correspondents
JOHANNESBURG, Apr 28 2003 (IPS)

The South African government has been forced to defend itself from a report by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) that says although progress has been made in improving the lives of the country’s poor much more needs to be done.

The 533-page report, released to coincide with Freedom Day on Saturday, says nine years after the official end of racial discrimination in South Africa, much must still be done to improve the living standards of the country’s – predominantly black – poor.

The Freedom Day, which is always celebrated on Apr 27, marks the anniversary of South Africa’s first democratic election after the end of apartheid in 1994.

The SAHRC Fourth Annual Report on Social and Economic Rights for 2000/2002 looks at how far the government has been able to provide social services in terms of the South African constitution.

SAHRC chairperson, Jody Kollapen, says the fact "that the government has taken steps towards the progressive realisation of the right to have access to adequate housing is beyond dispute. However, it is regrettable to note that, millions of people are still living in peril and the measures instituted cannot be considered to be comprehensive as they neglect significant members of society. Much still needs to be done by the government in this regard."

On land reform, Kollapen paints a gloomy picture. "The land reform process is still slow. Most of the land – 80 percent – is still owned by white commercial farmers. The State and the previously disadvantaged groups, particularly Africans, share only 20 percent and between 13 million and 14 million rural inhabitants are affected by lack of access to land. Poor implementation, corruption and lack of capacity continue to affect the land reform process," she says.

Referring to social security, she says: "The State has displayed its commitment to achieving and ensuring that the right to social security is progressively realised through the programmes instituted in various government departments. However, the challenges (limiting the effectiveness of the social security system) need to be addressed as soon as possible as they constitute a denial of the right of access to social security and assistance for many South Africans".

There are similar comments on government efforts to provide food security, education and health services to its citizens and to protect South Africa’s environment.

The South African Department of Labour says local businesses are still reluctant to report on their efforts to advance previously disadvantaged individuals in the workplace.

The Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana, says the low level of reporting "shows very little interest among employers in employment equity". He did, however, point out that there were noticeable exceptions.

The racial and gender disparity at the workplace also needs to be addressed. Whites still hold three of four top management positions and four of five senior management positions. Women hold fewer than one in five of the positions in the country’s boardrooms.

In response to the SAHRC report, the Government Information and Communication Services (GCIS) released a raft of figures that show the proportion of South Africans that have access to homes and different social services has increased since the end of apartheid in 1994 – very significantly in some cases.

The proportion of South African households in formal housing in 2000, for example, was 72.6 percent, up from 65.8 percent in 1995. "Freedom has brought progress," insists the GCIS statement.

The Chairperson of the South African National Council of Provinces, Naledi Pandor, who is a member of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), dismissed the idea that "blacks are worse off today" than under apartheid – a common refrain among those opposed to government.

However, a study by University of Stellenbosch professor, Sampie Terreblanche, also indicates that, particularly since 1994, the top 20 percent of African households have been enriched, while the bottom 40 percent have been impoverished.

But, writing in the weekly newspaper, the Mail and Guardian, Pandor says: "Every black adult I have spoken to in the past six weeks informs me that they really do prefer to have the right to vote, they really do welcome the protection of the Constitution. They remind me that access to social grants, education, water and housing were all race determined and race exclusive for black people in the past".

She, however, warns: "This does not mean that nothing remains to be done. There are many areas for improvement that government and other stakeholders need to address".

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