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The implementation of socio-economic rights in South Africa : a meta-analysis

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Socio-economic rights are the subject of much debate in South Africa and
elsewhere. At first they were simply denied the status of any rights at all. Lately, there
is a fair amount of recognition for them as rights. The tendency is, however, to
relegate them to paper rights and invest very little effort in bringing about their actual
realisation.
In this thesis I inquire into the question of what a human right, properly so
called, is, and then whether, in the light of that inquiry, there is a basis for the
reluctance to embrace socio-economic rights.
South Africa is uniquely fortunate in having a constitution that gives
recognition to socio-economic rights and requiring the Human Rights Commission to
monitor their implementation. But again there is a risk that the recognition of socioeconomic
rights is left as a constitutional matter, and nothing or little is done for their
practical implementation.
Therefore I inquire into the manner in which the Human Rights Commission
monitors the implementation of these rights. The inquiry into the Human Rights
Commission's monitoring role is largely a question of methodology. Whether, in
other words, the methods of the Commission are such as to yield reliable information
on the subject.
I also inquire whether the government's budgetary allocations indicate a
serious approach to these rights. The budgetary allocations that are brought under the
microscope relate to the seven core rights enshrined in the constitution, namely,
housing, health care, food, water, social security, education, and environmental rights. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sosio-ekonomiese regte is die onderwerp van vele debatte in Suid-Afrika en
elders. Aanvanklik was daar nie erkenning gegee aan die status van hierdie regte nie.
Hierdie situasie het die afgelope tyd begin verander. Die tendens is egter steeds om dit
te sien as regte slegs op papier en daar word nie 'n poging aangewend vir die
realisering van hierdie regte nie.
Ek ondersoek in hierdie tesis die kwessie van wat 'n mensereg, korrek so
genoem, is en ook of, in die lig van hierdie ondersoek, daar 'n basis is vir die
huiwering om sosio-ekonomiese regte te aanvaar.
Suid-Afrika is uniek in die sin dat die konstitusie erkenning gee aan sosioekonomiese
regte en die Waarheid-en Versoeningskommissie opdrag gegee het om
die implementering daarvan te monitor. Daar is egter weereens die risiko dat die
erkenning van sosio-ekonomiese regte slegs gesien word as 'n konstitusionele
aangeleentheid en dat niks of baie min gedoen word rakende die praktiese
implementering daarvan.
Ek stel daarom ook ondersoek in na die wyse waarop die
Menseregtekommissie die implementering van hierdie regte moniteer. Die ondersoek
na die monitering van die Menseregtekommissie is hoofsaaklik metodologies van
aard; dus of die metodes wat gebruik is, deur die Menseregtekommissie, betroubare
inligting verskaf.
Ek ondersoek ook of die regering se begrotingallokasies 'n ernstige
ingesteldheid jeens hierdie regte toon. Die begrotingsaspekte wat ondersoek word hou
verband met die sewe kernregte soos vervat in die konstitusie naamlik behuising,
gesondheidsorg, voedsel, water, sosiale sekuriteit, opvoeding en omgewingsregte.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51985
Date12 1900
CreatorsSeleoane, Lebohang Clyde
ContributorsMouton, Johann, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format118 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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