On 5 June 2019, Sonke Gender Justice (Sonke) as part of the Alliance for Rural Democracy, will march against the signing into law of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill (TKLB) and the passing into law of the Traditional Courts Bill (TCB).
Sonke and our civil society partners contend that these Bills are unconstitutional as they will effectively bring back apartheid homelands by subjecting people to different laws in different parts of the country. In addition, the Bills infringe on property rights, access to courts and gender equality.
“The passing of these Bills will not adhere to the consensual nature of customary law, it will give power to unelected traditional leaders, it will not allow people to opt-out of the system. These limitations infringe on a number of rights in our Constitution,” says Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane, Policy Development and Advocacy Fellow, Sonke Gender Justice.
The TKLB is currently awaiting the President’s signature and the TCB was passed by the National Assembly on 12 March 2019 and will now be before the National Council of Provinces to be deliberated in accordance with the rules of Parliament.
Since 2008 Sonke has opposed these Bills becoming law in South Africa through advocacy campaigns and parliamentary submissions. Sonke now joins ‘Stop the Bantustan Bills’ coalition in opposing these Bills and will join the march, which takes places on 5 June 2019, from Die Boere square (Paul Kruger Square) at 07:00 to arrive at the Union Buildings at 10.30 where a memorandum will be handed to the President calling for our South African democracy to be protected.
Sonke calls on individuals and civil society organisations to join the march, speak out against these Bills and protect the human rights of all South Africans.
#StopTheBills
For more information or comment, please contact:
- Nonhlanhla Skosana, Community Education and Mobilisation Unit Manager, Sonke Gender Justice, 078 971 5477
- Patrick Godana, Eastern Cape Manager, Sonke Gender Justice, 073 233 4560
- Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane, Policy Development and Advocacy Fellow, Sonke Gender Justice, letlhogonolo@genderjustice.org.za, 076 164 8972
