Rule of Law
SALC’s Rule of Law work is integrated within its other programmatic areas and focuses on the following objectives:
- To challenge encroachments on judicial independence.
- To challenge practices where the executive seeks to encroach on the powers of parliament or the judiciary.
Current cases:
Swaziland: Challenging the constitutionality of the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act.
Swaziland: Challenging the constitutionality of the Suppression of Terrorism Act.
Completed cases:
Lesotho: Support wife of late Brigadier Mahau to argue against the setting aside of the findings of the SADC Commission of Inquiry into Lesotho.
Botswana: Challenge interpretation of Constitution which allows President discretion to appoint High Court judges.
Swaziland: Challenging lawyer and editor’s arrest and detention for contempt of court.
Zambia: Defending anti-corruption activist charged with contempt of court.
Lesotho: Conduct advocacy and litigation to address unlawful arrests and military detention.
Media Release: SALC and Amnesty International condemn the ongoing harassment and...
On Saturday, 21 December 2019, Fumba Chama, popularly known Pilato, a Zambian human rights defender and musician, was arrested for unlawful assembly in violation of the Public Order Act apparently due to his hosting of a youth forum which aimed…
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MEDIA ADVISORY: ESWATINI GOVERNMENT ROUNDS UP ACTIVISTS...
20 December 2019, Mbabane – In a coordinated operation in the early hours of this morning, Eswatini police visited the houses of a number of pro-democracy activists including Sikelela Dlamini, Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT),…
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STATEMENT CONDEMNING TANZANIA’S WITHDRAWAL OF INDIVIDUALS ACCESS TO THE AFRICA...
The below mentioned organisations are deeply concerned that the Tanzanian government has announced that it has withdrawn the right of individuals and NGOs to directly file cases against the State before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (The…
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REVOCATION OF VISA TO A CONVICTED DUTCH WAR CRIMINAL: AUGUSTINUS MARIA KOUWENHOV...
The Southern Africa Litigation Centre has filed an application requesting the Western Cape High Court to cancel the visa of convicted arms trafficker and war criminal Augustinus Maria Kouwenhoven. Kouwenhoven has been resident in South Africa since December 2016. He…
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STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ACTIONS OF THE ZIMBABWE REPUBLIC POLICE FOR THE ASSAULT...
The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) is extremely concerned by reports of alleged serious human rights violations and the continued commission of atrocities by the Zimbabwe Republic Police. In particular, SALC is concerned with in the recent arbitrary arrest of…
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SALC POLICY BRIEF: THE DEMISE OF A LEGITIMATE SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGIONAL COURT...
This weeks marks the 14 anniversary of the inauguration of the SADC Tribunal. The actions of the SADC Summit to suspend the Tribunal was a retrogressive step in the promotion and protection of the right of access to justice. As…
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STATEMENT CALLING FOR THE RESURRECTION OF A SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGIONAL COURT...
On 18 November 2005, the Southern African Development Community Tribunal (SADC Tribunal) was inaugurated. It was established through a protocol which created a regional court to hear disputes of not only SADC member states but also of their citizens. This…
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SALC Oral Statement: At the African Commission on Human and People’s Right...
On the 24 October 2019, SALC delivered an oral statement at the the 65th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights. Zimbabwe Zimbabwe is in crisis facing chronic shortages of physical money, the country’s economy has…
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MEDIA STATEMENT ON THE RECENT KILLING OF ELECTION OBSERVER, DR ANASTACIO MATAVEL...
SALC strongly condemns the recent killing of Dr. Anastácio Matavel. Dr Matavel was founder and executive director of FONGA-Gaza NGO Forum and chairman of the General Assembly of Joint Liga of NGOs in Mozambique. On the 7th October 2019, Dr…
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News Release: SALC commends the President of South Africa for withdrawing his si...
The President of the Republic South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has officially withdrawn his signature from the 2014 SADC Protocol which establishes the SADC Tribunal. Notice of the withdrawal can be found in paragraph 20 of the Communique_of_the_39th_SADC_Summit which was held…
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SALC IN THE NEWS: Constitutional Amendments to Remove Parliamentary Oversight ov...
On the 2nd August 2019, Bloomberg Reported: The government also on Friday presented a bill to parliament that proposes a change to the constitution to remove a clause that gives parliament oversight over government borrowing. While there may still be…
Read More Statement: Organisations warn of potential negative impact of proposed changes t...
Organizations in the region, as well as internationally, are deeply concerned about the impact the Zambian Constitutional Amendment Bill 2019 may have on the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, if adopted. Of particular concern are the amendments made…
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