The Legal Resources Centre – www.lrc.org.za

The organisation has offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Grahamstown. They use the law ‘as an instrument of justice and provide legal services for the vulnerable and marginalised, including the poor, homeless, and landless people.’

The Black Sash – www.blacksash.org.za

The Black Sash is an old human rights organisation that is now focusing on ‘broadening the beneficiary coverage of the South African social security system, promoting administrative justice, with a focus on the needs of unemployed and poor people.’ They have a free help line: 072-66 33 739 or help@blacksash.org.za.

National Alliance for the Development of Community Advice Offices (Nadcao) – nadcao.org.za

This non-profit organisation is an umbrella body committed to keeping Community Advice Offices (CAOs) running throughout the country. Their members have been working with Black Sash to address problems with social grants.

Lawyers for Human Rights – www.lhr.org.za

This organisation ‘provides free legal services to vulnerable, marginalised and indigent individuals and communities, both non-national and South African, who are victims of unlawful infringements of their constitutional rights.’

Africa Check – africacheck.org

This is ‘a non-profit organisation set up in 2012 to promote accuracy in public debate and the media in Africa. The goal of our work is to raise the quality of information available to society across the continent.’ Anyone can ask them to check media claims that they think are untrue.

The South African Human Rights Commission – www.sahrc.org.za

These Commissioners are appointed by Parliament and their task is to get all South Africans to respect and observe human rights, and to investigate, report on and take steps to stop human rights violations (people not getting their rights) and get help for victims.

The Department of Social Development – www.dsd.gov.za

The mission of this government department is ‘To enable the poor, the vulnerable and the excluded within South African society to secure a better life for themselves, in partnership with them and with all those who are committed to building a caring society.’

There are many organisations that are involved in the protection of human rights generally in South Africa. Click here to view these organisations’ contact details.