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ACHP African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Human Rights our Collective Responsibility 179. The right to live in dignity under Artifle 5 of the African Charter has direct implications on other rights, including the right to work, food, housing, health, water and sanitation; and creates corresponding obligations for the state. In the Principles and Guidelines on the Impiemeuaiion of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the African Charter on Humdn and People's Rights (Principles and Guidelines on ESR), the Commission fecognizes that the right to adequate housing includes the right to live in di nity and entails the obligation of State Parties under the African Charter to ensure that vulnerable and disadvantaged groups such as those at risk of homele~sness have access to acceptable living conditions in a healthy environment.w 9 1 .:. 180. The Commission also affirmed that the ight{;!iO,':w~ter a~~~~anitation is implied in a num~er of rights un~er the Africa~cc~~~i~t~r:;~~I~di1~,~~he. rig~t to dignity under ArtI~le. 5 of the Afncan cha".rte~':(,lryI','.,',;;t,llei~l?;;,l,r,:,\,c",IP~es,~ncl,'~,9,~lde~II:e~on ESR, the Commission noted that,",« ";":: ' . ',JJ:> i . '<:~:'l:/\ ". " , While the African Charter does r.tfi' dire~fl(r.)1?,rotec,tlheright ,t~~'lbater:,(lndsanitation, is implie.d in ~heprotections~d} " mbet o'fi~~~~~;' inc~uding b~~.pot, limited to the rights to life, dzgnzty, 'Work,food, [conont~§" social and cultural development and to a satisfactory e~pii}O~ment.49 ',"'.,r:;':, .., "<:~:" '.' ' = ~-,1J~: 181. Thismeansthat the ':;!~{~~)!j~e.!!(.il~~{~tailsa&~.;;;igatiOnOn thepart ~f a State Part~ to,",e,. nsure t~~t mc1:~,yl,duals afd g,l",0, •. ','.'.',;u,',' ,~~j'reslde~t on It~ ternt0_ry ~lve under residential conditions t11., re rersonaJ?)y conducive to life, habitation, and health. To, guarantee the rig, ,~tRIive in" dignity, State Parties under the African Chanter have an obligatih:';' regulate and monitor the living conditions o{'<:ire~idential dwellingsj CD ensure that they do not become dap.g~rous to life, '].'l'ilman health/and Jrellbeing of residents. This obligation ind4:ct~$l>*e respohsfiJ~lity, to ,prevent arid address overcrowding in residential areas·:;thaf_fnay, prove diulgerbris to dignified life and social interactions, the provision 0,r'tJ,§l,~h··1I?:ublic toilets or public latrines, the collection, disposal and "'ii, '('./ ie, , I 'ilmafuij~,:",,?!',:,9-~eta, and the reroval of wastewater, storm water and solid waste{50 ,/,l' =: " ,. "',j ;~5\. "iF' 182. In the pres~~t,~qse, the Complainants ,1aimed that prior to moving onto the Portion 41, W¢y' lived in temporary shack structures and neighbourhoods in Plot 40. Plot 40 was overcrowded and f[equently flooded during the summer raining seasons until they were reqUester by the Municipal Authority to move Principles and Guidelines on the Implementation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the African Charter on Human and People's Rights parasl78. , ;~_ 49 Principles and Guidelines on the Implementation of gconomic, Social and Cultural Ri " ,/~l-~euTMAARN, "1tv~ , ),0~ ~(;\:tE "1)'" A" African Charter on Human and People's Rights para 87. ,rf~":J":J ~ <"0 50 Pr~ciples and Guidelines on the ImplemeI_ltation of ~conomic, Social and Cultural#~hts ., l::h~~~ ?~ 48 African Charter on Human and People's RIghts para 91. ,;I ~,(J" ~ {~', ~~, (;'u () '" ....,/ .,,\v.- ';: AU-UA ,,[f. ~ ,\- 0 i!!::r ~ rfl '" ~ _ Y ''\:¥acY'~ r" of 51 c,Q " b~ o~ <0<;- ~":J '\,' (iro tv "1~"R'CA\I""" 'i::.:F';. "'~r. Il1ME ~~!'1!..~~ ET 0105 "''i •. ,

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Communication 377/09 - Menduzaki Patricia Monakali and others v. South Africa

ACHPR Decision

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Type of Document

Decision

Keywords

Adequate Standard of Living
Cruel and Degrading Treatment
Economic, Social and Cultural Development
Education
Equality
Protection of Family and Vulnerable Groups
Right to Education

Case Head Notes: The Complainants live in Portion 41, in temporary shack dwellings on a property which is part of Roodekop Informal Settlement (RIS). They previously lived in Portion 40 of the RIS, where they experienced frequent flooding to the point that it was uninhabitable at some points of the year. They have complained to the appropriate authorities in South Africa regarding their homelessness, and requested that priority, and resources, be given to their needs, including alternative housing which they say should have already been built. The Complainants state that, in 2006, the owner of the Property, attempted to evict them in a Court proceeding. The Complainants submitted a counter-application against the municipality, praying that the muncipality had a constiutional and statutroy obligation to have a program in place to address their homeless situation by purchasing the property from the Trustees and giving adequate resources to the Complainants needs. Based on court documents, the High Court found that the municipality failed to put into action an appropriate emergency plan to address the plight of homelessness in RIS and ordered the Municipality to purchase the property and make provision for essential services for the occupiers. The Court of Appeal set aside the High Courts decision, and the Complainants' appeal to the Consitutional Court was unsuccessful. The Commission found no violation of Article 5, stating that the Respondent State cannot be held responsible for the poor conditions when the Complainants lived in Portion 40, because they did not authoritze the Complainants accomodation in the first place. Additionally, the Commission stated that there is no clear evidence that the Respondent State has violated Article 5 with respect to Portion 41 because there is no clear evidence that the Respondent State is not following due process to meet the demand for housing. Specifically, the Commission stated that there is no specific obligation for the Respondent State to address the housing and other problems of the Complainants within a timeline demanded by the Complainants. The Commission found no violation of Article 17 because there was no evidence that a violation of the right to education had actually occurred. The Commission found no violation of Article 18, but, regardless, it urged the Respondent State to address the Complainants housing issues. The Commission found no violation of Article 19 because they state that the information provided by the Complainants did not demonstrate that they are treated differently from others of similar conditions. The Commission found no violation of Article 22 because they stated that no evidence was advanced by the Complainants to demonstrate that the state is to blame for the Complainants deplorable socio-economic conditions. The Commission found no violation of Article 24 because, while they state that there is room for the Respondent State to improve its program in creating a healthy environment, the evidence does not support that the gaps in the Respondent State's efforts are to a level that meets the requirements for finding a violation of Article 24. Regardless, the Commission states that the Respondent State should make extra effort to adopt targeted measures to address the housing conditions of the effected community with urgency.

Country

South Africa

Outcome: Decided on Merits

Year Decided: Aug 2, 2023

Rights Alleged to be Violated (ACHPR Provisions)

ACHPR 17: Right to Education
ACHPR 18: Protection of the Family and Vulnerable Groups
ACHPR 19: Right of All Peoples to Equality and Rights
ACHPR 22: Peoples' Right to Economic, Social and Cultural Development
ACHPR 24: Right to a General Satisfactory Environment
ACHPR 5: Cruel Inhuman and Degrading Treatment

Rights Not Violated (ACHPR Provisions)

ACHPR 17: Right to Education
ACHPR 18: Protection of the Family and Vulnerable Groups
ACHPR 19: Right of All Peoples to Equality and Rights
ACHPR 22: Peoples' Right to Economic, Social and Cultural Development
ACHPR 24: Right to a General Satisfactory Environment
ACHPR 5: Cruel Inhuman and Degrading Treatment

Duration of Procedure

Aug 13, 2009 ~ Aug 2, 2023

Country Geolocation

Latitude: -30.559482

Longitude: 22.937506

Country Geolocation (linked ACHPR Decision): South Africa

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Menduzaki Patricia Monakali and Others v South Africa.pdf
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African Human Rights CLA 2.0

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Communication 377/09 - Menduzaki Patricia Monakali and others v. South Africa

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