In an effort to address the challenges posed by inadequate road infrastructure in the Eastern Cape, the SA Human Rights Commission is to launch an inquiry into the inaccessibility of roads in the province.
The commission said in a statement that it had received a string of complaints that people’s human rights were being violated due to poor road infrastructure, which hindered access to essential services such as health care, education, social security, food security and the police.
The commission’s provincial manager, Dr Eileen Carter, said the province was characterised by a vast rural landscape with communities spread across diverse areas.
“Unfortunately, many of these areas suffer from inadequate and poor road infrastructure, resulting in limited accessibility for residents,” Carter said.
“The inaccessibility of roads in the Eastern Cape poses significant challenges to accessing socioeconomic rights.
“In view thereof, and in line with the commission’s mandate, the SAHRC in the Eastern Cape has resolved to host a provincial inquiry into the inaccessibility of roads.”
Carter said the inquiry would seek to ventilate the root causes and identify possible solutions and measures by the relevant authorities to construct adequate roads and maintain and rehabilitate them.
The commission said its goal was to ensure that the responsible authorities fulfilled their mandates in addressing and preventing ongoing human rights violations.
The inquiry is scheduled for November 20-24 and will be held in the commission’s Eastern Cape provincial office boardroom in East London.
“The commission invites members of the public, civil society organisations and interested parties with relevant information relating to the inquiry to make submissions to the panel for consideration as well as potential follow-up and participation,” Carter said.
“Written submissions must be delivered to the commission by November 10 to the following address: 13 Phillip Frame Road, First Floor Waverly Park, Cambridge Chiselhurst, East London, 5247.”
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