The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (herein after referred to as ‘the Commission’) is a constitutional human rights institution established by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa in 2004 to strengthen constitutional democracy with specific reference to the rights of culture, religion and language.

The CRL Rights Commission has so far conducted consultative hearings on the possible review of Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994 in three provinces. Those provinces are Gauteng, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.

Some of the submissions already gathered from the three provinces include:

• An introduction of African Calendar that talks to its people
• Scrapping of all religious holidays
• Scrapping of all religious holidays and introduce two more general holidays
• An addition of other religious holidays in the current calendar
• Reduction of the current holidays for economic purposes

The CRL Rights Commission has been receiving a number of complaints the bias and unfair schedule of Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994 (‘the PHA’). The focal point of the complaints and requests is that the PHA should not only cater for the Christian religious.

The national consultative community hearings aim at:

• building the nation, social cohesion and creation of peace among cultural, religious and linguistic communities
• encouraging cultural and religious community participation on the matter;
• seek information from the cultural, religious communities and determine whether, according to the communities, there is discrimination or not; and if there is discrimination whether such discrimination is fair or unfair; and
• submit a report with recommendations to the National department of Home Affairs, Labour, various Portfolio Committees and the Office of the Presidency.

The schedule of hearings for other provinces are as follows:

Invited and expected are leaders, representatives of various religious, cultural community councils, and political parties in South Africa.

NB: The hearings will resume at 09h00.

Contact details: Submission can be addressed to Adv Sipho Mantula and may be posted or hand delivered to the CRL Rights Commission at:
Postal address:
Private Bag X90 000
Houghton
2041

Physical Address:
No 158 Jan Smuts Avenue, 1st Floor,
Rosebank, Johannesburg

For further information regarding submission and or the hearings, kindly contact Adv A Sedupane at 011 537 7600 Ext 7606, Fax: 011 880 3495.

Electronic emails should be forwarded to Adv Sipho Mantula at: sipho@crlcommission.org.za

The Closing date for Submission is 1 August 2012. However, Chief Executive Officer may at his discretion and in consultation with Investigation and Conflict Resolution and Research and Publications units consider late submissions.