Issued by: The Ministry for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development
MEDIA STATEMENT BY MINISTER M V MOOSA, MINISTER FOR PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE CONFERENCE ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL ACCOMMODATION OF VULNERABLE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA
The Department of Constitutional Development and the Geneva based International Labour Office (ILO) will be co-hosting a conference on the rights of vulnerable groups in South Africa from 23 to 24 May 1998 at Upington.
The issue regarding the constitutional rights of vulnerable communities is presently high on the international political agenda and the United Nations is drafting a declaration on the rights of such communities.
Within South Africa, this issue is also viewed as very important and the Government has taken the first step regarding the constitutional accommodation of vulnerable communities with the establishment of the National Griqua Forum. Other communities, such as the Nama, Koranna and San who, view themselves as vulnerable communities, have also expressed an urgent need that attention be given to their needs in this regard.
This conference will therefore mainly focus on the Nama, Koranna and San groups and aims to address issues such as the definition of a vulnerable community, identity, first nation status, leadership, interest groups, protection of cultural ad linguistic rights and constitutional accommodation.
Besides representatives from these communities, representatives of the ILO, the African Forum on Vulnerable Communities, the National Griqua Forum and the South African San Institute will also be adding inputs into the conference.
The venue for the conference is the Upington Protea Hotel with the welcoming scheduled for 09:00 on 23 May 1998 and the opening address of Minister Moosa scheduled for 09:15.
Issued on behalf of the Ministry for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development on 23 May 1998
Enquiries: Mr Onkgopose (JJ) Thabaneat 082 465 6166 Mr Johan Meiring at (012) 334 0800 or 082 577 6630