The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious, and
Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) has noted with concern the widespread public
statements on social media and commentary by some representatives in the National Assembly,
alleging that “there is an order from the High Court in Gauteng, which ruled that the CRL Rights
Commission cannot use the Section 22 Committee to create or enforce binding regulations over
religious institutions”. By the way, the mandate of the Section 22 Ad Hoc Committee is not to
enforce regulations but to facilitate consultations to develop a mechanism for self-regulation and
a code of conduct.
The Commission states that no court has ruled against the Section 22 Ad Hoc Committee or the
Commission in relation to its constitutional and legal responsibilities. Any claims that the
Commission is prevented from doing its work are false and misleading.
The Commission is concerned about what appears to be a continuation of attacks against the Chairperson
and the Section 22 Ad Hoc Committee by certain leaders and sectors of society. These attacks are
increasingly accompanied by disinformation and misrepresentation of the Commission’s work, with the
intention of confusing the public and undermining confidence in constitutional institutions established to
protect the rights of all communities.
The Commission calls on all stakeholders, including public representatives and opinion leaders, to act
responsibly by verifying facts before making public pronouncements. The Commission also urges members of the public to rely on credible sources and official communication from the Commission regarding legal matters and the Commission’s ongoing work.
The CRL Rights Commission remains committed to promoting and protecting the rights of cultural,
religious, and linguistic communities and will continue to engage all stakeholders constructively, guided
by the Constitution and the CRL Act.
Issued by the CRL Rights Commission
For any further enquiries, contact
Mpiyakhe Mkholo – 082 527 3859 or Mpiyakhem@crlcommission.org.za;
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