Cabinet has this week approved the submission of South Africa’s ninth to 11th periodic country report on the UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).
This was in accordance with South Africa’s commitment to the ICERD in 1994, which was ratified on 10 December 1998.
This was confirmed by acting Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, while addressing the media on the outcomes of this week’s Cabinet meeting.
“The report outlines progress made by South Africa in putting in place legislative, judicial and administrative measures to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination,” said the Minister.
She said the periodic report focuses on the progress made in advancing equality, fighting xenophobia and other related intolerance, prevention of hate crimes, and highlights challenges that still remain. After its presentation to the relevant body, the report will be made public.
In the meeting, Cabinet also approved the tabling of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid to Parliament for accession.
“This is done in terms of Section 231(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. The convention, among others, declares apartheid as a crime against humanity and that it posed a serious threat to international peace and security,” she said.
Once approved by both houses of Parliament, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation will deposit the instrument of accession with the UN, said the Minister.
Also agreed to in the Cabinet meeting was the amendment of the agreement between South Africa and the Netherlands on social security.
The cooperation agreement on social security was signed in The Hague in May 2001.
The agreement facilitates the export of social security benefits for the respective citizens.
“The Netherland Social Security Policy has made amendments to its export social security in respect to the Dutch children. The proposed amendment is to align the agreement to these changes,” said the Minister. – SAnews.gov.za
